NASCAR Truck SeriesNASCAR Xfinity Series

A.J. Allmendinger, John Hunter Nemechek on poles for Texas

3 Mins read
Credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images

While much of the upcoming weekend’s fanfare at Texas Motor Speedway is aimed at the NASCAR Cup Series’ All-Star Race on Sunday, the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series have support events planned for Saturday. While A.J. Allmendinger starts on the pole for the former’s Alsco Uniforms 250, John Hunter Nemechek will do the same for the latter’s SpeedyCash.com 400.

Xfinity: Kaulig Racing front row

Last Saturday, Allmendinger led a Kaulig Racing 1–2 finish ahead of Justin Haley at Mid-Ohio. As a result, the two will make up the front row for Texas. It is Allmendinger’s second pole of the season after Darlington.

Kyle Busch starts fourteenth for his second Xfinity race of the year after winning at COTA, a fellow Texas track, in May. Other driver changes from Mid-Ohio include Garrett Smithley and Tanner Berryhill gearing up for their second races of 2021, Josh Berry returning to JR Motorsports‘ #8, Brandon Gdovic back with Sam Hunt RacingStefan Parsons with B.J. McLeod Motorsports, and MBM Motorsports shuffling the rotation to place Texas native David Starr and Matt Jaskol in the race.
With Berry heading back to JRM after scoring a top ten at Mid-Ohio for Jordan Anderson Racing, the team’s eponymous driver will finally run his first Xfinity race of the year after being locked out of the first ten rounds without qualifying. It will be Anderson’s first Xfinity start since Dover 2017.

Timmy Hill, who is running Sunday’s All-Star Open, and Dillon Bassett failed to qualify.

StartNumberDriverTeamManufacturer
116A.J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet
211Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet
319Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
422Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord
518Daniel HemricJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
61Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet
768Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet
810Jeb BurtonKaulig RacingChevrolet
939Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord
1036Alex LabbéDGM RacingChevrolet
1192Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet
1298Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord
1348Jade BufordBig Machine RacingChevrolet
1454Kyle Busch*Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
154Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet
167Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet
172Myatt SniderRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
1820Harrison BurtonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
1902Brett MoffittOur MotorsportsChevrolet
2051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet
2123Tanner BerryhillOur MotorsportsChevrolet
226Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevrolet
2352Gray GauldingJimmy Means RacingChevrolet
245Matt MillsB.J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet
2578Jesse LittleB.J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota
2615Colby HowardJD MotorsportsChevrolet
2717Garrett SmithleySS-Green Light RacingToyota
288Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet
2947Kyle WeathermanMike Harmon RacingChevrolet
309Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet
3166David StarrMBM MotorsportsToyota
3231Jordan Anderson*Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet
330Jeffrey EarnhardtJD MotorsportsChevrolet
3426Brandon GdovicSam Hunt RacingToyota
3507Joe Graf Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet
3644Tommy Joe MartinsMartins MotorsportsChevrolet
3799Stefan ParsonsB.J. McLeod MotorsportsFord
3890Ronnie Bassett Jr.DGM RacingFord
3974Bayley Currey*Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet
4061Matt JaskolMBM MotorsportsToyota
Italics – Competing for Rookie of the Year
* – Ineligible for Xfinity points
Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Truck: Points leader Nemechek on pole

After scoring his third win of the year two weeks ago in Charlotte, Nemechek will once again start on the pole for the  fifth time in 2021. Ben Rhodes, who sits second in points and is fresh off making his Cup début on Sunday, starts second.

Carson Hocevar, after finishing a career-best second at Charlotte, ties his best starting spot to date of third; he first started in such a position at the Daytona Road Course in February.

Eleven trucks have different drivers from Charlotte including the presence of Cup drivers Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain. Berry will make his Rackley WAR début while Ray Ciccarelli prepares for his first start of the year. Although Anderson is listed in the #3 JAR truck, Howie DiSavino III will race while the owner/driver focuses on Xfinity.

For the third time in 2021, thirty-six drivers are entered, the lowest number so far.

StartNumberDriverTeamManufacturer
14John Hunter NemechekKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota
299Ben RhodesThorSport RacingToyota
342Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet
438Todd GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord
516Austin HillHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota
652Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota
721Zane SmithGMS RacingChevrolet
818Chandler SmithKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota
919Derek KrausMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingToyota
1051Drew DollarKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota
1126Tyler AnkrumGMS RacingChevrolet
121Hailie DeeganDavid Gilliland RacingFord
1322Austin Wayne SelfAM RacingChevrolet
1440Ryan TruexNiece MotorsportsChevrolet
1588Matt CraftonThorSport RacingToyota
162Sheldon CreedGMS RacingChevrolet
1713Johnny SauterThorSport RacingToyota
1898Grant EnfingerThorSport RacingToyota
1902Kris WrightYoung’s MotorsportsChevrolet
2015Tanner GrayDavid Gilliland RacingFord
2104Cory RoperRoper RacingFord
2224Chase Elliott*GMS RacingChevrolet
2341Dawson CramCram Racing EnterprisesChevrolet
2445Ross Chastain*Niece MotorsportsChevrolet
2556Tyler HillHill MotorsportsChevrolet
2620Spencer BoydYoung’s MotorsportsChevrolet
2730Brennan PooleOn Point MotorsportsToyota
2823Chase PurdyGMS RacingChevrolet
2934Jesse IwujiReaume Brothers RacingToyota
303Howie DiSavino IIIJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet
3112Tate FoglemanYoung’s MotorsportsChevrolet
3210Jennifer Jo CobbJennifer Jo Cobb RacingFord
3325Josh Berry*Rackley WARChevrolet
3433Keith McGeeReaume Brothers RacingChevrolet
356Norm BenningNorm Benning RacingChevrolet
3649Ray CiccarelliCMI MotorsportsFord
Italics – Competing for Rookie of the Year
* – Ineligible for Truck points
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Justin is not an off-road racer, but he writes about it for The Checkered Flag.
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