The Xfinity Series is going to have a fierce fight just to make this weekend’s race.
NASCAR released the entry list for the May 2 Winn Dixie 300 at Talladega Superspeedway earlier today (April 27). The entry list included 45 drivers, meaning five will fail to make the race.
Joe Gibbs Racing will field a new lineup. Joining Camping World Truck Series stars Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez will be Boris Said in the No. 54. Said, 52, hasn’t competed in the Xfinity Series since 2011, where his finished 37th in Montreal. Said will run seven races in the Monster Energy Toyota.
Four Sprint Cup veterans will attempt to take the checkered flag in Saturday’s race. Kasey Kahne will return to the No. 88 Armour Vienna Sausage Chevrolet for JR Motorsports for the first time in 2015. To get to victory lane, Kahne will have to beat two Cup drivers that have already won this season in Joey Logano and Austin Dillon. Aric Almirola will also compete in the race, driving the No. 98 for Biagi-Denbeste Racing.
In one of the more interesting sponsorships of the season, Darrell Wallace Jr.‘s No 6 Ford Mustang will be sponsored by Spongebob Squarepants. Wallace will try to match teammate Ryan Reed‘s victory in the previous restrictor-plate race at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
The Xfinity Series will roar to life at Talladega on Friday for a lone practice session, followed by Coors Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. Coverage of the Winn Dixie 300 will begin on FOX at 3 p.m. ET.
2015 WINN DIXIE 300 ENTRY LIST
| Car# | Driver | Sponsor | Manu | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Harrison Rhodes | teamjdmotorsports.com | 15 Chevy | Andrea Nemechek |
| 1 | Landon Cassill | GK Services | 15 Chevy | Johnny Davis |
| 1 | Elliott Sadler | OneMain Financial Ford Mustang | 15 Ford | Jack Roush |
| 2 | Brian Scott | Shore Lodge | 15 Chevy | Richard Childress |
| 3 | Ty Dillon | Bass Pro Shops | 15 Chevy | Richard Childress |
| 4 | Ross Chastain | teamjdmotorsports.com | 15 Chevy | Gary Keller |
| 6 | Darrell Wallace Jr | Sponge Bob Square Pants Ford Mustang | 15 Ford | Jack Roush |
| 7 | Regan Smith | Hellmann's | 15 Chevy | Kelley Earnhardt-Miller |
| 8 | Blake Koch | LeafFilter Gutter Protection | 15 Toyota | Joseph Walsh |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | NAPA AUTO PARTS | 15 Chevy | Dale Earnhardt Jr |
| 10 | Jeff Green | TriStar Motorsports | 15 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 13 | Mark Thompson | Braille Battery/Grafoid | 14 Dodge | Derek White |
| 14 | Cale Conley | IAVA | 15 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 15 | Carlos Contreras | BYB Extreme Fighting Series | 15 Chevy | Rick Ware |
| 16 | Ryan Reed | Lilly/American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang | 15 Ford | Jack Roush |
| 17 | Benny Gordon | VSI and SWRS | 15 Toyota | Adrian Berryhill |
| 18 | Daniel Suarez | ARRIS | 15 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 19 | Mike Bliss | TBD | 15 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 20 | Erik Jones(i) | Sports Clips | 15 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 22 | Joey Logano(i) | Discount Tire | 15 Ford | Roger Penske |
| 24 | Eric McClure | HEFTY REYNOLDS WRAP | 15 Toyota | James Whitener |
| 25 | John Wes Townley(i) | Zaxby's | 15 Chevy | Tony Townley |
| 26 | Kenny Wallace | JGL RACING | 15 Toyota | Maria Gonzalez Hernandez |
| 28 | J J Yeley | Texas 28 Spirits Stage | 15 Toyota | Gregg Mixon |
| 33 | Austin Dillon(i) | Rheem | 15 Chevy | Richard Childress |
| 35 | Chris Cockrum | Advanced Communications Group | 15 Chevy | Duane Deese |
| 39 | Ryan Sieg | Vuzix | 14 Chevy | Rod Sieg |
| 40 | Derek White | Braille Battery/Grafoid | 14 Dodge | Derek White |
| 42 | Brennan Poole | DC Solar | 15 Chevy | Harry Scott Jr |
| 43 | Dakoda Armstrong | WinField | 15 Ford | Richard Petty |
| 44 | David Starr | Zachry | 15 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 51 | Jeremy Clements | RepairableVehicles.com/AllSouthElectric.com | 15 Chevy | Tony Clements |
| 52 | Joey Gase | TBA | 15 Chevy | Jimmy Means |
| 54 | Boris Said | Monster Energy | 15 Toyota | J D Gibbs |
| 55 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | FW1/Viva Auto Group | 15 Chevy | Jamie Dick |
| 60 | Chris Buescher | Bit-O-Honey Ford Mustang | 15 Ford | Jack Roush |
| 62 | Brendan Gaughan | South Point | 15 Chevy | Richard Childress |
| 70 | Derrike Cope | Nature Nate's Honey Company | 14 Chevy | Mary Louise Miller |
| 74 | Mike Harmon | TBA | 12 Dodge | Mike Harmon |
| 84 | Chad Boat(i) | CorvetteParts.net | 15 Chevy | Billy Boat |
| 85 | Bobby Gerhart | Lucas Oil | 15 Chevy | William Gerhart |
| 88 | Kasey Kahne(i) | Armour Vienna Sausage | 15 Chevy | Rick Hendrick |
| 90 | Mario Gosselin | CrashClaimsR.us | 15 Chevy | Michelle Gosselin |
| 97 | Peyton Sellers | VroomBrands | 15 Chevy | Victor Obaika |
| 98 | Aric Almirola(i) | Carroll Shelby Engine Co. | 15 Ford | Fred Biagi |
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Our television service is provided by U-Verse, which, due to dispute with Fox, has pre-empted the Xfinity Series races and shown dart competitions instead this year. I’m pretty sure I haven’t missed much, especially last weekend. I would have liked to watch this weekend’s race at Talledega, but if the weather is nice, I’ll work in the yard and if it’s not, there’s MLB. As bad as things have gotten for the Xfinity Series, it can’t be a good thing that one of the major carriers isn’t broadcasting their races.
Carl, Don’t you think calling the Saturday Extended Cup Practice racing is stretching the definition a bit?
Bwah! As Larry the Cable Guy would say, “That’s funny, I don’t care who you are!”
I remember at the beginning of the year a JR Motorsports person said only Dale Jr will drive the #88 XFINITY car. Why has this changed? The rotating substitute drivers would be in the #5 car.