Products You May Like
Historically, if there‘s one thing that‘s been consistent at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, it‘s the importance of qualifying to NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers.
Brad Keselowski won the 2012 series debut race at big track from the eighth starting position. Since then, all seven Indy winners have started from the top three spots on the grid, four from the pole position.
RELATED: Indy weekend schedule | Xfinity standings
Kyle Busch has been the dominant Xfinity Series driver at the Indy oval, winning three times from the pole. He won the last race held there in 2019, leading a race-high 46 laps. Busch, however, won‘t be competing in Saturday‘s Pennzoil 250 (3:30 p.m. ET, USA, IMS Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).
In fact, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier is the only former winner entered in Saturday‘s race. Allgaier scored an emotional win at the track in 2018.
“It‘s great to be going back to the oval at Indianapolis,” Allgaier said. “This is such a special place. I grew up watching races here, and to be able to have the opportunity to go to Victory Lane again on the oval definitely means a lot.
“Hopefully, our Jarrett Chevrolet will be just as strong as we have been throughout this season, and we can put ourselves where we want to be in the end. If we can do that, I see no reason why we won‘t have the opportunity to kiss the bricks come Saturday afternoon.”
To do so, Allgaier will have to execute a clean race. Though he leads the Xfinity Series with 11 stage wins this season, the speed in his No. 7 Chevrolet has produced just one victory so far — Darlington Raceway in May — thanks to a series of mishaps and ill fortune.