Austin Hill Speeds to Daytona Xfinity Pole

(DAYTONA BEACH, FL – AUG 25, 2023 – RIS) RCR cars occupy the front row of the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola NASCAR Xfinity race at Daytona with Austin Hill on the pole and Sheldon Creed next to him. Hill headed the first session's times, followed by Chandler Smith, who qualified fourth for the regular season final race. Qualifying for the 100-lap race over Daytona's oval was single-car runs, with Jordan Anderson and Ryan Sieg starting at the end of the pack after failing tech inspection.

John Hunter Nemechek was first out in the final round of qualifying and initially had the quick time. Trevor Bayne, returning to racing this weekend, clocked second-fastest as fourth car out, then Daniel Hemric leaped to the top of the chart at 49.683 seconds and 181.148 mph but Parker Kligerman, the next car out, pipped Hemric’s time by two hundredths of a second, at 181.221 mph. Sammy Smith then moved to the top of the stack, with a lap of 48.584 seconds before Sheldon Creed gained another three hundredths over Smith’s lap before Chandler Smith clocked a lap only 0.076 second slower to slot into third on the grid before the final top ten runner, Austin Hill, demoralized the rest of the field, nearly three-tenths of a second faster than Creed for his fourth career pole, setting a lap time of 49.256 seconds and 182.719 mph, the sole entrant into the 182 mph zone.

Qualifying Results: Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, Daytona International Speedway
Round 1
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) Austin Hill, No. 21 Bennett/Realtree Chevrolet, 49.371 sec, 182.293 mph, ---, ---
2) Chandler Smith #, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Inc. Chevrolet, 49.568 sec, 181.569 mph, 0.197 sec, 0.197 sec
3) Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 49.589, 181.492, 0.218, 0.021
4) Sammy Smith #, No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota, 49.626, 181.357, 0.255, 0.037
5) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Spiked Coolers Light Orange Chevrolet, 49.687, 181.134, 0.316, 0.061
6) Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet, 49.721, 181.010, 0.350, 0.034
7) Trevor Bayne, No. 19 He Gets Us Toyota, 49.753, 180.894, 0.382, 0.032
8) Justin Haley(i), No. 10 Campers Inn RV Chevrolet, 49.767, 180.843, 0.396, 0.014
9) Jeb Burton, No. 22 State Water Heaters/PURYEAR Chevrolet, 49.782, 180.788, 0.411, 0.015
10) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 20 Yahoo Toyota, 49.793, 180.748, 0.422, 0.011
11) Cole Custer, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford, 49.797, 180.734, 0.426, 0.004
12) Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Hellmann's Chevrolet, 49.851, 180.538, 0.480, 0.054
13) Josh Berry, No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet, 49.915, 180.307, 0.544, 0.064
14) Sam Mayer, No. 1 Tim McGraw: Standing Room Only Chevrolet, 49.928, 180.260, 0.557, 0.013
15) Joey Gase, No. 35 National Crime Prevention Chevrolet, 49.951, 180.177, 0.580, 0.023
16) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 49.977, 180.083, 0.606, 0.026
17) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Fisher Nuts Chevrolet, 49.985, 180.054, 0.614, 0.008
18) Kaz Grala, No. 26 Island Coastal Lager Toyota, 50.016, 179.942, 0.645, 0.031
19) Kyle Weatherman, No. 4 Duelly.com Chevrolet, 50.114, 179.591, 0.743, 0.098
20) Anthony Alfredo, No. 78 DUDE Wipes Chevrolet, 50.149, 179.465, 0.778, 0.035
21) Josh Williams, No. 92 Parking Guidance Systems Chevrolet, 50.194, 179.304, 0.823, 0.045
22) Brett Moffitt, No. 25 Wawa Rechargers Ford, 50.235, 179.158, 0.864, 0.041
23) Parker Retzlaff #, No. 31 FunkAway Chevrolet, 50.262, 179.062, 0.891, 0.027
24) Kyle Sieg, No. 28 Night Owl Ford, 50.269, 179.037, 0.898, 0.007
25) Blaine Perkins #, No. 02 AutoParkit.com Chevrolet, 50.277, 179.008, 0.906, 0.008
26) Joe Graf Jr., No. 38 Wawa Ford, 50.311, 178.887, 0.940, 0.034
27) Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 45 Ark Encounter Chevrolet, 50.338, 178.791, 0.967, 0.027
28) Ryan Ellis, No. 43 AAGI Chevrolet, 50.389, 178.610, 1.018, 0.051
29) Connor Mosack, No. 24 Toyota Racing Development Toyota, 50.412, 178.529, 1.041, 0.023
30) Caesar Bacarella, No. 44 Advanced Drainage Systems Chevrolet, 50.511, 178.179, 1.140, 0.099
31) Alex Guenette, No. 91 EVIRUM/BKFC Chevrolet, 50.569, 177.975, 1.198, 0.058
32) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 One Stop/All South Electric Chevrolet, 50.596, 177.880, 1.225, 0.027
33) Gray Gaulding, No. 08 Panini NFT Chevrolet, 50.598, 177.873, 1.227, 0.002
34) JJ Yeley, No. 07 Wawa Rechargers Chevrolet, 50.690, 177.550, 1.319, 0.092
35) Natalie Decker, No. 53 Wawa Rechargers Ford, 50.692, 177.543, 1.321, 0.002
36) Garrett Smithley, No. 6 Hoffman Group Chevrolet, 51.059, 176.267, 1.688, 0.367
37) Jordan Anderson, No. 27 Capital City Towing Chevrolet, 0.000, 0.000, -----, -----
38) Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Sci Aps Ford, 0.000, 0.000, -----, -----

