After 26 races, the grid for the first NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase has been set.
Twelve teams qualified for the series’ first playoff after Saturday’s Drive for Safety 300 at Chicagoland Speedway, with three drivers making their way into the Chase with victories and the other nine positions awarded based on points.
Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with eight of the 12 participants in the Chase, including the top regular season driver in Elliott Sadler. Toyota and Ford will each have two drivers in the playoff.
2016 will mark the first Chase for the XFINITY Series. The playoff format will be similar to the one seen in the Sprint Cup Series over the previous two seasons, with a scaled-back three-round, seven-race schedule. The Chase begins with 12 drivers, with four drivers being eliminated after each of the first two three-race rounds. Drivers can advance through the rounds either by scoring the most points or notching a victory. The final championship round at Homestead-Miami Speedway will see the final four drivers compete in a race free of Sprint Cup Series regulars. The highest finisher of the four will earn the 2016 XFINITY Series crown.
The XFINITY Series Chase will begin with a standalone race next weekend at Kentucky Speedway, with Dover International Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway completing the first round. The second round will consist of Kansas Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway, with the championship finale following at Homestead.
Here’s a quick look at the Chase grid entering next weekend’s opener at Kentucky.
- Erik Jones – 2,012 points (4 wins: Bristol I, Dover, Iowa II, Chicagoland)
- Elliott Sadler – 2,006 points (2 wins: Talladega, Darlington)
- Daniel Suarez – 2,003 points (1 win: Michigan)
- Ty Dillon – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Justin Allgaier – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Darrell Wallace, Jr. – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Brendan Gaughan – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Brennan Poole – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Ryan Sieg – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Ryan Reed – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Brandon Jones – 2,000 points (Made on points)
- Blake Koch – 2,000 points (Made on points)
Aaron Bearden is a Frontstretch alumnus who’s come back home as the site’s Short Track Editor. When he isn’t working with our grassroots writers, he can be found talking about racing on his Morning Warmup newsletter, pestering his wife/dog or convincing himself the Indiana Pacers can win an NBA title.