Brandon Jones didn’t qualify for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to just step aside for those who did, especially at one of his best racetracks.
The Atlanta, Georgia native will lead the field to green in Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway, after earning his second career pole at the 1.5-mile racetrack, and the 11th of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career.
Jones, a two-time winner at Kansas Speedway, laid down a lap time of 30.760 seconds (175.553mph) in the single-vehicle session on Saturday morning, beating out the entirety of the 12-driver playoff field and some heavy-hitters.
Chandler Smith will be starting alongside Jones on the front row in Saturday’s 300-mile event in Kansas City, Kansas, with defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer starting from the third position.
Making just his second career start in the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, Connor Zilisch put down the worst qualifying effort of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career, in fourth. Sam Mayer, his playoff-eligible teammate, rounded out the top five.
Aric Almirola, who will drive the No. 20 Toyota GR Supra in the final seven NASCAR Xfinity Series events of the 2024 season, will roll from sixth place on Saturday, with Jesse Love, Parker Kligerman, Justin Allgaier, and Austin Hill completing the top-10.
RESULTS: Kansas Lottery 300 Starting Lineup
Five of the 12 drivers eligible for the NASCAR Xfinity Series post-season failed to record a top-10 qualifying effort for Saturday’s event, with Sammy Smith in 13th, AJ Allmendinger 14th, Sheldon Creed 15th, Riley Herbst 16th, and Shane Van Gisbergen 22nd, in his first Xfinity Series start at Kansas.
With just 38 drivers entering Saturday’s Xfinity Series event at Kansas, no drivers failed to qualify for the event.
Brad Perez and Leland Honeyman both failed to post a lap in time trials and will start from 37th and 38th in the event. Perez spun on his qualifying lap, while Honeyman did not attempt.
