When Nick Sanchez departed B.J. McLeod Motorsports last Wednesday, he explained he was “presented an opportunity that both supports and aligns with my plan for growth and advancement,” and it is “not something I can pass up on”. One week later, that opportunity turned out to be the #48 Chevrolet Camaro of Big Machine Racing Team.
The team confirmed Wednesday that Sanchez will run the NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway (16 September), Texas Motor Speedway (24 September), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (15 October), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (22 October) in the #48.
“There is so much great young talent at the moment, all vying for an opportunity to show they can get the job done,” said team owner Scott Borchetta. “Nick has had some great results in ARCA this year and when Shane (Martin, Chevrolet Xfinity Series manager) brought us the opportunity to work with Nick, Chevrolet and NASCAR, it made perfect sense for us as we continue to develop our racing program at a very rapid pace.”
Sanchez began 2022 pursuing the ARCA Menards Series championship for Rev Racing while dabbling in the Xfinity Series with BJMM. The latter was initially a seven-race slate, but he only made two starts—a twenty-sixth at Phoenix and twenty-eighth at Charlotte—before leaving the team. In the meantime, he has been in a tight battle with Rev team-mate Rajah Caruth for the ARCA points lead, scoring two wins at Talladega and Kansas but currently trailing by six points.
The 21-year-old finished third in the 2021 ARCA standings with a win at Kansas. Of the four tracks he will run for Big Machine, he only has prior experience at Bristol where he finished eleventh and fourth in the 2020 and 2021 ARCA events, respectively.
“To have the opportunity to compete for wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series is really a dream come true,” Sanchez commented. “I can’t thank Chevrolet and NASCAR enough for their continued support as well as everything they’ve done to help put this deal together. I’m elated to drive for Scott Borchetta and begin working with everyone at Big Machine Racing. This is no doubt the biggest opportunity I’ve received in my career, and I look forward to making the most of it, Bristol can’t come soon enough.”
The #48 was supposed to be Jade Buford‘s steed in his second full-time Xfinity season, but a poor start resulting in him only running the first eight races followed by a one-off at Portland. Cup Series drivers Austin and Ty Dillon, Kaz Grala, and Tyler Reddick have since piloted the #48, with Reddick winning the team’s maiden race at Texas. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., another Cup regular and a two-time Xfinity champion, is expected to run this Saturday’s Pocono Raceway event in his first Xfinity start since 2016. Big Machine is currently twenty-first in owner points.
