The NASCAR XFINITY Series has provided a multitude of compelling storylines this season.
Fans tune in every week to see Chase Elliott attempt to successfully defend his championship, Team Penske battle Joe Gibbs Racing for the owner’s title and Chris Buescher solidify himself as NASCAR’s next ace driver.
One overlooked narrative has been the NASCAR XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year race. Darrell Wallace Jr. held the lead through the first 16 races of the season, but was finally caught by Daniel Suárez last weekend at Kentucky Speedway, who drew even with Wallace (188 points each) by producing a fourth-place finish.
The next bout in Wallace and Suárez’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year showdown is Saturday’s Lake Regions 200 (1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. The two NASCAR Next and Drive for Diversity alumni will attempt to pull away from each other in their first XFINITY Series starts at the track known as “The Magic Mile.”
Despite being new to driving XFINITY cars at New Hampshire, Wallace and Suarez both have bountiful experience there in other series.
In his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at NHMS last season, Wallace started third and finished second. The No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing driver made five NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts in the Granite State from 2010-12, earning one pole (2011), three top fives and four top 10s.
“Loudon has always been a good place for me, going back to the K&N days,” Wallace said. “It’s just a big Martinsville, and I feel like we get around there pretty well. I’m excited to get on track this weekend.”
Suarez enters the race riding a streak of two top 10s in his last three races. Like Wallace, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing driver has made NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at NHMS, posting three top 10s, including a runner-up finish in 2013.
“I think this coming weekend has a chance to be a very positive one for the No. 18 ARRIS Toyota Camry team,” Suarez said. “New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a track that I like a lot. … I think we’re getting better as a team every week. We’re more competitive and spending more time up front every week, but we still have to keep pushing and learning. We know there’s still more work to be done and we’re looking forward to doing it.”
Source: NASCAR Wire Service
