NASCAR Xfinity Series at Texas 2015: Schedule, Standings, Ticket Info, More
Like the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Xfinity Series is nearing the end of the 2015 season, and Saturday's race at Texas Motor Speedway promises to have a profound impact on the battle for a championship.
Chris Buescher holds a fairly comfortable advantage over second place for now, but with Chase Elliott, Regan Smith and Ty Dillon all within 36 points, one misstep from the leader Saturday could open the door for one of his closest pursuers to make a run at the title.
The added dimension of Sprint Cup regulars getting involved will provide some much-needed star power, and it promises to make the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge one of the most competitive and exciting races of the year.
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Here is everything you need to know about how and when to watch Saturday's Xfinity Series race, as well as a closer look at the drivers who figure to make the biggest impact.
Where: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas
When: Saturday, Nov. 7, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Watch: NBC
Ticket Info: ScoreBig.com
O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge Schedule
| Friday, Nov. 6 | 2 p.m. | Practice | NBCSN |
| Saturday, Nov. 7 | 12:15 p.m. | Qualifying | NBCSN |
| Saturday, Nov. 7 | 3:30 p.m. | O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge | NBC |
NASCAR Xfinity Series Standings
| 1 | Chris Buescher | 60 | Leader | 2 |
| 2 | Chase Elliott | 9 | -27 | 1 |
| 3 | Regan Smith | 7 | -33 | 2 |
| 4 | Ty Dillon | 3 | -36 | 0 |
| 5 | Darrell Wallace Jr. | 6 | -117 | 0 |
| 6 | Elliott Sadler | 1 | -119 | 0 |
| 7 | Daniel Suarez | 18 | -131 | 0 |
| 8 | Brendan Gaughan | 62 | -166 | 0 |
| 9 | Brian Scott | 2 | -171 | 0 |
| 10 | Ryan Reed | 16 | -268 | 1 |
Drivers to Watch
Kyle Busch
While Kyle Busch's primary focus is on qualifying for the Championship Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the winningest driver in Xfinity Series history figures to be a major factor during Saturday's race at Texas.
Busch has five victories in just 12 Xfinity Series starts this season, and Texas has long been among his best tracks, as he boasts seven wins and 14 top-five results in 18 career Xfinity Series races at Texas Motor Speedway.
The 30-year-old veteran won this very race last season, and he is excited about the opportunity to repeat, according to KyleBusch.com:
"I've had success at Texas in the past and last year we grabbed [Joe Gibbs Racing] their 100th win in the fall race. I wasn't sure we were going to have the car to win with then, but the crew chief made some great adjustments and got us out front where it was fun racing. I remember it was a good battle with the 22 [Joey Logano], real fun racing with him, and I expect it will be no different competing with those guys this week. Hope to put the Monster Energy Camry back in the winner's circle again at Texas.
"
Busch is a threat to win every time he takes the track at any level, but that is especially true in the Xfinity Series since his talent and experience give him a huge advantage over most of the field.
He'll have to stave off some other Sprint Cup stars in addition to Xfinity Series regulars who are battling for points, but a strong run Saturday could go a long way toward helping Busch in Sunday's Sprint Cup race, so it is tough to pick against him.
Kevin Harvick
Like Busch, Kevin Harvick has designs on vying for a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. He would be part of the Championship Round if the Eliminator Round ended today, but he is far from comfortable in fourth place.
He will have an opportunity to solidify his standing Sunday, but first he will try his hand at taking the checkered flag in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge Xfinity Series race.
Harvick has five career Xfinity wins at Texas Motor Speedway, and he has been great in limited starts in NASCAR's No. 2 series this season with two victories and eight top-10 finishes in 11 outings.
Nobody was better than Harvick down the stretch last season as he won his first Sprint Cup championship, but he hasn't been performing at that same level recently. He barely made it into the Eliminator Round, and he could use some strong runs in order to regain momentum.
A good finish in the Xfinity Series race doesn't guarantee anything in the Sprint Cup Series, but Harvick is the type of driver who is capable of getting red-hot at the drop of a hat, and the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge could be the start of a major streak.
Erik Jones
Youngster Erik Jones is vying for a Camping World Truck Series title, but the 19-year-old phenom already has a remarkable track record of success at Texas in the Xfinity Series.
In his first Xfinity Series start at Texas Motor Speedway earlier in the season, Jones picked up his first series win in an impressive performance that saw him lead 79 out of 200 laps en route to victory.
Jones would be in the running for an Xfinity Series title had he decided to run a full-time schedule in 2015, as he has two wins and 10 top-five finishes in 20 starts. All signs point toward him being the future of NASCAR, and another win at Texas would certainly solidify that notion.
It won't be long before Jones is competing on the Sprint Cup circuit regularly, and Saturday's race will say a lot about how ready he is for that challenge.
In addition to going up against the likes of Busch, Harvick and Brad Keselowski, Jones will also go up against other potential future Sprint Cup stars such as Buescher and Elliott.
He has proven to be up to the task at every turn thus far, and every indication is that he'll be a factor at Saturday's event.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.
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