The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon for the running of the Pennzoil 150. Saturday’s Xfinity race will take place on the Indy Grand Prix configuration, a 2.439-mile road course. The Xfinity race is scheduled for 62 laps to make up the 150-mile advertised distance. Practice will take place on Friday for the Xfinity Series and prior to the race on Saturday, qualifying will take place to set the field.
Here are a few drivers to consider for the Pennzoil 150.
Austin Cindric +180- Cindric comes into Saturday’s Pennzoil 150 atop the Xfinity Series point standings currently. Through 20 races in 2021 in Xfinity competition, Cindric has 16 top 10 finishes 13 of those are top 5 finishes with 4 victories. Cindric finished 5th in the 2020 Pennzoil 150 on the INDY Road Course. Austin has finished outside the top 10 only 1 time in the 5 Xfinity races held at road courses in 2021. Look for Cindric to be a strong play on Saturday afternoon.
A.J. Allmendinger +220- Allgaier is currently 2nd in the Xfinity Series standings with 13 top 10 finishes including 12 top 5 finishes and 2 victories though 16 races in 2021. A.J. started 30th in the 2020 Pennzoil 150 at the Indy Road Course and came home with a solid 4th place effort. Allmendinger came off a nice win at Mid-Ohio road course in the Xfinity Series one month ago leading 23 of the 78 laps. Allmendinger comes from a road racing background and will give the top drivers a challenge on Saturday afternoon.
Ty Gibbs +450- Ty Gibbs will hop into the #54 machine for Joe Gibbs racing on Saturday afternoon for the Pennzoil 150. Ty has raced in 10 of the 21 Xfinity Series events in 2021 and has finished top 10 eight times and has 3 wins. Gibbs comes off a victory on the road course at Watkins Glen one week ago in the Xfinity Series leading 43 of the 82 total laps. Gibbs also picked up the first victory of his career at the Daytona Road Course back in February of this year in the Xfinity Series. Look for Ty to once again be class of the field on Saturday afternoon in the Pennzoil 150.
Noah Gragson +1600- After a slow start to the season, Noah Gragson has finished top 10 in 6 of the last 7 races on the 2021 Xfinity Series season. In 2020, Noah started 8th and finished in 3rd place at the Indy Road Course driver rating a solid 110.9 at the end of the day. With a 9th place effort at Road America in July and a 7th place effort at Watkins Glen one week ago, look for Gragson to have another solid run here on Saturday afternoon.
Kevin Harvick +2000- Harvick will hop down to the Xfinity Series to make a start in B.J McLeod’s #99 race team on Saturday afternoon. Harvick will make the first start on the Indy Road Course on Saturday afternoon in the Pennzoil 150. Kevin has 2 starts for McLeod on the 2021 Xfinity season both on road courses with a 4th place finish at COTA in Austin, Texas and a 6th at Road America. The reliability of the McLeod equipment was in question earlier in the 2021 Xfinity season but with 2 top 10 finishes for Harvick consider a sprinkle of action here.
AUTHOR: Jeff Jeter
