NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover 2015: Full Schedule, Standings and Preview
After competing on an intermediate track last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, things will get a bit more precise for the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers this weekend as they take part in the Buckle Up 200 at Dover International Speedway.
The Monster Mile is one of the toughest tracks to tame on the entire circuit, and things tend to get interesting in the Xfinity Series since there are so many young and fairly inexperienced drivers. With a few Sprint Cup regulars sprinkled in, though, the dynamic should make for an excellent race.
Here is a full rundown of all of the vital information for Saturday's Buckle Up 200, including a closer look at the drivers who figure to contend for the win.
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Where: Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware
When: Saturday, May 30 at 2:30 p.m. ET
Watch: Fox
Schedule for Xfinity Series at Dover
| Friday, May 29 | 10 a.m. | Practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Friday, May 29 | 2 p.m. | Final Practice | Fox Sports 1 |
| Saturday, May 30 | 11:15 a.m. | Qualifying | Fox Sports 1 |
| Saturday, May 30 | 2:30 p.m. | Buckle Up 200 | Fox |
Buckle Up 200 Entry List
| 0 | Harrison Rhodes |
| 1 | Elliott Sadler |
| 01 | Landon Cassill |
| 2 | Brian Scott |
| 3 | Ty Dillon |
| 4 | Ross Chastain |
| 6 | Darrell Wallace Jr. |
| 7 | Regan Smith |
| 8 | Blake Koch |
| 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 14 | Cale Conley |
| 15 | BJ McLeod |
| 16 | Ryan Reed |
| 18 | Daniel Suarez |
| 19 | Jeff Green |
| 20 | Matt Kenseth |
| 22 | Ryan Blaney |
| 24 | Eric McClure |
| 25 | John Wes Townley |
| 26 | CJ Faison |
| 28 | JJ Yeley |
| 33 | Austin Dillon |
| 39 | Ryan Sieg |
| 42 | Brennan Poole |
| 43 | Dakoda Armstrong |
| 44 | David Starr |
| 51 | Jeremy Clements |
| 52 | Joey Gase |
| 54 | Erik Jones |
| 55 | Jamie Dick |
| 60 | Chris Buescher |
| 62 | Brendan Gaughan |
| 70 | Derrike Cope |
| 88 | Kasey Kahne |
| 89 | Morgan Shepherd |
| 90 | Mario Gosselin |
| 97 | Peyton Sellers |
| 98 | Aric Almirola |
Xfinity Series Standings
| 1 | Chris Buescher | Leader | 1 |
| 2 | Ty Dillon | -4 | 0 |
| 3 | Chase Elliott | -28 | 0 |
| 4 | Darrell Wallace Jr. | -30 | 0 |
| 5 | Regan Smith | -41 | 0 |
| 6 | Elliott Sadler | -49 | 0 |
| 7 | Brian Scott | -51 | 0 |
| 8 | Ryan Reed | -81 | 1 |
| 9 | Daniel Suarez | -81 | 0 |
| 10 | Brendan Gaughan | -92 | 0 |
Drivers to Watch
Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth's forays into the Xfinity Series are few and far between at this juncture of his career, but as a 29-time winner on NASCAR's No. 2 circuit, he is always a threat to take the checkered flag when he decides to pull double duty.
Kenseth has a pair of top-10 finishes in two Xfinity Series races this season, including a second-place result in Phoenix. If the 43-year-old star is going to win an Xfinity race in 2015, though, Dover may be the likeliest place for him to do it.
He has been great at Dover International Speedway on the Sprint Cup circuit over the years with two wins to his credit. He also has 21 top-10 finishes and 15 top-fives in 32 races, which makes him one of the best Monster Mile performers along with Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
Kenseth will undoubtedly have some tough competition, especially when it comes to the other Sprint Cup regulars in Saturday's race, but some of the younger drivers may be in awe watching him tame Dover International Speedway.
Provided Kenseth runs his race and doesn't encounter any unforeseen mechanical issues, there is little doubt he is the guy to beat in the Buckle Up 200.
Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon has been one of the top drivers on the Xfinity Series circuit in recent years, and although he is now a full-time Sprint Cup driver, he continues to turn in strong performances when he decides to run in the lower series.
He has already won twice in 2015, including last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dillon was dominant in the No. 33 car, as he led for the vast majority of the race. He also managed to track down Denny Hamlin late in the contest to pick up the victory.
After the win, the 25-year-old rising star was thrilled with the Richard Childress Racing equipment he had to work with, according to FoxSports.com:
"The car was so good, I didn't want to get out of it," Dillon said. "It was a heck of a race there at the end with Denny and Kasey (Kahne). I had to go when we got there in lapped traffic. I knew if I didn't, the tires might go and I might not be able to make it happen."
Dillon won the Xfinity Series points title in 2013, and he has been quite consistent ever since. That is especially true at Dover International Speedway.
Although he has never won a race at Dover in the Xfinity Series, he has four top-10 finishes in four attempts, which means the odds are very much in favor of him being in the mix late in Saturday's race.
If his car for Dover is anywhere near as good as it was at Charlotte, then a second consecutive victory could be in the cards for Dillon.
Kasey Kahne
Although he wasn't able to overtake Dillon, Kahne ran well in the Xfinity Series last week as well with a third-place finish. He is also coming off of a Truck Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which means he has momentum on his side ahead of Dover.
Kahne started the Coca-Cola 600 deep in the field Sunday, but he managed to work his way all the way up to 12th by the end of the race. Despite that, the 35-year-old veteran admitted it was a struggle to get to the front, according to Jeff Gluck of USA Today:
Even though it wasn't Kahne's best race by any means, it was a positive result considering the fact that he managed to jump up more than 20 spots. With so many solid showings as of late, Kahne is an obvious candidate to vie for a win Saturday.
He has traditionally done well at Dover in the Xfinity Series with eight top-10 finishes in 14 attempts. That hasn't translated to the Sprint Cup Series, however, with only a single top-five and five top-10 results in 22 races.
If nothing else, Kahne has experience on his side, which is something many of his opponents won't possess in the Buckle Up 200. That is key at a track like the Monster Mile due to the precision needed to perform well.
With Kahne enjoying a fine season in all three of NASCAR's top series, there is reason to believe he will be in contention Saturday just like he was in last week's Xfinity Series race.
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