New rules, same game in Xfinity Series
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The rules of engagement just changed for the NASCAR Xfinity Series as the division now will feature an elimination playoff format similar to the one used in the Sprint Cup Series to crown a champion.
Fans and participants should prepare for the same drama, excitement and intensity on Saturdays as they get on Sundays. It's also going to inject some much needed suspense into the weekly fabric of the series as winning races and the Dash4Cash may now result in playoff berths.
That will be apparent starting Saturday afternoon in the Powershares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway as Xfinity Series regulars will have an excellent opportunity to get to Victory Lane and virtually lock themselves into the Chase.
Defending event winner Ryan Reed says a premium will be placed on victories this year given the likely continued dominance of Sprint Cup drivers. But at the same time, it also means more teams will make the initial Round of 12 on championship points.
"You're going to have a lot of guys get in on points and that's how it's going to be different than the Cup Series," Reed said. "You only had four Xfinity Series regulars that won a race last year and so that means consistency and points are still a big part of making the Chase.
"With that said, you're going to see a lot more gambling at the end of the year with the guys that aren't in the Chase taking risks to win and try to get in."
Despite the new rules, the likely contenders should remain the same. Defending champion Chris Beuscher has graduated to the Cup Series, leaving ex-Roush-Fenway Racing teammates Reed and Bubba Wallace to inherit much of his championship-winning core.
Justin Allgaier returns to the series after a two-year stint in Cup and will join a full-time JR Motorsports stable that includes NASCAR veteran Elliott Sadler. Richard Childress Racing also expects to field all three of its full-time cars with drivers Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan and rookie Brandon Jones.
The league hopes the format will increase interest in the tour late in the season when football starts to take hold over the country and TV viewers. Typically, the championship is pretty much decided by October and NASCAR hopes this will increase the level of competition in the same way it has for the Cup Series.
Gaughan believes that's a very real possibility.
"I was ecstatic about the Chase when it was first announced in 2004," Gaughan said. "I think NASCAR has hit a home run with this elimination style. It's exciting and brings people back to racing when they might want to watch football instead.
"It's going to make us race harder for the Dash4Cash and not be so conservative."
The rules have changed in the Xfinity Series and the personality of the tour may have forever changed with it.
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