After what was scheduled to be an early-morning start for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, inclement weather has forced the cancellation of practice and qualifying, which was scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM ET.
The series’ 20-minute practice session was able to get started, before a lightning hold plagued the Richmond, Virginia facility after about 30 seconds, which forced the conclusion of the sole on-track practice.
However, in due time, NASCAR got the track totally dried and called Xfinity Series drivers to their cars for qualifying, when out of nowhere, a downpour began falling from the sky, forcing the sanctioning body to cancel qualifying.
Justin Allgaier, who scored a top-five finish last weekend at Circuit of The Americas, will start from the pole position in Saturday’s event, at a three-quarter-mile facility where he’s found success in the past.
Sammy Smith, the winner from Phoenix Raceway earlier this month, will start alongside him on the front row for Saturday’s 250-lap contest. Sam Mayer, Riley Herbst, and Daniel Hemric will complete the top-five starters.
Sheldon Creed, Josh Berry, Chandler Smith, Brandon Jones, and John Hunter Nemechek will all earn starting positions inside the top-10, as the series contests its seventh event of the 2023 season.
With a total of 40 drivers entered in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event from Richmond – the first race on a track smaller than one-mile in 2023 – two drivers will be sent packing early. Dawson Cram (#74 CHK Racing) and Kyle Weatherman (#96 FRS Racing) failed to make the show.
