Xfinity 2017 Thread

Kiante

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I'll do my best to keep news posted up on the Camping World and Xfinity Series this year.

Spencer Gallagher will be in the Xfinity Series next year and will still partcipate in the truck series for GMS Racing using the #23:
https://frontstretch.com/2016/12/02...n-xfinity-series-will-return-to-truck-series/

BJ McLeod wants two cars this coming year as well, but he wants to run a third... I can't get the link to work, but more power to BJ for trying to field three cars. It will be the 78/15, 99, and one more car. I like McLeod a lot, he's from Wachula which is about 45 minutes South from where I live. His team needs sponsors, but helps develop drivers who needs an opportunity.

Got to respect that.
 
I wonder if there'll ever be an announcement on the Penske #12.
They announced that early in the year. Currently they have switched CC's because the 2016 CC didn't get the job done. The drivers will remain Brad/Jlo/Ryan. They may also run a second car. The 2015 team all went to Wood Bros. for Ryan's cup team. Now they need to rebuild and it ain't easy to start a team that can compete with JGR.
 
They announced that early in the year. Currently they have switched CC's because the 2016 CC didn't get the job done. The drivers will remain Brad/Jlo/Ryan. They may also run a second car. The 2015 team all went to Wood Bros. for Ryan's cup team. Now they need to rebuild and it ain't easy to start a team that can compete with JGR.
They announced that they'd definitely be running the 12 car in Xfinity in 2017, but they didn't announce who the driver/sponsor was. From what I know (or have heard from someone who claims to know), the driver is going to come from another NASCAR series, and will NOT be Bubba Wallace.

Maybe Greg Biffle? Casey Mears?

With the upping of Menard's sponsorship on Penske cars, maybe even Matt Crafton? My source said the signing would "come out of left field".
 
They announced that they'd definitely be running the 12 car in Xfinity in 2017, but they didn't announce who the driver/sponsor was. From what I know (or have heard from someone who claims to know), the driver is going to come from another NASCAR series, and will NOT be Bubba Wallace.

Maybe Greg Biffle? Casey Mears?

With the upping of Menard's sponsorship on Penske cars, maybe even Matt Crafton? My source said the signing would "come out of left field".

"The rumor" I heard was it a chaser from the bottome two series..& its not Bubba it's pretty much down to
Crafton
John Hunter
Ben Kennedy
 
4 full time JRM cars


"The rumor" I heard was it a chaser from the bottome two series..& its not Bubba it's pretty much down to
Crafton
John Hunter
Ben Kennedy
Then I've got to imagine it is Crafton with the whole Menard's sponsorship thing
 
Then I've got to imagine it is Crafton with the whole Menard's sponsorship thing

Only Hiccup there is this seemed to be a Ford initiative to develop young talent and he wouldn't fall in that category.. Damn Roger could sponsor all of the Cup series cars but he will rarely provide sponsorship for one team....Smart business man obviously
 
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Still looks terrible.
 
Pretty sure Roger is done running guys like Crafton. JHN with his own sponsor seems like a fit. I would think he would promote a truck driver but that doesn't go with "out of left field" idea.
When SHR announced they were going to run a Xfinity team, I was thinking this was part of their deal with Ford, so maybe Penske running a second car is Ford's idea as well. After all Roush is not producing anything.
Ford really has had no new talent to promote. Brad is in a Ford because HMS didn't like the fit.
Joey is in a Ford because JGR was not a good home for him. There may be some drivers chopping at the bit to get to Cup but without at least a 20 race sponsor, where will they go?
Who owns Ben Kennedy right now?
 
