John Hunter Nemechek dominates at Kansas; Parker Kligerman makes playoffs: There were no mixed feelings on Parker Kligerman’s part—he was ecstatic that John Hunter Nemechek asserted absolute domination over the rest of the field in Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.(Read more)(9-9-2023)
In dominant fashion, #20-John Hunter Nemechek won the Kansas Lottery 300 Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway. Nemechek led 154 of 200 laps and swept all three stages. It’s his sixth victory of the 2023 season, and he enters the playoffs as the first seed.
#9-Brandon Jones came up just shy of the win, in which he needed to have to make the playoffs. He earned his best finish of the season in second. #48-Sheldon Creed finished third, his third podium finish in the last four races. #48-Parker Kligerman finished fourth, scoring enough points to clinch the final spot into the postseason. #21-Austin Hill rounded out the top five and won the regular season championship.
#8-Josh Berry placed sixth, with #25-Brett Moffitt, #11-Derek Kraus, #19-Joe Graf Jr. and #26-Kaz Grala completing the top 10.
There were seven lead changes among five drivers and 10 cautions for 49 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was 109.256 mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Drivers Points Standings, Owners Points Standings, Driver Points Standings Before Reset, Owner Points Standings Before Reset Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.
Kansas Paint Schemes
Race Fast Facts – Kansas:
John Hunter Nemechek won the Kansas Lottery 300, his eighth victory in 93 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
This is his sixth victory (career-high) and 19th top-10 finish in 2023.
This is his second victory and third top-10 finish in three races at Kansas Speedway.
Brandon Jones (second) posted his sixth top-10 finish in nine races at Kansas Speedway. It is his seventh top-10 finish in 2023.
Sheldon Creed (third) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Kansas Speedway.
Parker Retzlaff (11th) was the highest finishing rookie.
This is the 200th NASCAR Xfinity Series victory for Toyota. A total of 149 races were won the Toyota Camry body and 51 have been won in the Toyota GR Supra.
Of Toyota’s 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, Joe Gibbs Racing is responsible for 193 of the victories.
Big Machine Racing’s Parker Kligerman has earned the final spot in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.
Xfinity Series Standings after Kansas (Race 26 of 33):
1)#20-John Hunter Nemechek (6 wins) 2,049, +43
2)#21-Austin Hill (4 wins) 2,039, +33
3)#7-Justin Allgaier (2 wins) 2,026, +20
4)#00-Cole Custer (2 wins) 2,017, +11
5)#1-Sam Mayer (2 wins) 2,015, +9
6)#16-Chandler Smith (1 win) 2,009, +3
7)#8-Josh Berry 2,009, +3
8)#2-Sheldon Creed 2,008, +2
Currently below elimination line
9)#18-Sammy Smith (1 win) 2,006, -2
10)#27-Jeb Burton (1 win) 2,006, -2
11)#11-Daniel Hemric 2,003, -5
12)#48-Parker Kligerman 2,002, -6
See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings and see the Driver Point Standings Before Reset and Owner Point Standings Before Reset.
Cars to the rear: #28-CJ McLaughlin (engine change); #53-Matt Mills (unapproved adjustments); #66-Leland Honeyman (driver change)
Pit Stall Selections
At a speed of 176.206 mph, #7-Justin Allgaier won the pole for Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway. It is his second pole of the season and the ninth of his career.
#18-Sammy Smith will start second (175.347 mph), with #00-Cole Custer (174.972 mph), #9-Brandon Jones (174.876 mph) and #10-Daniel Hemric (174.616 mph) rounding out the top five.
#8-Josh Berry smacked the wall off Turn 4 during his lap but will start sixth. #20-John Hunter Nemechek, #98-Riley Herbst, #21-Austin Hill and #25-Brett Moffitt complete the top 10. #48-Parker Kligerman enters the regular season cutoff race one-point below the elimination line and will take the green flag from 15th.
Did Not Qualify: #44-Leland Honeyman
See the complete Kansas Starting Lineup.
Qualifying Fast Facts — Kansas
Justin Allgaier won the Pole Award for the Kansas Lottery 300 with a lap of 30.646 seconds, 176.206 mph.
This is his ninth pole in 431 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
This is his second pole and 19th top-10 start in 2023.
This is his first pole in 14 races at Kansas Speedway.
Sammy Smith # (second) posted his 16th top-10 start of 2023 and his first in two races at Kansas Speedway.
Cole Custer (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Kansas Speedway. It is his 21st in 26 races this season.
Sammy Smith (second) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
Qualifying Order
Practice for the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway is complete. After 20 minutes, the top five, slowest, news and notes:
#10-Daniel Hemric 175.006 mph
#7-Justin Allgaier 174.576 mph
#8-Josh Berry 174.295 mph
#2-Sheldon Creed 174.239 mph
#00-Cole Custer 174.070 mph
Slowest: #28-CJ McLaughlin 158.284 mph
Most laps run: #20-John Hunter Nemechek, 26
Notes: There were a couple of spins in practice, with #45-Rajah Caruth going around off Turn 2 less than five minutes into the session. Making his series debut, #38-Nick Leitz also spun nearly halfway through the session.
See full Kansas Practice Results.
Crew Rosters
Goodyear Tire Notes
There are 40 cars on the entry list for the Kansas Lottery 300 Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway. With 40 cars entered, two drivers/teams will miss the race.
Notables: #4-Garrett Smithley, #6-Brennan Poole, #07-Dawson Cram, #08-Mason Massey, #10-Derek Kraus, #19-Joe Graf Jr., #24-Connor Mosack, #28-CJ McLaughlin, #29-Kyle Sieg, #38-Nick Leitz, #44-Leland Honeyman, #53-Matt Mills, #66-Timmy Hill, #91-Kyle Weatherman.
See the full entry list on the Kansas Entry List page.
Kansas At-Track Schedule
