The NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff bubble went through some major changes on Friday after a chaotic race at Daytona. Here’s where the standings lie after the series’ trip to the World Center of Racing.
10. Sheldon Creed (+93)
Creed turned in another solid top-10 run on Friday, but that elusive first win continues to evade him. Creed is solidly in the playoffs with four races to go, but a win is needed for the No. 18 team to be considered an elite title threat.
11. Parker Kligerman (+44)
A third-place run was just what Kligerman needed in his bid to make the playoff for the second consecutive season, but his first Xfinity Series win was just around the corner. As painstakingly close as Kligerman was to a win, his big-picture outlook was helped immensely by Friday’s result, and he seems to be in a good spot with four regular-season races left.
12. Ryan Sieg (+15)
Sieg is in the midst of a quietly consistent 2024 season, having not finished outside the top 20 since Dover on April 27. His near miss at Texas may still sting, but a fifth-place effort at Daytona on Friday gained him 16 points to the playoff cut line. The next four races will be pressure-packed for Sieg, but his veteran presence and playoff experience will come in handy.
13. Sammy Smith (-15)
By every conceivable measure, Smith and the No. 8 team should be head and shoulders above Sieg’s family-owned operation. For whatever reason, however, Smith just can’t seem to consistently stay above the cut line, and now enters Darlington behind the eight ball. Smith may have raw talent and a fantastic team behind him, but something just isn’t quite right at Jr Motorsports.
14. Brandon Jones (-108)
Jones, along with everyone below him, must win one of the next four races to make the playoffs. The No. 9 team didn’t inspire much confidence in themselves on Friday, however, as a 22nd-place finish only increased his deficit to the cut line. It’s desperation time for Jones, who will find a home race at Atlanta on Sept. 7 crucial.
15. Anthony Alfredo (-131)
Alfredo was swept up in two incidents at Daytona, and his 26th-place finish isn’t indicative of a solid showing for the No. 5 team. Like Jones, Alfredo’s best chance to earn a playoff-clinching win will be at Atlanta on Sept. 7.