Round 2
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed, -Fastest, -Next
1) Austin Hill, No. 21 Bennett/Realtree Chevrolet, 49.256 sec, 182.719 mph, ---, ---
2) Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 49.554, 181.620, 0.298 sec, 0.298 sec
3) Sammy Smith #, No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota, 49.584, 181.510, 0.328, 0.030
4) Chandler Smith #, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Inc. Chevrolet, 49.630, 181.342, 0.374, 0.046
5) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Spiked Coolers Light Orange Chevrolet, 49.663, 181.221, 0.407, 0.033
6) Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet, 49.683, 181.148, 0.427, 0.020
7) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 20 Yahoo Toyota, 49.712, 181.043, 0.456, 0.029
8) Trevor Bayne, No. 19 He Gets Us Toyota, 49.734, 180.963, 0.478, 0.022
9) Justin Haley(i), No. 10 Campers Inn RV Chevrolet, 49.735, 180.959, 0.479, 0.001
10) Jeb Burton, No. 22 State Water Heaters/PURYEAR Chevrolet, 49.850, 180.542, 0.594, 0.115

Starting Line Up: Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, Daytona International Speedway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed
1) Austin Hill, No. 21 Bennett/Realtree Chevrolet, 49.256 sec, 182.719 mph
2) Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 49.554, 181.620
3) Sammy Smith #, No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota, 49.584, 181.510
4) Chandler Smith #, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Inc. Chevrolet, 49.630, 181.342
5) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Spiked Coolers Light Orange Chevrolet, 49.663, 181.221
6) Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet, 49.683, 181.148
7) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 20 Yahoo Toyota, 49.712, 181.043
8) Trevor Bayne, No. 19 He Gets Us Toyota, 49.734, 180.963
9) Justin Haley(i), No. 10 Campers Inn RV Chevrolet, 49.735, 180.959
10) Jeb Burton, No. 22 State Water Heaters/PURYEAR Chevrolet, 49.850, 180.542
11) Cole Custer, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford, 49.797, 180.734
12) Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Hellmann's Chevrolet, 49.851, 180.538
13) Josh Berry, No. 8 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet, 49.915, 180.307
14) Sam Mayer, No. 1 Tim McGraw: Standing Room Only Chevrolet, 49.928, 180.260
15) Joey Gase, No. 35 National Crime Prevention Chevrolet, 49.951, 180.177
16) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 49.977, 180.083
17) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Fisher Nuts Chevrolet, 49.985, 180.054
18) Kaz Grala, No. 26 Island Coastal Lager Toyota, 50.016, 179.942
19) Kyle Weatherman, No. 4 Duelly.com Chevrolet, 50.114, 179.591
20) Anthony Alfredo, No. 78 DUDE Wipes Chevrolet, 50.149, 179.465
21) Josh Williams, No. 92 Parking Guidance Systems Chevrolet, 50.194, 179.304
22) Brett Moffitt, No. 25 Wawa Rechargers Ford, 50.235, 179.158
23) Parker Retzlaff #, No. 31 FunkAway Chevrolet, 50.262, 179.062
24) Kyle Sieg, No. 28 Night Owl Ford, 50.269, 179.037
25) Blaine Perkins #, No. 02 AutoParkit.com Chevrolet, 50.277, 179.008
26) Joe Graf Jr., No. 38 Wawa Ford, 50.311, 178.887
27) Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 45 Ark Encounter Chevrolet, 50.338, 178.791
28) Ryan Ellis, No. 43 AAGI Chevrolet, 50.389, 178.610
29) Connor Mosack, No. 24 Toyota Racing Development Toyota, 50.412, 178.529
30) Caesar Bacarella, No. 44 Advanced Drainage Systems Chevrolet, 50.511, 178.179
31) Alex Guenette, No. 91 EVIRUM/BKFC Chevrolet, 50.569, 177.975
32) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 One Stop/All South Electric Chevrolet, 50.596, 177.880
33) Gray Gaulding, No. 08 Panini NFT Chevrolet, 50.598, 177.873
34) JJ Yeley, No. 07 Wawa Rechargers Chevrolet, 50.690, 177.550
35) Natalie Decker, No. 53 Wawa Rechargers Ford, 50.692, 177.543
36) Garrett Smithley, No. 6 Hoffman Group Chevrolet, 51.059, 176.267
37) Jordan Anderson, No. 27 Capital City Towing Chevrolet, ---, ---
38) Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Sci Aps Ford, ---, ---
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie

Track Qualifying Record: Tommy Houston  02/14/87 46.298 sec, 194.389 mph

Track Race Record: Geoff Bodine  02/16/85 1:54:33 157.137 mph