Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photo
On Friday afternoon, the NASCAR XFINITY Series would get a pair of practices to prepare for Saturday’s event at Road America. Those pair of practices would be led by Ben Rhodes and Paul Menard.
Rhodes led the first practice with a lap of 134.311 seconds around the 14-turn, 4.048 mile course located in Wisconsin. This weekend marks Rhodes’ seventh start of the season with JR Motorsports as he searches for his third career top-10 finish. The driver of the No. 88 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet finished 35th and 10th in his previous two road course starts.
He was followed on the charts by teammate and defending series champion Chase Elliott, who timed in 0.456 seconds slower. Elliott is looking to gain points this weekend to close the gap in the championship points as he currently sits third in points, 23 points behind Chris Buescher. The 19-year-old has been solid in the previous two road course events this season, finishing seventh and fifth. He enters this weekend on the heels of six straight top-10 finishes.
Ryan Blaney was third quickest as he looks to make his first road course XFINITY start of the season. He knows how to turn left and right, having won last year in the Camping World Truck Series event at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Justin Marks and Brian Scott would round out the top-five.
Points leader Chris Buescher was sixth quickest as he enters this weekend with a 19-point advantage ahead of Ty Dillon. Boris Said was seventh, followed by Paul Menard, Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez.
While the majority of the Sprint Cup Series regulars are enjoying their final off-week of the season, Menard has entered this weekend’s event in hopes of picking up the victory. He would lead the final practice with a lap of 134.681 seconds. Menard has been solid in the five races that he has ran thus far this season, posting four top-10s, highlighted by a fourth place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team has visited victory lane this year a couple times with Austin Dillon behind the wheel.
Boris Said was second quickest as he makes his fifth start of the season with Joe Gibbs Racing. The road course ringer was strong at Watkin’s Glen earlier this year, finishing fourth. Elliott was third, followed by Blaney and Dillon.
Jeremy Clements continued his strong run thus far this season, timing in sixth quickest, followed by Regan Smith, Brendan Gaughan, Andy Lally and Buescher. Gaughan is the defending race winner.
The Road America 180 is scheduled to get underway around 3:20 p.m. (ET) Saturday afternoon. Qualifying will take place on Saturday afternoon at 12:15 pm EST.
2015 NXS Road America 180 First Practice Session Speeds
| Pos | Car | Driver | Team | Time | Speed | Lap # | # Laps | -Fastest | -Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88 | Ben Rhodes | Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet | 134.311 | 108.5 | 13 | 13 | —.— | —.— |
| 2 | 9 | Chase Elliott | NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | 134.767 | 108.133 | 13 | 13 | -0.456 | -0.456 |
| 3 | 22 | Ryan Blaney | Discount Tire Ford | 134.884 | 108.04 | 11 | 11 | -0.573 | -0.117 |
| 4 | 42 | Justin Marks | Ganassi Sound Garage Chevrolet | 134.998 | 107.948 | 12 | 12 | -0.687 | -0.114 |
| 5 | 2 | Brian Scott | Shore Lodge Chevrolet | 134.999 | 107.947 | 10 | 11 | -0.688 | -0.001 |