Pretty sure Roger is done running guys like Crafton. JHN with his own sponsor seems like a fit. I would think he would promote a truck driver but that doesn't go with "out of left field" idea.
When SHR announced they were going to run a Xfinity team, I was thinking this was part of their deal with Ford, so maybe Penske running a second car is Ford's idea as well. After all Roush is not producing anything.
Ford really has had no new talent to promote. Brad is in a Ford because HMS didn't like the fit.
Joey is in a Ford because JGR was not a good home for him. There may be some drivers chopping at the bit to get to Cup but without at least a 20 race sponsor, where will they go?
Who owns Ben Kennedy right now?

Totally could be Kennedy who knows thats a weird deal with his family I would imagine he would have sponsorship. Hope its JHN
 
JHN with his own sponsor seems like a fit. I would think he would promote a truck driver but that doesn't go with "out of left field" idea.


Does John Hunter even have his own sponsorship though, he ran half of last year without any sponsor on his truck. I like John Hunter and would like to see him move up but I don't want to see him in a Penske Ford.
 

Does John Hunter even have his own sponsorship though, he ran half of last year without any sponsor on his truck. I like John Hunter and would like to see him move up but I don't want to see him in a Penske Ford.
You don't want to see him with a top team?

Why not?
 
They announced that they'd definitely be running the 12 car in Xfinity in 2017, but they didn't announce who the driver/sponsor was. From what I know (or have heard from someone who claims to know), the driver is going to come from another NASCAR series, and will NOT be Bubba Wallace.

Maybe Greg Biffle? Casey Mears?

With the upping of Menard's sponsorship on Penske cars, maybe even Matt Crafton? My source said the signing would "come out of left field".

It is absolutely not going to be Matt Crafton, that's for sure. He's exactly where he wants to be already.
 
Could be someone in a lower series that caught someone's eye and has ties to a sponsor.
 
via Jayski:

Lower downforce expected for XFINITY cars: 2017 brings a significant change to the NXS racecars: a decrease in downforce. A source says that NASCAR is shortening the spoiler by three inches and making it narrower by four inches. The sport is also mandating teams make the cars' front splitters an inch lower and change two other dimensions on the lower front nose of the car. This should decrease speeds and handling and make for more passing. But these changes could also be harder for smaller teams to adapt to, since bigger teams have budgets to better implement them.

I like this and especially encouraging more passing in the Xfinity series will be much needed, I can deal with the slower speeds with softer tires.

Should be a pretty good year if its like this.
 
The size of the front splitter is not nearly as bad as the door handle decal.

That's not a splitter, that's a ****** lawnmower.

Seriously, these are the ugliest racecars I've ever seen. I'd rather watch a bunch of Pure Stocks race than those things. The Cup cars at least resemble the street cars.
 
Then I've got to imagine it is Crafton with the whole Menard's sponsorship thing

I really don't think it's gonna be Crafton. I think Crafton likes his current position and schedule and is fine staying in just trucks.

As far as the Menards connection just keep in mind that Menards has sponsored all kinds of drivers over the years in open wheel cars and stuff too and it doesn't ever seem to follow any kind of pattern.
 
via Jayski:

Lower downforce expected for XFINITY cars: 2017 brings a significant change to the NXS racecars: a decrease in downforce. A source says that NASCAR is shortening the spoiler by three inches and making it narrower by four inches. The sport is also mandating teams make the cars' front splitters an inch lower and change two other dimensions on the lower front nose of the car. This should decrease speeds and handling and make for more passing. But these changes could also be harder for smaller teams to adapt to, since bigger teams have budgets to better implement them.

I like this and especially encouraging more passing in the Xfinity series will be much needed, I can deal with the slower speeds with softer tires.

Should be a pretty good year if its like this.
I wonder if they'll still have the dog ears.
 
Those changes sound good for the show, but also precisely why the Xfinity series has fallen into the clutches of JGR, JRM, and Penske and nobody else can complete.

Making changes to the rulebook every single year costs TONS of money. The little guy can't afford it but the Cup teams have the budget. They need to set one good formula and stick with it to reduce costs and open the door to independent teams or the Xfinity series with be dominated by the same Cup teams forever.
 
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