The Xfinity Series opens up the doubleheader weekend at Echo Park Speedway – formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway – for some Friday night racing; but first the 38 drivers will make a qualifying run with no practice.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Katherine Legge who posted a time of 32.532 seconds around the mile and a half track.
Mason Maggio has some car issues on his qualifying run; possibly a motor issue.
The top 10 drivers will make a second round of qualifying to set the pole.
Dakota Armstrong in 2014 at Daytona was the last time a Ford car sat on the pole at a drafting track.
Aric Almirola is the first of the top 10 on the track and as he was making his run, officials reported lightening in the area and has halted qualifying.
With a time of 32.10 seconds, Sheldon Creed puts his 00 on the pole and will bring the field to green. Austin Hill will start alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Focused Health 250:
Sheldon Creed
Austin Hill
Sam Mayer
Brandon Jones
Jesse Love
Connor Zilisch
Taylor Gray
CJ McLaughlin
Harrison Burton
Aric Almirola
Nick Sanchez
William Sawalich
Ryan Sieg
Sammy Smith
Blaine Perkins
Justin Allgaier
Christian Eckes
Parker Retzlaff
Leland Honeyman
Patrick Staropoli
Kyle Sieg
Daniel Dye
Katherine Legge
Carson Kvapil
Anthony Alfredo
Jeremy Clements
Jeb Burton
Ryan Ellis
Dean Thompson
Josh Williams
Kris Wright
Brennan Poole
Matt DiBenedetto
Joey Gase
Nick Leitz
Garrett Smithley
Mason Massey
Mason Maggio
Stages one and two of the race are 45 laps each with stage three lasting 73 laps for a total of 163 laps around the 1.5 mile track.
Kyle Busch joins Adam Alexander and Jamie McMurray in the broadcast booth for the race.
CJ McLaughlin qualified fourth but will have to drop to the back of the field after the crew made some unapproved adjustments to the car. Jeb Burton will also have to start the race from the back of the field.
After more lightening and rain delayed the start of the race, Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Austin Hill alongside. Getting a push from teammate Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed edges out in front for the lead.
Lap two, the top five are Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Sam Mayer, Connor Zilisch, and Jesse Love.
Drivers are three wide through the field.
Lap four Sheldon Creed holds on to the lead with Austin Hill in second; Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, and Jesse Love round out the top five.
The first caution flag comes out on lap five for a crash when Christian Eckes made contact with Blaine Perkins; Parker Retzlaff, William Sawalich, and Josh Williams were also involved.
The wind has picked up considerably around the track.
Justin Allgaier reports “a weird stumble” on the restarts.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service.
After a long cleanup, Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 16 with Austin Hill alongside. Creed gets out in front for the lead.
Lap 17, the top five are Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Connor Zilisch, Nick Sanchez, and Jesse Love.
Connor Zilisch passes Austin Hill for second.
Jesse Love passes Austin Hill for third.
Sam Mayer passes Austin Hill for fourth.
Taylor Gray passes Austin Hill for fifth.
Austin Hill reports some fuel pressure issues.
Ryan Ellis has some sparks in his car.
Lap 23, Sheldon Creed holds on to the lead with Connor Zilisch in second; Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Lap 24, Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch battle for second.
Sam Mayer passes Jesse Love for third.
Lap 26, the top six drivers have broken away from the rest of the field.
Lap 28, Austin Hill comes down pit road with fuel pressure issues.
Lap 31, Sheldon Creed has just a tenth of a second lead on Connor Zilisch; Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
The caution flag comes out on lap 34 for lightening in the area. There have been several delays in the Xfinity and Cup Series activities at Echo Park today.
Lap 35, Austin Hill returns to the track seven laps down.
NASCAR displays the red flag on lap 36 for lightening. Track officials tell everyone to seek shelter; the cars are brought down pit road and parked in their pit stalls.
The red flag is displayed whenever there is lightening within an eight mile radius of the track; there must be no lightening in that eight mile radius for 30 minutes before track activities can resume.
At 10:15, NASCAR has called the crews to their pit stalls but may not come near the cars just yet.
At 10:18pm the all clear has been given. NASCAR is allowing two crew members over the wall to uncover the covers, check tire pressures, and aid the drivers in strapping into their cars.
At 10:25pm NASCAR gives the command to start the engines. The red flag has been lifted and the yellow flag is displayed after a red flag condition of 1 hour 20 minutes.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for some quick service. Patrick Staropoli was charged with speeding on pit road and had an uncontrolled tire; he will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Sam Mayer and Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart of the race on lap 40. Sam Mayer edges out for the lead after a push from Jesse Love.
Jesse Love gets loose and cause a big pile up to bring out the caution flag. Sheldon Creed, Ryan Sieg, Justin Allgaier, Christian Eckes, Sammy Smith, Patrick Staropoli, Jeb Burton, Katherine Legge, and Anthony Alfredo were all involved.
Taylor Gray wins stage one under caution.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Taylor Gray
Sam Mayer
Daniel Dye
Nick Sanchez
Christian Eckes
Dean Thompson
Brennan Poole
Matt DiBenedetto
Aric Almirola
Connor Zilisch
Ryan Sieg takes his car to the garage for repairs.
Anthony Alfredo and Christian Eckes are being held for two laps on pit road for having too many crew members over the wall.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Sam Mayer winning the race off of pit road.
There have been two caution flags for crashes so far; involving 17 drivers.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 55 with teammate Carson Kvapil alongside. Zilisch and Kvapil go side by side in a battle for the lead.
Lap 58, Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil continue battle back and forth for the lead.
