Three of the last four NASCAR Xfinity Series races at ISM Raceway were won by fulltime Xfinity drivers. Christopher Bell won last November, William Byron in November, 2017, and Justin Allgaier in March, 2017. Former Cup champion Brad Keselowski is the defending race winner and the lone fulltime Cup driver to win in that span. Kyle Busch won the three races previous to Justin Allgaier (fall race of 2015 and 2016 sweep).
Not only has the racing been dramatic and close this season – the opening three races decided by an average of .166-seconds, the closest margin in 21 years – but for the second straight year, it’s been a varied lineup of trophy hoists. Michael Annett won the season-opener at Daytona, Bell won at Atlanta and Kyle Busch won last week at his Las Vegas home track. Last year it took 14 races for a repeat winner – Allgaier won at Dover, Del. then four races later at Iowa Speedway.
Coming to Saturday’s iK9 Service Dog 200 (at 4 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASAR Radio) Bell has the early lead in Xfinity championship points – 18 points over 2018 champ Tyler Reddick and last year’s championship runner-up Cole Custer – and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver boasts top-four finishes in his three race starts at Phoenix, including the win last November.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
