2022 Xfinity Series News

I’m interested to see how these cars race at this track. If anything, to see if they can get through the first turn death chicane on starts and restarts. And it’ll be good to see how viable of a market the PNW is.

Same promoter as Mid-Ohio, so I think NASCAR asked them to shift their Xfinity date here to see how it goes and also gave them a Truck race back at Mid-Ohio in exchange.
 
Last year the ARCA drivers had a problem with that chicane time and time again. It got to where you were wishing very hard they'd make it through every restart so we could see some racing and not more yellow flag laps. There are some really great passes when they get it right. My seats are right there so I get a perfect view.

The company that sells the tickets have had ads in the paper every day for the last couple of months. They're the same outfit that supplies the Indycar tickets so were able to just add the Xfinity race seats to my Indycar bundle.
 
Almost 2 miles, 1.97

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wi_racefan said:
I think he's a long ways down that list
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IDK, he leapfrogged over the trucks into 8 races in Xfinity and he is still doing ARCA. Could be with a pocket full of money/sponsorship. Short time in the pipeline 2 years in ARCA, 18 years old and preacher is throwing him into the Xfinity series, sink or swim.
 
StandOnIt said:
IDK, he leapfrogged over the trucks into 8 races in Xfinity and he is still doing ARCA. Could be with a pocket full of money/sponsorship. Short time in the pipeline 2 years in ARCA, 18 years old and preacher is throwing him into the Xfinity series, sink or swim.
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Not sure the case with this one but up to this point in the season the #18 has been a rent-a-ride, talent has nothing to do with it. At this point I'd put him behind at least Ty and JHN. Heck I would think Josh Berry and Noah would be further up that list
 
wi_racefan said:
Not sure the case with this one but up to this point in the season the #18 has been a rent-a-ride, talent has nothing to do with it. At this point I'd put him behind at least Ty and JHN. Heck I would think Josh Berry and Noah would be further up that list
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Noah who? Why would Josh Berry go to work at that nut house, Jr. and Berry are friends, have been for years
 
StandOnIt said:
What driver after they have left TRD, or KBM have ever gone back?
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What driver that has come thru the TRD program to cup and can be considered a top caliber driver? Turns out you need to sign talent when it's available
 
StandOnIt said:
Huh?
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Bell and Jones came thru the TRD pipeline and haven't done much. The number one Toyota driver came from RFR/HMS, MTJ came from DEI, Denny didn't really have a significant development path (at least that I recall), Bubba I think was part of it (at one time) but I wouldn't consider him top caliber, Kurt came from RFR.

TRD might have a development program but up to this point it hasn't been widely successful once getting to the cup level. Almost every successful toyota driver came from somewhere else, so even they're smart enough to hire good talent when it's available.
 
wi_racefan said:
Bell and Jones came thru the TRD pipeline and haven't done much. The number one Toyota driver came from RFR/HMS, MTJ came from DEI, Denny didn't really have a significant development path (at least that I recall), Bubba I think was part of it (at one time) but I wouldn't consider him top caliber, Kurt came from RFR.

TRD might have a development program but up to this point it hasn't been widely successful once getting to the cup level. Almost every successful toyota driver came from somewhere else, so even they're smart enough to hire good talent when it's available.
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I thought we were talking about who has returned after they left? In other words plainer. Gragson or Berry wouldn't drive for TRD if hell froze over.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Did Logano? Either way, he got the heck out.
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plenty below have been able to find a seat elsewhere.
Gragson, Jones, Byron, Deegan, Gilliland, Suarez, H. Burton, Brandon Jones
Toyota's driver "development" program is closer to throwing darts at a dart board as they seldom take time to develop a driver. This kid is the latest example. A year and a half in ARCA, and look mom 8 races in an Xfinity car at 18 years old.
 
AuzGrams said:
I don’t think Sammy Smith is a development driver, just a rich kid with talent similar to Gragson or Burton. He can probably take his family business to whatever organization he wants.
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Makes sense he could be a ride buyer. But they did the same thing with Gibbs, skipped the trucks, three years in ARCA. Gibbs had a lot of racing experience before ARCA. Smith might or might not have the same. At any rate he's an interesting driver to watch the second half of the season.
 
AuzGrams said:
I don’t think Sammy Smith is a development driver, just a rich kid with talent similar to Gragson or Burton. He can probably take his family business to whatever organization he wants.
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What is the family’s business?
 
I don't think it makes a lot of sense that in order to be a development driver they have to be broke to be one. Much better to have a driver able to pay their way while being "developed" and it is a hell of a lot easier on the bottom line if they get kicked to the curb. Better yet is to let somebody else train them and make the costly car crashing mistakes.
 
StandOnIt said:
I don't think it makes a lot of sense that in order to be a development driver they have to be broke to be one. Much better to have a driver able to pay their way while being "developed" and it is a hell of a lot easier on the bottom line if they get kicked to the curb. Better yet is to let somebody else train them and make the costly car crashing mistakes.
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Im just saying he’s not a development driver that seems locked in to a Toyota seat for the next 5 years. For all we know he could move organizations or manufacturers.
 
AuzGrams said:
Im just saying he’s not a development driver that seems locked in to a Toyota seat for the next 5 years. For all we know he could move organizations or manufacturers.
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I don't know if he is or isn't a development driver. Everybody does it differently. Penske, DGR and SHR had their development Ford drivers racing at road courses under the IMSA umbrella, Hendrick doesn't appear to have a development program.
 
StandOnIt said:
Well you don't get a top tier Xfinity ride for 8 races in the 18 because of your good looks. The money has to come from somewhere. Sponsors or the driver, probably some from both.
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I understand that.

I didn’t think asking where the money comes from would be an issue.
 
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