NXS bubble battle heats up as Gragson, Burton face issues
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff bubble heated up as four of the eight playoff drivers were each involved in an incident that drew a caution during Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.
The biggest incident occurred on Lap 178 when Sam Mayer bumped Harrison Burton exiting turn four, causing Burton to get loose and crash hard into the outside wall with Noah Gragson.
Gragson was also involved in a Lap 98 caution with Daniel Hemric who he spun with. Gragson received damage but recovered to be 3 points above the cutline before the wreck.
After the wreck, Gragson finished the race 24 points below the cutline while Burton finished 51 points below the cutline. Gragson entered the race 2 points above the cutline and Burton entered 21 points below the cutline.
Daniel Hemric, who wrecked with Gragson on Lap 98, was one of the two biggest beneficiaries of the Lap 178 wreck. Hemric and Justin Allgaier were tied at the cutline before the wreck. After the wreck, Hemric and Allgaier finished the race 9 and 7 points above the cutline after finishing 15th and 9th, each respectively.
Hemric and Allgaier started the race 2 points below the cutline and 4 points above the cutline.
Justin Haley also benefited from the wreck. Haley was 23 points below the cutline before the wreck and moved up to 7 points below the cutline after taking tires during the caution for the wreck and moved up to a 4th-place finish.
Brandon Jones recovered from a Lap 161 spin to finish 11th. Jones moved to 40 points behind the cutline after entering the race 32 points behind the cutline.
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES BUBBLE BREAKDOWN
Before the Kansas Lottery 300:
- A.J. Allmendinger +30 points above the cutline
- Austin Cindric +26
- Justin Allgaier +4
- Noah Gragson +2
- Daniel Hemric -2 below the cutline
- Justin Haley -6
- Harrison Burton -21
- Brandon Jones -32
Before the Lap 178 wreck:
- Austin Cindric (WIN)
- A.J. Allmendinger +31
- Noah Gragson +3
- Daniel Hemric +0
- Justin Allgaier -0
- Justin Haley -23
- Harrison burton -26
- Brandon Jones – 47
After the Lap 178 wreck/end of the Kansas Lottery 300:
- A.J. Allmendinger +47
- Austin Cindric +47
- Justin Allgaier +9
- Daniel Hemric +7
- Justin Haley -7
- Noah Gragson -24
- Brandon Jones -40
- Harrison Burton -51
Allmendinger and Cindric can each clinch a Championship 4 spot by finishing 4th or better in the stages.
Jones and Burton will each need to win to get in.
SOURCES:
NASCAR
Racing-Reference.Info
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com