| 6 | 60 | Chris Buescher | Fastenal Ford | 135.084 | 107.88 | 13 | 16 | -0.773 | -0.085 |
| 7 | 54 | Boris Said | Monster Energy Toyota | 135.173 | 107.809 | 7 | 9 | -0.862 | -0.089 |
| 8 | 33 | Paul Menard(i) | Richmond/Menards Chevrolet | 135.482 | 107.563 | 3 | 10 | -1.171 | -0.309 |
| 9 | 1 | Elliott Sadler | OneMain Financial Ford | 135.924 | 107.213 | 11 | 11 | -1.613 | -0.442 |
| 10 | 18 | Daniel Suarez # | ARRIS Toyota | 136.271 | 106.94 | 15 | 15 | -1.96 | -0.347 |
| 11 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | AllSthElctrc.com/RprbleVhcls.com Chevrolet | 136.415 | 106.827 | 6 | 7 | -2.104 | -0.144 |
| 12 | 7 | Regan Smith | TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet | 136.431 | 106.814 | 3 | 11 | -2.12 | -0.016 |
| 13 | 3 | Ty Dillon | Wesco Chevrolet | 136.702 | 106.603 | 5 | 8 | -2.391 | -0.271 |
| 14 | 20 | Kenny Habul | SunEnergy 1 Toyota | 136.807 | 106.521 | 10 | 11 | -2.496 | -0.105 |
| 15 | 90 | Andy Lally | Anderson’s Maple Syrup Chevrolet | 136.808 | 106.52 | 3 | 8 | -2.497 | -0.001 |
| 16 | 62 | Brendan Gaughan | South Point Chevrolet | 136.863 | 106.477 | 5 | 10 | -2.552 | -0.055 |
| 17 | 6 | Darrell Wallace Jr. # | Ford EcoBoost Ford | 137.363 | 106.09 | 3 | 14 | -3.052 | -0.5 |
| 18 | 97 | Dylan Kwasniewski | Vroom Brands Chevrolet | 137.686 | 105.841 | 3 | 4 | -3.375 | -0.323 |
| 19 | 43 | Dakoda Armstrong | WinField Ford | 138.084 | 105.536 | 5 | 14 | -3.773 | -0.398 |
| 20 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | Uncle Bob’s Self Storage Chevrolet | 138.145 | 105.489 | 12 | 18 | -3.834 | -0.061 |
| 21 | 28 | JJ Yeley | JGL Racing Toyota | 138.257 | 105.404 | 5 | 12 | -3.946 | -0.112 |
| 22 | 8 | Blake Koch | LeafFilter Gutter Protection Toyota | 138.429 | 105.273 | 9 | 12 | -4.118 | -0.172 |
| 23 | 0 | Lawson Aschenbach | teamjdmotorsports.com Chevrolet | 138.436 | 105.267 | 6 | 6 | -4.125 | -0.007 |
| 24 | 16 | Ryan Reed | Lilly/American Diabetes Association Ford | 138.448 | 105.258 | 4 | 11 | -4.137 | -0.012 |
| 25 | 25 | Dylan Lupton | Zaxby’s Chevrolet | 138.939 | 104.886 | 9 | 13 | -4.628 | -0.491 |
| 26 | 4 | Michael Self | Auto Remote Warehouse Chevrolet | 138.984 | 104.852 | 7 | 8 | -4.673 | -0.045 |
| 27 | 44 | David Starr | Zachry Toyota | 139.044 | 104.807 | 7 | 14 | -4.733 | -0.06 |
| 28 | 24 | Eric McClure | Reynolds Wrap Toyota | 139.149 | 104.728 | 10 | 10 | -4.838 | -0.105 |
| 29 | 26 | Tomy Drissi | Arthritis Fndtn/Strght Otta Cmptn Toyota | 139.165 | 104.716 | 6 | 6 | -4.854 | -0.016 |
| 30 | 19 | Jeff Green | TriStar Motorsports Toyota | 139.224 | 104.672 | 5 | 5 | -4.913 | -0.059 |
| 31 | 14 | Cale Conley # | IAVA Toyota | 139.332 | 104.59 | 5 | 11 | -5.021 | -0.108 |
| 32 | 1 | Ross Chastain # | GK Services Chevrolet | 140.253 | 103.904 | 4 | 5 | -5.942 | -0.921 |
| 33 | 15 | Kevin O’Connell | Gemini Southern Chevrolet | 140.499 | 103.722 | 4 | 4 | -6.188 | -0.246 |
| 34 | 13 | Tim Cowen | Cowen Trucking Ford | 141.68 | 102.857 | 7 | 9 | -7.369 | -1.181 |
| 35 | 52 | Joey Gase | Donate Life/Cobblestone Inn Chevrolet | 145.561 | 100.115 | 6 | 6 | -11.25 | -3.881 |
| 36 | 70 | Derrike Cope | MAPCO Chevrolet | 145.822 | 99.936 | 1 | 1 | -11.511 | -0.261 |
| 37 | 74 | Roger Reuse | WIC Parts Chevrolet | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(i) Ineligible for Driver Points in this Series,
# Denotes Rookie
2015 NXS Road America 180 Final Practice Session Speeds
