NASCAR has seen some unforgettable moments during the 2022 season; however, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is the division that has the best opportunity for possible record-breaking events.
Who could be breaking NASCAR records and what are they trying to break?
A.J. Allmendinger poised to break multiple Xfinity Series records
A.J. Allmendinger is one driver in NASCAR who is pushing to break multiple records during the 2022 season. More specifically, Allmendinger is trying to break two NASCAR Xfinity Series records.
Elliott Sadler holds the record for the most top-10 finishes in a 33-race Xfinity Series season. Sadler accomplished this in 2016 when he had an incredible 29 top-10 finishes.
Tyler Reddick holds the record for the best average finishing position across a 33-race Xfinity Series season. Reddick accomplished this in 2019 when he had a 6.3-average finish in his second championship year.
In 2022, Allmendinger has 25 top-10 finishes and a 6.1 average finish with only five races left in the season. This means the 40-year-old driver needs to do the following to break the records above.
Allmendinger needs to finish in the top-10 spots for the remainder of the season if he wants to break the record for the most top-10 finishes in a 33-race Xfinity Series season. Four out of five races would tie the record with Sadler.
The driver of the No. 16 car currently has a 10-race streak of top-10 finishes so it is certainly possible for him to reach five straight to close out the season. Also, he needs to keep his average finishing position above 6.3.
If Allmendinger can accomplish either one of these feats, it will break a record. The speed might not be as great for Kaulig Racing in 2022, but it has been enough for one of the most consistent seasons in recent memory.
However, as stated above, Allmendinger is not the only driver chasing a big record this year.
Related: Chandler Smith could make big move to Kaulig Racing in 2023
Noah Gragson vying for most wins in 33-race NASCAR Xfinity Series season
Noah Gragson is the other driver pushing for a new NASCAR record and this one is likely to be more notable due to how people value victories compared to consistent runs in recent years.
Chase Briscoe holds the record for most wins across a 33-race season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Briscoe accomplished this in 2020 when he won a total of nine times en route to a disappointing Championship 4.
In 2022, Gragson has seven victories after winning four straight before last weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. As expected, superspeedway events are the toughest ones to win due to many factors.
The driver of the No. 9 car needs to win three of the next five races to break the record. Two out of the next five races would tie the record and Gragson seems to have a decent shot at breaking or tying it.
The 24-year-old has been very competitive at the Charlotte ROVAL with a best finish of second place and a worst finish of sixth place in three races. It might not be his best chance at a victory, but it’s possible.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been even better with six top-5 finishes in seven races. Gragson has a best finish of second place and a worst finish of sixth place, just like the Charlotte ROVAL.
Homestead-Miami Speedway is one of Gragson’s best tracks as he has dominated the races almost every time. However, he has never closed out the event due to bad luck. Gragson is arguably the best at driving the top line in the series.
Martinsville Speedway has been very good for Gragson with one victory and only one finish outside of the top-3 spots in four starts. The 24-year-old driver won the Fall Martinsville race in 2021 after leading 153 laps.
Finally, Phoenix Raceway is also one of Gragson’s wins this season after he dominated the spring race with 114 led laps. The track is his weakest of the remaining five in terms of past statistics but the win this season might make it null.
Gragson is closing out the 2022 season with arguably some of his best tracks and while the Xfinity Series championship remains his top focus, the record for most victories in a 33-race season is definitely in reach.
In fact, the hot streak that Gragson has been on lately combined with the upcoming tracks definitely solidifies him as the one to beat at the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway barring something disastrous in the Round of 8.