The 12-driver, seven race NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs begin this Friday night in Richmond with the Go Bowling 250 (at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It marks the first time this track has opened the Playoff run.
Regular season champion Justin Allgaier, a five-time winner in the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, holds a seven-point edge on four-time winner, Sunoco rookie Christopher Bell in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota. The remaining 10 drivers are separated by a mere 11-points.
Bell won his first Xfinity race of the year at Richmond this spring with a close 0.423-second advantage over NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff contender Noah Gragson. Elliott Sadler, who is third in the championship rankings, finished third in that race.
Tyler Reddick won the 2017 Playoff opener at Kentucky last year. Three Playoff race winners are in the championship field this year – Tyler Reddick (who won at Kentucky last season), Christopher Bell (won at Kansas) and Cole Custer, who won the season finale at Homestead-Miami. Now a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie, William Byron won the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.
Source: Holly Cain | NASCAR Wire Service
