The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to action after a brief hiatus for this weekend’s event at Darlington Raceway. The Shriners Children’s 200 will get underway on Saturday, May 13 at 1:30 p.m. ET. Darlington always brings us impressive racing, and I’m looking forward to the event. John Hunter Nemechek stands out as a sharp NASCAR Xfinity Series bet at Darlington, and he features heavily into my predictions for this race.
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NASCAR Xfinity Series Predictions for the Shriners Children’s 200 at Darlington: Race Preview
What Can We Expect at Darlington?
Darlington Raceway is a 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval track with a rough surface that chews up tires. A driver’s talent matters a lot more here than equipment, although top-tier drivers usually have good rides. The drivers with the most career Xfinity Series wins at this track include some of the sport’s best, like Mark Martin (8), Denny Hamlin (5), Jeff Burton (3) and Dale Earnhardt Sr. (3).
JR Motorsports dominated at this track last season. Justin Allgaier won the spring race, one spot ahead of Noah Gragson, and Gragson won the fall event. The two of them combined to lead 215 (73.1%) of the laps. Three of the top-5 spots were controlled by Chevrolets in the spring. The manufacturer swept the top-5 in the fall. Non-Chevrolet drivers combined to lead only 21 (7.1%) of the laps.
This weekend’s oddsboard is skewed by several Cup Series regulars ing the field. Kyle Larson will pilot the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing and is a heavy favorite at a price of 5-2 on BetMGM. Ross Chastain will take over the No. 91 Chevrolet for DGM Racing, a team he is yet to lead a lap or finish better than 17th with at an oval. Ty Dillon will drive the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing as well.
A pair of Truck Series regulars will also dip their toes into the Xfinity Series on Saturday as well. Carson Hocevar, who won at Texas a few weeks ago, will drive the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports as the team hopes to make its debut after withdrawing from Dover due to the rain. Corey Heim, who won at Martinsville, will pilot the No. 24 Toyota for Sam Hunt Racing.
But despite the number of non-Xfinity Series drivers in the field, it’s worth noting that the last six events at Darlington were all won by Xfinity Series regulars. Allgaier beat out Tyler Reddick last spring; Gragson held off Larson, Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain and Ty Dillon last fall. No Cup Series drivers dipped down in the spring race in 2021, but Gragson also held off Reddick, both Dillon brothers and Denny Hamlin in the fall. Chase Briscoe, then a full-time Xfinity Series driver, beat out Kyle Busch in the spring of 2020; Brandon Jones held off Chastain and Hamlin in the fall.
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