Nemechek and Truex Give Joe Gibbs Racing Darlington Xfinity Front Row Sweep

NASCAR photo by Chris Graythen - Getty Imags

(DARLINGTON, SC – MAY 12, 2023 – RIS) John Hunter Nemechek out qualified fellow Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ryan Truex by 0.141 second to take the pole for the Shriners Children’s 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway.

Early in qualifying, Sage Karam bounced off the wall in qualifying and still managed to beat Carson Hocevar by over a tenth of a second. Karam reported on the radio to his crew that he got into the wall but kept his foot in it, setting a time that eventually ranked 22nd after Ross Chastain beat him out by only nine thousandths of a second a few cars later.
John Hunter Nemechek wound up on the pole for Saturdy’s race at a lap of 29.613 sec and 166.062 mph, flanked by Ryan Truex, winner at Dover, at 29.754 / 165.275. Kyle Larson starts third, a further 0.035 sec shower than Truex.

Qualifying: Shriners Children’s 200 - Darlington Raceway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 20 Pye Barker Fire & Safety Toyota, 29.613  sec, 166.062 mph, ---, ---
2) Ryan Truex, No. 19 Toyota Outfitters Toyota, 29.754, 165.275, 0.141 sec, 0.141 sec
3) Kyle Larson(i), No. 10 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 29.789, 165.081, 0.176, 0.035
4) Sam Mayer, No. 1 Accelerate Pros Talent Chevrolet, 29.849, 164.749, 0.236, 0.060
5) Cole Custer, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford, 29.880, 164.578, 0.267, 0.031
6) Chandler Smith #, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Inc. Chevrolet, 29.945, 164.221, 0.332, 0.065
7) Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 29.950, 164.194, 0.337, 0.005
8) Parker Retzlaff #, No. 31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet, 30.062, 163.582, 0.449, 0.112
9) Sammy Smith #, No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota, 30.111, 163.316, 0.498, 0.049
10) Austin Hill, No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 30.147, 163.121, 0.534, 0.036
11) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Cheez-It Chevrolet, 30.168, 163.007, 0.555, 0.021
12) Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet, 30.173, 162.980, 0.560, 0.005
13) Josh Berry, No. 8 Tire Pros Love The Drive Chevrolet, 30.187, 162.905, 0.574, 0.014
14) Brett Moffitt, No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford, 30.202, 162.824, 0.589, 0.015
15) Jeb Burton, No. 27 Capital City Towing Chevrolet, 30.214, 162.759, 0.601, 0.012
16) Ryan Sieg, No. 39 CMRoofing.com Ford, 30.231, 162.667, 0.618, 0.017
17) Justin Allgaier, No. 7 BRANDT Heritage Chevrolet, 30.261, 162.506, 0.648, 0.030
18) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 30.276, 162.426, 0.663, 0.015
19) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 First Pacific Funding Chevrolet, 30.324, 162.169, 0.711, 0.048
20) Anthony Alfredo, No. 78 Dude Wipes Chevrolet, 30.379, 161.875, 0.766, 0.055
21) Ross Chastain(i), No. 91 Florida Watermelon Association Chevrolet, 30.403, 161.747, 0.790, 0.024
22) Sage Karam, No. 44 CRC Chevrolet, 30.412, 161.699, 0.799, 0.009
23) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Racing Spiked Chevrolet, 30.476, 161.360, 0.863, 0.064
24) Corey Heim(i), No. 24 GearWrench Toyota, 30.523, 161.111, 0.910, 0.047
25) Carson Hocevar(i), No. 77 Premier Security Chevrolet, 30.543, 161.006, 0.930, 0.020
26) Kaz Grala, No. 26 Fire Department Coffee Toyota, 30.592, 160.748, 0.979, 0.049
27) Josh Williams, No. 92 Call 811/Alloy Employer Chevrolet, 30.642, 160.486, 1.029, 0.050
28) Stefan Parsons, No. 07 Ollie's Chevrolet, 30.651, 160.438, 1.038, 0.009
29) Kyle Sieg, No. 28 Cedar Ridge Landscaping Ford, 30.904, 159.125, 1.291, 0.253
30) Ty Dillon(i), No. 3 Ferris Commercial Mowers Chevrolet, 30.919, 159.048, 1.306, 0.015
31) Patrick Emerling, No. 35  Chevrolet, 30.961, 158.832, 1.348, 0.042
32) Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Keen Parts Chevrolet, 30.993, 158.668, 1.380, 0.032
33) Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 45 BZ Mart/ForeverLawn Chevrolet, 31.252, 157.353, 1.639, 0.259
34) Matt Mills(i) (OP), No. 53 J.F. Electric Ford, 31.407, 156.577, 1.794, 0.155
35) Brennan Poole (OP), No. 6 511Auction.com Chevrolet, 31.442, 156.402, 1.829, 0.035
36) Gray Gaulding (OP), No. 08 Panini Ford, 31.520, 156.015, 1.907, 0.078
37) Joe Graf Jr. (OP), No. 38 Bethel Motor Speedway Ford, 0.000, 0.000, -----, -----
38) Blaine Perkins # (OP), No. 02 PayDay Chevrolet, 0.000, 0.000, -----, -----
39) Garrett Smithley, No. 4 Trophy Tractor Chevrolet, 31.387, 156.676, 1.774, 31.387
40) Chad Finchum, No. 66 Wild Willies Ford, 31.466, 156.283, 1.853, 0.079
41) Dawson Cram, No. 74 Magnum Contracting Inc Chevrolet, 31.729, 154.988, 2.116, 0.263
(*) Required to qualify on time, (OP) Top 30 in Owner Points, (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#)Rookie

