The Road America 180 will be the third time that the NASCAR Xfinity Series will go road course racing. Drivers will battle it out on the uneven, four mile, 14 turn course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Road America 180 is set to go off on Saturday, August 27th at 3:00 p.m. NBC Sports Network.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series has hosted six races at Road America. Furthermore, there have been six different racers that found their way to Victory Lane. Five of those competitors captured the crown from the pole position.
So far this season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has been to Watkins Glen International. That venue boasts a seven turn, 2.45 mile course in Watkins Glen, New York. Roger Penske’s speedster Joey Logano, claimed the victory. The next the road offering was at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. It’s a 13 turn, 2.258 mile road course in Lexington Ohio. Justin Marks took the checkered flag on a rain-soaked afternoon for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Only four events remain on the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season schedule.The Chase will begin at Kentucky Speedway on September 24. As a result, three different Xfinity Series mainstays have cemented their way into the playoffs. They are Erik Jones, Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez.
Erik Jones has reeled in wins at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover and Iowa. He has collected over 200,000 dollars for wins that were in the Dash 4 Cash races. JR Motorsport’s Elliott Sadler won his way in at Talladega Super speedway and Daniel Suarez at Michigan. Consequently, there are still 12 different drivers, and seven different organizations that reside on the Chase Grid.
Over the past two campaigns, Richard Childress Racing has dominated at Road America. RCR triumphed in 2014 with driver Brendan Gaughan. They made it two in a row in 2015 Paul Menard navigated his way through the field for a first place result.
Richard Childress Racing is one win shy of claiming the most victories at Road America. the NASCAR juggernaut hopes to receive that title after Saturday’s contest. Childress is knotted up with Steve Turner for most car owner wins at Road America (2).
The storied organization now has three drivers trying to make the NASCAR Xfinity Series Chase. Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, and Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Brandon Jones. All three of the talented young drivers have yet to get a win in 2016. If last year is any indication of this race, than that stat may come to a end on Saturday.
All four of Childress Racing’s motorists led a lap in last years event, including Paul Menard who led the last six. The only former Road America winner that is racing for the franchise this weekend is Brenden Gaughan. Gaughan has flourished at Road America. As a result, he has posted one win, two top five’s and an average finish of 7.7.
Michael McDowell, a road racing specialist, will be behind the wheel of the #2 Chevrolet that won last year’s race. McDowell has started at Road America on four different occasions. Furthermore, he has posted a second place finish in 2012, and a pole position award in 2011. Richard Childress’s grand son Ty Dillon also needs a victory so bad it hurts. The hopeful driver has made two starts at Road America. He has an average finish of 14.5. Brandon Jones is making his first career start this weekend.
The Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville will be great chance for the Joe Gibbs Racing’s drivers to display their road course skills. Erik Jones has been learning on the fly since he joined the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2013. After practicing at two different racing academies, he won his first NASCAR road course victory at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in 2015.
Daniel Suarez, a native son of Mexico, grew up racing road courses in his country. It wasn’t until he came to America that he started competing on ovals and road courses. The driver of the #19 ARRIS Camry also hopes to make the race at Road america his first NASCAR Xfinity Series road course win.
“My racing roots come from racing go-karts on circuits and it’s always fun for me to compete on those types of tracks,” said Suarez. “Five years ago, I might have said that I prefer road courses more than ovals, but right now I love running both. i look forward to driving in wisconsin this weekend.”
