Photo Credit: Mike Mercurio/OnPitRoad.com
The NASCAR Xfinity Series does not have the benefit a Chase format to provide extra excitement to its championship points battle. Fortunately, for fans, it doesn’t need this season. The championship battle has plenty of drama without the late season points resets used in the Sprint Cup Series. With only four races left in the season, four drivers are still within reach of the title.
Roush-Fenway Racing driver, Chris Buescher has been deadly consistent this season. It has actually been one of the few highlights for the team which has struggled for the last several years. Buescher has two wins on the season, and an impressive 19 top-ten finishes.
There are three drivers within striking distance of Buescher – defending series champion, Chase Elliott is 26 points back. Elliott’s JR Motorsports teammate, Regan Smith currently sits 34 points behind the leader and Ty Dillon, who is 38 points back.
Elliott, Smith and Dillon all have more top-ten’s than Buescher, but Buescher’s consistency has allowed him to build his lead. While his primary competition’s number are good, Buescher’s are steady. The 22 year-old driver from Texas, has zero DNF’s, with his worst finish of the season being a 20th at Richmond.
Elliott started the season with a disappointing 28th at Daytona. A 37th at Talladega gave him a large deficit that he has been clawing his way out of ever since. He finally ended his winless streak at Richmond just a few weeks ago, but only picked up a few points on Buescher who finished tenth.
Smith has two wins on the season, but a DNF and two finishes below 30th, have hurt his chances against Buescher, who hasn’t really slipped.
The fact that Dillon has yet to visit victory lane this season and has two finishes below 26th have hurt him in the standings. Currently sitting in fourth in the standings, he will likely need to win and have Buescher slip to have a chance to follow in his brother’s footsteps and win the series championship.
This past weekend’s event at Charlotte was no different. Smith and Dillon finished fifth and sixth respectively, but Buescher was right with them in seventh. Elliott ended the day in ninth, losing a few points to Buescher.
As the clock winds down on the season, each week Buescher’s competitors are hoping he will finally give them an opportunity to gain. As each week passes the drama is more intense and the pressure to stay consistent increases on the young Roush-Fenway driver. One bad day for Buescher could quickly hand the lead to Elliott and take away his hopes of his first championship.