Lap 61, Connor Zilisch finally takes the lead with Carson Kvapil in second; Leland Honeyman, Aric Almirola, and Matt DiBenedetto round out the top five.
Matt DiBenedetto passes Aric Almirola for fourth.
The caution flag comes out on lap 67 when Nick Sanchez gets loose and gets slideways down the track and into the grass after some contact from Matt DiBenedetto.
Nick Sanchez made a pit stop while pit road is closed and was caught speeding.
Jeb Burton is the “lucky dog”.
Taylor Gray reports that the drivers back in the field are “out of control” and have “no brain cells”.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 74. Carson Kvapil gives Connor Zilisch a push to get out in front for the lead.
The top five are Connor Zilisch, Carson Kvapil, Harrison Burton, Leland Honeyman, and Matt DiBenedetto.
With 10 races remaining in the regular season, seven of the top 10 drivers have yet to win a race.
Lap 81, the caution flag comes out when Harrison Burton goes for a spin but keeps the car off the wall after contact from Leland Honeyman. Jesse Love slid up in front of Burton and Burton had to check up.
Daniel Dye has some damage to his car – the back bumper is loose.
Christian Eckes is the “lucky dog”
Lap 83, it is now an official race.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service including the leaders. Carson Kvapil is the new leader.
Carson Kvapil brins the field down for the green flag restart with five laps remaining in stage two with Brandon Jones alongside. Jeremy Clements spins out in a single car incident to bring out the caution flag.
Brandon Jones is listed as the leader.
Brandon Jones wins stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Brandon Jones
Carson Kvapil
Jesse Love
Matt DiBenedetto
Brennan Poole
Dean Thompson
Nick Sanchez
Kyle Sieg
Blaine Perkins
Ryan Ellis
Forty-two of the 90 laps run have been under caution.
Drivers come down pit road for service; this is a “quickie yellow”. Jeb Burton and Jeremy Clements were charged with having too many crew come over the pit wall and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Aric Almirola alongside on lap 93. Taylor Gray and Aric Almirola battle for the lead with Almirola taking the lead.
The top five are Aric Almirola, Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Carson Kvapil, and Harrison Burton.
Lap 98, the first group of cars have gotten single file.
Just 54 laps remaining in the race; Aric Almirola leads the race with Taylor Gray in second; Sam Mayer, Carson Kvapil, and Harrison Burton round out the top five.
Fifty to go! Aric Almirola has just a tenth of a second lead on Taylor Gray; Sam Mayer, Carson Kvapil, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
Forty to go, Aric Almirola continues to lead the race with Taylor Gray in second; Sam Mayer, Carson Kvapil, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
The caution flag comes out on lap 125 for CJ McLaughlin who is stopped on the track with a flat tire.
Pit road is open for a “quickie yellow” with 25 cars on the lead lap. Several of the drivers come down pit road for fresh tires. Nick Sanchez edges out Connor Zilisch to win the race off of pit road.
Aric Almirola brings the field down for the green flag restart with 33 laps remaining in the race with Sam Mayer alongside. Drivers get three wide going into turn one. Aric Almirola gets out in front after a push from Taylor Gray.
The top five are Aric Almirola, Taylor Gray, Nick Sanchez, Sam Mayer, and Matt DiBenedetto.
The eighth caution flag comes out on lap 155 for debris on the track.
Aric Almirola brings the field down for the green flag restart with 24 laps remaining in the race with Nick Sanchez alongside. Getting a push from teammate Taylor Gray, Aric Almirola edges out in front for the lead.
The top five Aric Almirola, Taylor Gray, Nich Sanchez, Jesse Love, and Sam Mayer.
Lap 141, Nick Sanchez takes the lead from the inside lane.
Aric Almirola and Nick Sanchez battle back and forth for the lead. Sanchez gets the lead.
Jesse Love comes up on the inside lane to battle for the lead.
With 17 laps to go, the top five are Nick Sanchez, Jesse Love, Aric Almirola, Connor Zilisch, and Carson Kvapil.
Just 14 laps to go, Nick Sanchez leads the race with Jesse Love in second.
The caution flag comes out on lap 151 for debris from CJ McLaughlin’s car.
Nick Sanchez brings the field down for the green flag restart with just seven laps remaining in the race with Jesse Love alongside. Getting a push from Carson Kvapil, Jesse Love gets out in front for the lead.
Nick Sanchez comes blazing up on the inside to retake the lead.
Five to go, drivers are spread out three and four wide across the track in one final battle for position.
The top five are Nick Sanchez, Carson Kvapil, Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, and Aric Almirola.
Nick Sanchez takes the white flag.
Rookie driver Nick Sanchez wins the race for his first Xfinity win! Sanchez becomes the seventh different regular Xfinity Series driver to win a race.
Fifteen of the 17 races run so far have been won in a Chevrolet.
The unofficial results of the Fcused Health 250:
Nick Sanchez
Carson Kvapil
Sam Mayer
Connor Zilisch
Taylor Gray
Jesse Love
Aric Amirola
Daniel Dye
Kyle Sieg
Jeremy Clements
Dean Thompson
Leland Honeyman
Harrison Burton
Brandon Jones
Matt DiBenedetto
Jeb Burton
Brennan Poole
Joey Gase
Christian Eckes
Ryan Ellis
Blaine Perkins
Garrett Smithley
Nick Leitz
Kris Wright
Austin Hill
Mason Maggio
CJ McLaughlin
Anthony Alfredo
Ryan Sieg
Justin Allgaier
Sheldon Creed
Sammy Smith
Katherine Legge
Patrick Staropoli
William Sawalich
Parker Retzlaff
Josh Williams