The NASCAR Xfinity Series headed to Road America on the morning of Saturday, July 3, for their qualifying laps. These drivers had the opportunity to set the starting order for the Henry 180 by posting the fastest laps around the road course. ARCA Menards Series regular Ty Gibbs showcased his speed behind the No. 81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra and captured the pole position.
Qualifying unfolded over two sessions. 43 drivers headed out to the track for the first, which determined the list of competitors for the Henry 180. The 12 fastest drivers from this session moved on to the final round and fought for the pole position. One by one, they all took one lap around the road course, with Gibbs posting the fastest lap at 135.520 seconds.
Defending Road America winner Austin Cindric will join Gibbs on the front row after posting the second-fastest lap at 135.592 seconds. AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric, and Kyle Busch rounded out the top five. Now they will compete for the win at Road America during the Henry 180 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC).
There were 43 drivers attempting to qualify for the Xfinity Series race at Road America, including part-time driver Boris Said. However, he failed to secure a spot in the Xfinity Series race, joining six others that didn’t qualify. The entire list included Said, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Kyle Weatherman, Colby Howard, Gray Gaulding, Matt Jaskol, and Bayley Currey.
Gibbs Has Previous Road Course Success
GettyTy Gibbs (center) races Austin Cindric at the Daytona Road Course.
The part-time driver primarily competes in the ARCA Menards Series, but Gibbs has previous experience during Xfinity Series road course races. He actually captured the checkered flag in his very first start in the series, which took place at a track with left and right turns.
The 18-year-old headed onto the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on Feb. 20 for his first-ever start in an Xfinity Series race. He had no experience but turned in an impressive performance. Gibbs led 14 of the 52 laps and held off Cindric to capture his first checkered flag.
The rising NASCAR star continued to compete in the Xfinity Series, albeit on a part-time schedule. He captured his second win of the season at Charlotte Motor Speedway and then finished third at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Gibbs has made eight starts in the Xfinity Series while driving for JGR, winning twice and finishing outside of the top five only once.
Noah Gragson Did Not Join His Peers on the Track
The driver of the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, Noah Gragson had a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup, but he did not head out onto the track with his fellow drivers for the qualifying sessions. The reason is that Gragson would not be able to improve his starting position regardless of how fast he completed a lap.
The Xfinity Series driver had to drop to the rear of the field after a practice session on Friday, July 2. The No. 9 experienced major engine problems, dropping fluid onto the track surface and bringing out the caution flag. Gragson had to simply pull onto the side of the track before the track crew pulled him to the garage.
According to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, the No. 9 team had to change the engine in the JRM Chevrolet in order to prepare for the Henry 180. This move resulted in a penalty that sent Gragson to the rear of the field for the start of the race. With nothing to gain, he opted to avoid conducting a qualifying lap to save tires.
Gragson is not the only driver that lost his starting position for the Xfinity Series race. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst had to go to his backup car for the Henry 180. This change also sent him to the rear of the field.
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