Xfinity Series Thread 2018

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looks like their stuff would be great for Halloween if nothing else. I'm about skulled out myself.
 
Pocono Green 250
Sat, Jun 2 - 1:00p ET (FS1)
Pocono Raceway - Long Pond, PA
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3 aliens entered this week. Chase Elliott, Paul (smiley) Menard, and KDB.

In the Xfinity Series, the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team of Christopher Bell received an L1-level penalty for failing post-race height measurements after finishing second in Saturday’s Alsco 300. The measurements were outside NASCAR allowed tolerances, resulting in a one-race suspension for crew chief Jason Ratcliff in Saturday’s race at Pocono Raceway (1 p.m. ET, FS1) and a $10,000 fine. The infraction also results in a loss of 10 driver points and 10 owner points.

The No. 8 B.J. McLeod Motorsports team of Tommy Joe Martins had two lug nuts unsecured in post-race inspection. Crew chief Keith Wolfe has been fined $10,000 and suspended from Saturday’s Xfinity Series race.
 
New package, new excitement for Xfinity Series at Pocono
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will mark its third race at Pocono Raceway with what is anticipated to be an exciting technical package on its cars. The series will use the same aero package that was so successful at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year setting records for green flag passes for the lead (29) and lead changes (16).
The cars will have a bigger splitter and spoiler, specially-designed aero ducts and restrictor plates on the 2.5-mile three-turn historic track and the expected outcome is even closer racing and more passing.

https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2018/05/31/new-package-new-excitement-xfinity-series-pocono/
 
Second practice was very interesting after the teams made some adjustments.

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not half a tenth thru 12th. Compared to cup practice, over half a tenth in 6th place. FWIW.
 
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Shane Lee out of his family's small single car team and into a RCR car 3rd fastest in the second practice. Kaz Gralla in a last minute assembled car with part owner Tony Eury Jr. and his father in 12th. Gralla has four races to find a sponsor(s).
 
Shane Lee out of his family's small single car team and into a RCR car 3rd fastest in the second practice. Kaz Gralla in a last minute assembled car with part owner Tony Eury Jr. and his father in 12th. Gralla has four races to find a sponsor(s).

Totally random and irrelevant, but why does Grala have a solid circle behind the number on every car he drives? Is that his trademark or something?
 
I hate, hate, hate the sideways crab walk look of these cars on the straightaway. C'mon Nascar, force the Xfinity teams to dial out the skew.
 
Totally random and irrelevant, but why does Grala have a solid circle behind the number on every car he drives? Is that his trademark or something?
I’ve always had the circle around my number. That came from my dad, when he used to race sports cars, he didn’t always, but he often had a circle around his number. Right from when I started out, I put it around there and haven’t taken it off since. To me, some numbers, depending on the font and the actual numbers themselves, can be difficult to fit in the circle so it hasn’t come without its challenges, but the [No.] 61 I really like. I think it fits nicely in there. It’s really bold to; I feel like, from the grandstands, you can read it down the backstretch. I didn’t pick the number itself, I left that up to the team, and with the team being a huge producer of modifieds, 61 was an iconic number for them. So they were all excited about getting to run the Richie Evans [No.] 61.
 
I hate, hate, hate the sideways crab walk look of these cars on the straightaway. C'mon Nascar, force the Xfinity teams to dial out the skew.
Hate the skew and hate the plate. Looks like you have ker****eled yourself out of enjoying the race and it hasn't started yet.
 
I’ve always had the circle around my number. That came from my dad, when he used to race sports cars, he didn’t always, but he often had a circle around his number. Right from when I started out, I put it around there and haven’t taken it off since. To me, some numbers, depending on the font and the actual numbers themselves, can be difficult to fit in the circle so it hasn’t come without its challenges, but the [No.] 61 I really like. I think it fits nicely in there. It’s really bold to; I feel like, from the grandstands, you can read it down the backstretch. I didn’t pick the number itself, I left that up to the team, and with the team being a huge producer of modifieds, 61 was an iconic number for them. So they were all excited about getting to run the Richie Evans [No.] 61.

Grala's 61 looks fine, but it's not always easy to pull it off. Sometimes it just looks downright terrible.....

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a whole slew of cupaliens this week... A.Dillion, Menard, Bowman, Harvick and KDB.

2nd race for the Indy Package
 
ooh that penalty really stung...not. Top 5 in Owners points. The top 2 are cup drivers (leeches), 3rd place on down are full Time Xfinity drivers/teams

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Cole Custer, Driver Q&A

You’ll be running the same aero package this weekend as you did in Pocono last weekend. How did the car feel and what can we expect at Michigan?

“I feel like, at Michigan, it will be a lot like a superspeedway race. We’ll probably see a lot of pack racing like you do at Daytona or Talladega. It’ll be fun trying to figure out something new. We haven’t had the best luck at superspeedways, though, so I’m hoping to turn that luck around and stay out of trouble.”

Do you think this new aero package produces more energy from the fans?

“I feel like there are some tracks where this package can work well and put on some good racing for the fans. I’m not sure if it’s something you can bring everywhere, though. I think the effort from everyone trying out new ways to engage with our fans is needed. Our fans want to see more action and we want to give it to them – some tracks produce it on their own while some need help. As we’ve shown at Indy and Pocono, our team adapts well to new aero packages. We even got the pole on our first try at Pocono.”

Jeff Meendering, Crew Chief Q&A

What was your take on the new aero package and what should we expect to see in Michigan?

“I think the package caught several teams off guard, including us on how much tighter the balance of the car was. A car that handled really well could break free from the draft. I don’t think that will be the case at Michigan. Handling shouldn’t be as big of an issue and the drivers shouldn’t have to lift, making for speedway-style pack racing. This race should be really exciting for the fans.”

https://www.stewarthaasracing.com/cole-custer-2018-michigan-race-advance/
 
Practice 2 @ Michigan top 20
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Hard to nail the fastest because of the characteristics of super speedway racing. You never know. Qualifying tomorrow. Looks good though, they were mixing it up
 
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