RHODES READY FOR DAYTONA

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Harrison Rhodes has a fun history at Daytona International Speedway, site of Friday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 Xfinity Series race.

       In three appearances at the World Center of Racing, Rhodes has two top-10 finishes – a ninth in 2015 and a 10th in this year’s season-opener.

       “I absolutely love Daytona,” Rhodes said. “If you have a decent car, you can keep up with the draft and then make some things happen late in the race. We had a good car there in February, and I feel sure we’ll be able to compete up front again.”

       Daytona practice is scheduled at 2 and 4 p.m. Thursday. Qualifying is scheduled at 2:10 p.m. Friday, with the race to follow at 7:30.

CHASTAIN FAST FOURTH AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – Ross Chastain posted the best finish of his Xfinity Series career Saturday night, charging late in the race to finish fourth in the American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway.

       Racing on one of his favorite tracks, Chastain started sixth on the night’s final restart and played traffic perfectly to move up in the order and roll home fourth in the Georgia Watermelon Association No. 4 Chevrolet.

       “My guys kept swinging at it,” Chastain said. “It’s a testimony to the 4 car and what we can do and what the short tracks can do for us. This is good momentum going into the summer months.

       “Watermelons in the top five feels good, and we’re going home to celebrate.”

       Team owner Johnny Davis said Chastain drove like a winner over the closing laps.

       “We all knew the last restarts were going to be crazy,” Davis said. “Ross could have tried to overdrive the car and crashed out, but he picked his spots and made up positions. It was a great night for Ross and the whole 4 crew.”

       William Byron won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       Daytona International Speedway hosts the next Xfinity race June 30.

SMITHLEY STRONG 10th AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – Garrett Smithley scored one of the best runs of his NASCAR career Saturday night at Iowa Speedway, finishing 10th in the American Ethanol E15 250 Xfinity Series race.

       Smithley ran with the lead pack much of the night and was in eighth place, behind JD Motorsports with Gary Keller teammate Ross Chastain, for the final restart.

       The finish was Smithley’s second best of the season. He finished eighth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

       “What a great night,” Smithley said. “It was quite a thrill to run up front with all those guys, particularly near the end of the race when everybody was scrambling around trying to find an open space. I’m very proud of the guys on the ‘Number Nothin’’ team. They did a great job all night.”

       Smithley moved to 21st in Xfinity driver points with the fine finish.

       Team owner Johnny Davis said Smithley and the No. 0 crew performed very well.

       “I can’t say enough about how all the guys did,” Davis said. “We’re a smaller team, but we raced with the big guns tonight. Garrett handled the car well and showed the right mix of patience and aggression.”

       William Byron won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The series rolls on to Daytona International Speedway for a June 30 race.

RHODES PARKS WITH ENGINE TROUBLE

NEWTON, Iowa – Engine problems relegated Harrison Rhodes to a 36th-place finish in Saturday night’s American Ethanol E15 250 Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway.

       Rhodes parked his JD Motorsports with Gary Keller Chevrolet after 118 of the race’s 250 laps.

       “A tough night for us,” Rhodes said. “Had to end the night with engine problems. We’ll bounce back at Daytona next week.”

       The series moves on to Daytona International Speedway for a Friday night race. Rhodes finished a season-high 10th in the 2017 opener at Daytona.

       Rhodes is 24th in Xfinity driver points 14 races into the season.

       William Byron scored his first win in the Iowa race. Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

CHASTAIN LIKES CHANCES AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – The Xfinity Series schedule stretches from coast to coast, but Ross Chastain always looks forward to the stops in the heartland at Iowa Speedway.

       The Iowa track has been particularly good to the Florida driver over the years.

       In his last three appearances in an Xfinity car at Iowa, Chastain has finished 10th, 14th and 18th. He finished second in a Camping World Truck Series race at the track in 2013.

       “I circle the Iowa dates on the calendar every year,” said Chastain, who will drive the Georgia Watermelon Association Chevrolet Saturday. “It’s been a great track for me. The mix of short track and fast track is perfect.”

       Practice at Iowa is scheduled at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying is set for 6:15 p.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 8:30.

SMITHLEY IN THIRD RACE AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – Garrett Smithley will make his third Xfinity Series start at Iowa Speedway in Saturday’s American Ethanol E15 250.

       The seven-eighths mile track usually hosts tight races for the Xfinity Series.

       “It’s a really fun racetrack,” Smithley said. “It’s a great blend of a short track and a speed track. I’m sure we’ll have a good run there.”

       Smithley sits 22nd in Xfinity driver points entering the race, the 14th of the season.

       Iowa practice is scheduled at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying is set for 6:15 p.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 8:30.

RHODES ‘VETERAN’ AT IOWA TRACK

 NEWTON, Iowa – Although still a relative newcomer to NASCAR racing, Harrison Rhodes will sign in at Iowa Speedway this weekend as a veteran of sorts.

       Rhodes has raced in four Xfinity Series events at the seven-eighths mile track.

       “I feel like I know the track pretty well,” Rhodes said. “It’s short but fast. If you have a good car, you can cut some really good laps there.”

       Rhodes will drive the 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller in Saturday’s American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa.

       Practice is scheduled at 2 and 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying is set for 6:15 p.m., with the race to follow at 8:30.

CHASTAIN FINISHES 19th AT MICHIGAN

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Ross Chastain turned in a consistently strong run at Michigan International Speedway Saturday, finishing 19th in the Irish Hills 250 Xfinity Series race.

       Chastain started 24th and ran with the lead pack all afternoon, finishing on the lead lap and scoring his fifth straight top-25 finish.

       “We had a good, steady car and were able to run with the big pack,” Chastain said. “The car felt good all day. It was fun to bring it home on the lead lap.”

       Chastain is 19th in Xfinity driver points 13 races into the season.

       Denny Hamlin won the race by .012 of a second over William Byron, marking the closest Xfinity finish in MIS history since the start of electronic scoring.

       Elliott Sadler returned to the point lead.

       The series moves on to Iowa Speedway for a June 24 race.

SMITHLEY 29th AT MIS

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Garrett Smithley drove the Operating Engineers 324 Chevrolet to a 29th-place finish in Saturday’s Irish Hills 250 Xfinity Series race at Michigan International Speedway.

       The race was one of the tightest in the history of the series at MIS. Denny Hamlin finished first, edging William Byron by .012 of a second, the closest finish in an Xfinity event at MIS since the arrival of electronic scoring.

       Smithley came home three laps behind the lead group.

       “We were looking for a better finish today, but we had some good runs,” Smithley said. “I appreciate the support of the Operating Engineers Local. We’ll be better next time at MIS.”

       Elliott Sadler regained the series point lead.

       Iowa Speedway will host the next Xfinity race June 24.

RHODES HAS STRONG RUN AT MIS

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Harrison Rhodes finished 22nd Saturday in one of the tightest Xfinity Series races ever run at Michigan International Speedway.

       Rhodes, who started 27th, finished the race on the lead lap after Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag first, only .012 of a second in front of second-place William Byron. The finish was the closest Xfinity finish in MIS history since the arrival of electronic scoring.

       “It was quite a race,” Rhodes said. “We managed to get up there and race around some of the lead pack, and that was fun. Got in a bunch of laps and finished strong.”

       Elliott Sadler regained the series point lead.

       The series rolls on to Iowa Speedway for a June 24 race.