Miles the Monster a Welcomed Sight?
Not many NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers made it out of Talladega without being involved in one of the several big crashes throughout the race. This weekend’s race in Dover promises to be just as challenging while hopefully a bit less chaotic.
Crashes Avoided: 5/6 🤕
I recommend you #GetCRUSHd with the new product line from @IslandBrandsUSA, and not the way I did on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/bCsDmiXXm1
— Kaz Grala (@KazGrala) April 25, 2023
Blaine Perkins definitely tops that list. He landed in the hospital for a night of observation after a wild flip down the backstretch. Thankfully, he was released and will be back racing soon.
Here's a look at the incident that brought out the red flag at the end of Stage 2.
All drivers climbed from their vehicle following the crash.
Blaine Perkins, the driver of the No. 02, has been transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. pic.twitter.com/2tlLJ25Bjf
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) April 22, 2023
By the end of the race, only a handful of cars were left for the green, white, checkered finish where Jeb Burton held on to win his second Talladega race. A win that was the first victory for Jordan Anderson Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Dash 4 Cash
Talladega’s destruction made its way through the Dash 4 Cash contenders as well last weekend. The only one of the four to even finish the race was Cole Custer, who took home the $100,000. Sammy Smith and John Hunter Nemechek were both involved in smaller incidents early on in the race. Josh Berry’s chance to win went away when he was in a crash along with two of his JR Motorsports teammates. Custer avoided all of the wrecks, finished in the top five, and that was enough to win the cash. He’ll be joined for the final Dash 4 Cash race of season with race winner Jeb Burton as well as Sheldon Creed and Parker Kligerman.
The Track
Dover has been a fixture of the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule since the 1980’s. The Monster Mile is known for its wide, high-banked turns that allow drivers to search for lines from the apron all the way up to the wall. Drivers compare it to a rollercoaster in the way they drive down into the banking entering the corner and then climb back out on corner exit. Even the straightaways are banked at 9 degrees. Dover is one of those tracks where something always seems to be happening. Whether it’s a spinning car blocking the narrow straights or a driver missing the tricky put road entry, Dover definitely lives up to its nickname.
Prediction
Coming into the season, Cole Custer was thought of as one of the top contenders for the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. He’s had a slow start so far, finding himself 7th in points with no wins so far. Custer has shown the ability to run at the front this year but finishing there has been the struggle. Luckily for him, Dover is a place where Custer has had a good amount of success in the past. The last time he raced at Dover in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he went to victory lane. In fact, out of his six races at the track, he has four top five finishes. This weekend is a great opportunity for Custer to get his first win of the season and lock his team into the Playoffs.
How To Watch: A-GAME 200 (All times EST)
- Practice/Qualifying: Friday, April 28, 3 p.m. on FS1
- A-GAME 200: Saturday, April 29, 1:30 p.m. on FS1
