NASCAR Xfinity Series at Bristol 2015: Full Schedule, Standings and Preview
The 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season has been fantastic thus far thanks to the immense amount of talent and unpredictability, and that doesn't figure to change at Bristol Motor Speedway.
At just over a half-mile long, Bristol is one of the trickiest and most exciting tracks on the NASCAR circuit, especially when Sprint Cup regulars, who are veterans of the track, are mixed with less experienced Xfinity Series drivers.
Bristol races rarely disappoint, and the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 has the makings of another fantastic affair. Here is a rundown of everything you need to know to enjoy Saturday's Xfinity Series race.
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NASCAR Xfinity Series at Bristol Schedule
| Friday, April 17 | 1:30 p.m. | Practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Friday, April 17 | 3 p.m. | Final practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Saturday, April 18 | 9:45 a.m. | Qualifying | Fox Sports 1 |
| Saturday, April 18 | 1:30 p.m. | Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 | Fox Sports 1 |
NASCAR Xfinity Series Standings
| 1 | Ty Dillon | 3 | 0 | Leader |
| 2 | Chris Buescher | 60 | 0 | -2 |
| 3 | Chase Elliott | 9 | 0 | -11 |
| 4 | Darrell Wallace Jr. | 6 | 0 | -15 |
| 5 | Ryan Reed | 16 | 1 | -22 |
| 6 | Regan Smith | 7 | 0 | -22 |
| 7 | Elliott Sadler | 1 | 0 | -38 |
| 8 | Brendan Gaughan | 62 | 0 | -43 |
| 9 | Brian Scott | 2 | 0 | -50 |
| 10 | Daniel Suarez | 18 | 0 | -59 |
Drivers to Watch at Bristol
Erik Jones
Although Erik Jones is racing for points in the truck series this season, he made it quite clear last week that he will be a major factor in the Xfinity Series moving forward, as he won for the first time at NASCAR's second level.
Jones was absolutely fantastic at Texas Motor Speedway, and he caught the attention of some of the best drivers in the sport, including former Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has seen something in Jones for quite some time, and he believes the rest of the world finally got to see it too after watching Jones enter victory lane, according to NASCAR.com's Jessica Ruffin:
"I saw early, about a year or so ago, that he's got a great amount of talent, just really good raw ability and seems to be a nice kid. So, I was happy to see him succeed tonight and get a win ... But I felt like he was going to be a contender. And to get a great opportunity and a great car like that, he's making the most of it. I didn't expect anything less.
"
Jones will give it another go Saturday at Bristol, and while that track is much different from the 1.5-mile-long Texas Motor Speedway, there is something to be said for a red-hot driver carrying momentum.
The 18-year-old Jones looks like he may be the future of NASCAR, and he can establish himself in that regard even more by turning in a strong performance at Bristol.
Winning may be a tall order, as many other drivers in the field are better acquainted with the track, but it is far from impossible considering how skilled Jones has proved to be.
Joey Logano
Joey Logano has enjoyed a fantastic campaign in the Sprint Cup Series thus far, and although his Xfinity Series involvement has been limited, he has a victory and a second-place finish to his credit.
Logano will look to add another win to his Xfinity Series resume Saturday, as he has decided to pilot the No. 22 car, according to ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass:
Logano is no stranger to success at Bristol, as he won the Sprint Cup summer race last year and took the checkered flag in the Xfinity Series during the 2012 campaign. Due to his mix of experience and a seemingly insatiable hunger to win, he may be the odds-on favorite to prevail Saturday.
What Logano does will have no bearing on the Xfinity Series standings, but it is enjoyable to see a driver of his caliber dominate. Also, if he fares as well as most expect, it will give him a ton of momentum ahead of the Sprint Cup race Sunday.
The Xfinity Series regulars will have a big challenge on their hands in terms of beating out Logano, and he won't give anything less than 100 percent despite the lack of points on the line.
Chase Elliott
Among those who are competing for an Xfinity Series title, most of the focus is on reigning champion Chase Elliott, who is preparing to take over for the retiring Jeff Gordon next year in the Sprint Cup Series.
While Elliott has already reached the pinnacle in the Xfinity Series, there is no doubt he would love to go out on top with a second consecutive title. He has some work to do, though, as the start of his 2015 season hasn't been ideal.
He is currently third in the standings and just 11 points behind Ty Dillon for the top spot, but he has yet to win and has been somewhat inconsistent.
It is too early in the season to panic, but a victory at Bristol would ease some concerns and potentially vault Elliott into the top spot. He logged a pair of top-10 finishes at Bristol last year, and entering victory lane is the next step in his progression.
The 19-year-old son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott is one of the rising stars in NASCAR, and he has an opportunity to further that notion Saturday.
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