 Starting Line Up: Shriners Children’s 200 - Darlington Raceway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed
1) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 20 Pye Barker Fire & Safety Toyota, 29.613 sec, 166.062 mph
2) Ryan Truex, No. 19 Toyota Outfitters Toyota, 29.754, 165.275
3) Kyle Larson(i), No. 10 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 29.789, 165.081
4) Sam Mayer, No. 1 Accelerate Pros Talent Chevrolet, 29.849, 164.749
5) Cole Custer, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford, 29.880, 164.578
6) Chandler Smith #, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Inc. Chevrolet, 29.945, 164.221
7) Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 29.950, 164.194
8) Parker Retzlaff #, No. 31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet, 30.062, 163.582
9) Sammy Smith #, No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota, 30.111, 163.316
10) Austin Hill, No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 30.147, 163.121
11) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Cheez-It Chevrolet, 30.168, 163.007
12) Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet, 30.173, 162.980
13) Josh Berry, No. 8 Tire Pros Love The Drive Chevrolet, 30.187, 162.905
14) Brett Moffitt, No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford, 30.202, 162.824
15) Jeb Burton, No. 27 Capital City Towing Chevrolet, 30.214, 162.759
16) Ryan Sieg, No. 39 CMRoofing.com Ford, 30.231, 162.667
17) Justin Allgaier, No. 7 BRANDT Heritage Chevrolet, 30.261, 162.506
18) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 30.276, 162.426
19) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 First Pacific Funding Chevrolet, 30.324, 162.169
20) Anthony Alfredo, No. 78 Dude Wipes Chevrolet, 30.379, 161.875
21) Ross Chastain(i), No. 91 Florida Watermelon Association Chevrolet, 30.403, 161.747
22) Sage Karam, No. 44 CRC Chevrolet, 30.412, 161.699
23) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Racing Spiked Chevrolet, 30.476, 161.360
24) Corey Heim(i), No. 24 GearWrench Toyota, 30.523, 161.111
25) Carson Hocevar(i), No. 77 Premier Security Chevrolet, 30.543, 161.006
26) Kaz Grala, No. 26 Fire Department Coffee Toyota, 30.592, 160.748
27) Josh Williams, No. 92 Call 811/Alloy Employer Chevrolet, 30.642, 160.486
28) Stefan Parsons, No. 07 Ollie's Chevrolet, 30.651, 160.438
29) Kyle Sieg, No. 28 Cedar Ridge Landscaping Ford, 30.904, 159.125
30) Ty Dillon(i), No. 3 Ferris Commercial Mowers Chevrolet, 30.919, 159.048
31) Patrick Emerling, No. 35  Chevrolet, 30.961, 158.832
32) Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Keen Parts Chevrolet, 30.993, 158.668
33) Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 45 BZ Mart/ForeverLawn Chevrolet, 31.252, 157.353
34) Matt Mills(i), No. 53 J.F. Electric Ford, Owner Points, 
35) Brennan Poole, No. 6 511Auction.com Chevrolet, Owner Points, 
36) Gray Gaulding, No. 08 Panini Ford, Owner Points, 
37) Joe Graf Jr., No. 38 Bethel Motor Speedway Ford, Owner Points, 
38) Blaine Perkins #, No. 02 PayDay Chevrolet, Owner Points,
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie

Did Not Qualify: No. 4 Garrett Smithley, No. 66 Chad Finchum, No. 74 Dawson Cram

Track Qualifying Record: Carl Edwards, 05/09/08, 27.784 sec - 176.994 mph

Track Race Record: Denny Hamlin, 09/05/15, 01:25:14 - 141.355 mph