Standalone races are a special kind of awesome for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. With no Sprint Cup Series drivers in sight, it provides an opportunity for the series regulars to shine and even capture a win under the lights on a Saturday night. Forty drivers would get the opportunity to do so this time in the Visit Myrtle Beach 300 at Kentucky, and they would certainly put on a show.
In qualifying earlier in the day, Daniel Suarez (#18 Arris Toyota) would pick up where he left off with the ARCA Series on Friday, winning the pole for the both the races, and continuing the streak of Joe Gibbs Racing team poles in the series. But would that translate into a good showing?
As the race got underway, it would be a dazzling show at the front of a number of young drivers. After Suarez led off the start, Ryan Blaney (#22 Discount Tire Ford) would work his way forward to lead, as well as Brian Scott (#2 Shore Lodge Chevy) and even young Brandon Jones (#33 Menards Chevy), who also ran in the ARCA race.
Other young drivers were not so fortunate in their efforts at Kentucky Speedway. Brennan Poole (#42 DC Solar Chevy) and Ben Rhodes (#88 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevy) would have their nights ruined early by wrecks, and Daniel Suarez would see his night sour with transmission problems near Lap 150.
Everything would come to a head with twenty laps to go, when Eric McClure (#24 Hefty Toyota) wrecked, bringing out a caution and setting up a short dash to the finish. That dash would cut down to eight laps by another wreck, and Ryan Blaney was not ready. He would lose the lead on the ensuing restart to Ty Dillon (#3 WESCO Chevy), and second to Regan Smith (#7 TaxSlayer Bowl Chevy).
However, a wreck by Jeremy Clements (#51 Chevy) would set up a green-white-checkered. This time, Ryan Blaney was ready, and he pounced on Dillon on the restart with some help from Regan Smith, and would win the Visit Myrtle Beach 300 at Kentucky.
Coming home in second place would be Ty Dillon, with Regan Smith in third and teammate Chase Elliott (#9 NAPA Chevy) in fourth. The points leader coming into the race, Chris Buescher (#60 Advocare Ford) would come home in seventh, and see his points lead cut to nineteen points over Dillon.
The next event up for the NASCAR Xfinity Series will be the Hisense 200 at Dover International Speedway. It’s going to be a fight on the mile track at Dover next Saturday, and you can see the race on NBCSN.
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