Making The Field: 2022 NXS Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway

After an incredible weekend of racing at Daytona International Speedway, the NASCAR Xfinity Series travels out west to begin the series’ three-race ‘West Coast Swing’ at Auto Club Speedway, marking the series first race at the two-mile oval since 2020.

Austin Hill – competing in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series event for Richard Childress Racing — was victorious in the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300 at Daytona International Speedway, locking him into the series’ post-season.

The entry list for Saturday’s Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway started out at 44 cars, but slowly decreased throughout the week, settling at 41 entries after the No. 52 (Jimmy Means Racing), No. 53 (Emerling-Gase Motorsports), and No. 90 (DGM Racing) all withdrew.

After last week’s qualifying session at Daytona reached the low-20s when it came to owner point provisionals, Mason Massey, Alex Labbe, Reaume Brothers Racing, and others, are looking to rebound from a disappointing season-opener.

LOCKED IN:

Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, Landon Cassill, and Brandon Jones are all 100-percent locked into Saturday’s Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway, due to their 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series owner point position.

Daniel Hemric, the series’ most recent champion, is locked into the event by virtue of his past champions provisional, despite the fact that he likely won’t use it. In the case of Hemric, an owner points provisional would likely be handed out before the past champions provisional, leaving a previous winner provisional open for use.

FEELING CONFIDENT:

This is where things begin to get tricky, especially considering Mason Massey (21st in 2021 NXS OP) failed to qualify for last weekend’s event at Daytona, due to not receiving an owner points provisional. However, with a smaller entry list this weekend, Massey, along with the top-25 in 2021 NXS OP are likely going to be in the field.

Justin Allgaier, AJ Allmendinger, Josh Berry, Brandon Brown, and Myatt Snider all have the opportunity to use a previous winners provisional, if needed, with the PWP being awarded to the vehicle highest in owner points, first.

POTENTIALLY IN DANGER:

Last weekend’s season-opener was eye-opening for many drivers and teams outside the top-25 in owner points, as the series’ event at the 2.5-mile superspeedway was a pre-cursor to just how competitive things can get this year.

For this reason, along with the high-ceiling that many of the cars in this category have, anybody outside the top-25 in 2021 NXS OP has to be at least somewhat worried about Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session at Auto Club Speedway.

If needed, Austin Hill and Jeb Burton have a past winner provisional to fall back on, but likely won’t need that provision because of the speed in their vehicles. For this season, Kaz Grala, Ryan Sieg, and Anthony Alfredo MUST post a speed inside the top-33 in qualifying to make the event.