Among the 38-machines that qualified for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300, only two NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers, AJ Allmendinger and Jeb Burton, have experienced Victory Lane at Talladega Superspeedway.
They know what it takes to grind out a win at the 2.66-mile, high-banked track. Austin Hill put himself in position to challenge for his third win this season. Hill on Friday earned the pole position with a hot lap of 181.629 mph, edging Jesse Love (181.12 mph), who will start on the outside of the front row. With three poles, Love, who seeks his first checkered flag this season, has started up front in four of the nine events.
Parker Kligerman (180.693) and Cole Custer (180.169) will begin along the second row.
Will the circuit experience a first timer at Talladega on Saturday?
☝️ YES BROTHER pic.twitter.com/a4M6uYbURl
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) April 19, 2024
Ryan Sieg Still Seeking 1st Win
By an inch. That was the difference between Sam Mayer finishing first last Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway and Ryan Sieg remaining winless in his national series career.
Following a last-lap battle, Mayer edged Sieg by .002 seconds, the second-closest finish in circuit history.
Despite 456 starts in the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series over the past 15 years, Sieg has yet to visit Victory Lane. His supporters lined up to offer encouragement after his latest setback.
“Yeah, a thousand times,” Sieg said, as reported by NASCAR.com. “Everybody was saying, ‘You were just that short. We thought you had it!’
“They were all pumped and thrilled.”
Affiliated with Stewart-Haas Racing, Sieg’s family business, RSS Racing, has expanded its staff and fielded competitive machines. Sieg earned a P2 at Talladega on Oct. 3, 2020.
During Friday’s qualifying session, Sieg placed 24th for Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300. The 36-year-old driver said he’s attempting to move on from the big Texas heartbreak.
“Yeah, it stings,” Sieg, 36, said. “But I’ve just kind of moved on and tried not to get too upset. I mean, even here, it’s all over the place everywhere I go. I’ve got a lot of fans that I didn’t even really know about.”
Sam Mayer beats Ryan Sieg at the line to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas!pic.twitter.com/5iLend6k0J
— Always Race Day (@AlwaysRaceDay) April 13, 2024
Starting Lineup For NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Ag-Pro 300
Here is a look at the lineup for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway:
Starting Position, Driver, Car No., Team
- 1, Austin Hill, 21, Richard Childress Racing
- 2, Jesse Love, 2, Richard Childress Racing
- 3, Parker Kligerman, 48, Big Machine Racing
- 4, Cole Custer, 00, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 5, Sammy Smith, 8, JR Motorsports
- 6, Ryan Truex, 28, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 7, Chandler Smith, 81, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 8, Riley Herbst, 98, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 9, Josh Williams, 11, Kaulig Racing
- 10, Sheldon Creed, 18, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 11, Anthony Alfredo, 5, Our Motorsports
- 12, Patrick Emerling, 07, SS GreenLight Racing
- 13, Taylor Gray, 19, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 14, AJ Allmendinger, 16, Kaulig Racing
- 15, Sam Mayer, 1, JR Motorsports
- 16, Justin Allgaier, 7, JR Motorsports
- 17, Joey Gase, 35, Joey Gase Motorsports
- 18, Shane van Gisbergen, 97, Kaulig Racing
- 19, David Starr, 66, Motorsports Business Management
- 20, Kyle Weatherman, 91, DGM Racing
- 21, Parker Retzlaff, 31, Jordan Anderson Racing
- 22, Jeremy Clements, 51, Jeremy Clements Racing
- 23, Brandon Jones, 9, JR Motorsports
- 24, Ryan Sieg, 39, RSS Racing
- 25, Kyle Sieg, 28, RSS Racing
- 26, Blaine Perkins, 29, RSS Racing
- 27, Brennan Poole, 44, Alpha Prime Racing
- 28, Matt DiBenedetto, 38, RSS Racing
- 29, Caesar Bacarella, 45, Alpha Prime Racing
- 30, Dawson Cram, 4, JD Motorsports
- 31, Hailie Deegan, 15, AM Racing
- 32, Jordan Anderson, 32, Jordan Anderson Racing
- 33, Leland Honeyman, 42, Young’s Motorsports
- 34, Jeffrey Earnhardt, 26, Sam Hunt Racing
- 35, Jeb Burton, 27, Jordan Anderson Racing
- 36, Josh Bilicki, 92, DGM Racing
- 37, Ryan Ellis, 43, Alpha Prime Racing
- 38, Mason Massey, 14, SS GreenLight Racing
Time to take on the big track.
Qualifying is live at @TALLADEGA! pic.twitter.com/zKi8TY3kuP
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) April 19, 2024
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