| Pos | Car | Driver | Team | Time | Speed | Lap # | # Laps | -Fastest | -Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Paul Menard(i) | Richmond/Menards Chevrolet | 134.681 | 108.202 | 2 | 12 | —.— | —.— |
| 2 | 54 | Boris Said | Monster Energy Toyota | 134.879 | 108.044 | 2 | 7 | -0.198 | -0.198 |
| 3 | 9 | Chase Elliott | NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | 135.344 | 107.672 | 2 | 2 | -0.663 | -0.465 |
| 4 | 22 | Ryan Blaney | Discount Tire Ford | 135.364 | 107.656 | 4 | 15 | -0.683 | -0.02 |
| 5 | 3 | Ty Dillon | Wesco Chevrolet | 135.39 | 107.636 | 5 | 12 | -0.709 | -0.026 |
| 6 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | AllSthElctrc.com/RprbleVhcls.com Chevrolet | 135.614 | 107.458 | 2 | 2 | -0.933 | -0.224 |
| 7 | 7 | Regan Smith | TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet | 135.876 | 107.251 | 2 | 9 | -1.195 | -0.262 |
| 8 | 62 | Brendan Gaughan | South Point Chevrolet | 135.999 | 107.154 | 2 | 2 | -1.318 | -0.123 |
| 9 | 90 | Andy Lally | Anderson’s Maple Syrup Chevrolet | 136.214 | 106.985 | 3 | 6 | -1.533 | -0.215 |
| 10 | 60 | Chris Buescher | Fastenal Ford | 136.231 | 106.971 | 2 | 10 | -1.55 | -0.017 |
| 11 | 18 | Daniel Suarez # | ARRIS Toyota | 136.331 | 106.893 | 8 | 8 | -1.65 | -0.1 |
| 12 | 42 | Justin Marks | Ganassi Sound Garage Chevrolet | 136.56 | 106.714 | 2 | 12 | -1.879 | -0.229 |
| 13 | 2 | Brian Scott | Shore Lodge Chevrolet | 136.699 | 106.605 | 5 | 8 | -2.018 | -0.139 |
| 14 | 0 | Lawson Aschenbach | teamjdmotorsports.com Chevrolet | 136.701 | 106.603 | 6 | 10 | -2.02 | -0.002 |
| 15 | 88 | Ben Rhodes | Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet | 136.763 | 106.555 | 8 | 12 | -2.082 | -0.062 |
| 16 | 6 | Darrell Wallace Jr. # | Ford EcoBoost Ford | 136.776 | 106.545 | 1 | 12 | -2.095 | -0.013 |
| 17 | 20 | Kenny Habul | SunEnergy 1 Toyota | 136.907 | 106.443 | 1 | 11 | -2.226 | -0.131 |
| 18 | 25 | Dylan Lupton | Zaxby’s Chevrolet | 137.008 | 106.365 | 10 | 10 | -2.327 | -0.101 |
| 19 | 28 | JJ Yeley | JGL Racing Toyota | 137.171 | 106.238 | 3 | 4 | -2.49 | -0.163 |
| 20 | 8 | Blake Koch | LeafFilter Gutter Protection Toyota | 137.438 | 106.032 | 2 | 2 | -2.757 | -0.267 |
| 21 | 16 | Ryan Reed | Lilly/American Diabetes Association Ford | 137.45 | 106.023 | 2 | 7 | -2.769 | -0.012 |
| 22 | 1 | Elliott Sadler | OneMain Financial Ford | 137.606 | 105.902 | 2 | 12 | -2.925 | -0.156 |
| 23 | 14 | Cale Conley # | IAVA Toyota | 137.66 | 105.861 | 2 | 10 | -2.979 | -0.054 |
| 24 | 97 | Dylan Kwasniewski | Vroom Brands Chevrolet | 138.597 | 105.145 | 1 | 6 | -3.916 | -0.937 |
| 25 | 44 | David Starr | Zachry Toyota | 138.906 | 104.911 | 2 | 3 | -4.225 | -0.309 |
| 26 | 43 | Dakoda Armstrong | WinField Ford | 138.923 | 104.898 | 3 | 4 | -4.242 | -0.017 |
| 27 | 4 | Michael Self | Auto Remote Warehouse Chevrolet | 139.149 | 104.728 | 2 | 9 | -4.468 | -0.226 |
| 28 | 1 | Ross Chastain # | GK Services Chevrolet | 139.811 | 104.232 | 5 | 11 | -5.13 | -0.662 |
| 29 | 15 | Kevin O’Connell | Gemini Southern Chevrolet | 139.985 | 104.103 | 6 | 6 | -5.304 | -0.174 |
| 30 | 70 | Stanton Barrett | MAPCO Chevrolet | 146.614 | 99.396 | 1 | 2 | -11.933 | -6.629 |
| 31 | 74 | Roger Reuse | WIC Parts Chevrolet | 147.832 | 98.577 | 3 | 6 | -13.151 | -1.218 |
| 32 | 40 | Derek White | Braille Battery/Grafoid Dodge | 147.886 | 98.541 | 4 | 7 | -13.205 | -0.054 |
| 33 | 89 | Morgan Shepherd | Chevrolet | 151.398 | 96.255 | 1 | 1 | -16.717 | -3.512 |
(i) Ineligible for Driver Points in this Series,
# Denotes Rookie
