Brandon Jones Beats Playoff Drivers for Las Vegas Xfinity Pole

Here pictured at last week's ROVAL, Brandon Jones took the pole for the LVMS Ambetter 302 Xfinity Series race

(LAS VEGAS, NV – OCT 18, 2024 – RIS) Brandon Jones outran all the Playoffs-qualified drivers to win the pole for Saturday’s Ambetter Health 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jones’ qualifying time of 29.439 sec beat out Cole Custer for the pole by 0.039 second.

Taylor Gray headed the first group in practice, at 30.366 seconds and 177.830 mph but Brandon Jones’ second lap in the Group Two session eclipsed Gray’s time by 0.211 second. 

Sheldon Creed’s car’s engine ‘laid down’ in practice and the team decided not to make a qualifying attempt, instead, they had to change the engine in the No. 18 Toyota, relegating Creed to last in the starting lineup. His best time of 30.575 seconds at 176.615 mph was ninth fastest in practice.

Ryan Vargas, in his fourth effort this year after competing full-time in the Whelen series in Europe, was first on the track in qualifying, setting a time of 30.817 sec at 175.228 mph, well ahead of his practice times.

The eighth driver to make an attempt, JJ Yeley, beat Vargas’ time by 0.272  second, but Corey Heim quickly eclipsed that by a huge 0.670 second gap.

Brandon Jones wound up the session at the top of the chart with a lap of 29.439 sec at 183.430 mph, well ahead of his practice lap of 30.155 seconds at 179.075 mph. Cole Custer will start second place, with Chandler Smith third, Sam Mayer, last week’s winner on the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL starts fourth and Sammy Smith rolls off fifth.

Time Trial Results: Ambetter Health 302, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Pos , Driver, Car, Time, Speed, #Laps, Lap#, -Fastest, -Next
1) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Pelonis Chevrolet, 29.439, 183.430, 1, 1, 0.000, 0.000
2) Cole Custer (P), No. 00 3D Systems Ford, 29.478, 183.187, 1, 1, 0.039, 0.039
3) Chandler Smith (P), No. 81 QuickTie Toyota, 29.547, 182.760, 1, 1, 0.108, 0.069
4) Sam Mayer (P), No. 1 10X Health Chevrolet, 29.566, 182.642, 1, 1, 0.127, 0.019
5) Sammy Smith (P), No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 29.575, 182.587, 1, 1, 0.136, 0.009
6) Justin Allgaier (P), No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet, 29.616, 182.334, 1, 1, 0.177, 0.041
7) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 29.627, 182.266, 1, 1, 0.188, 0.011
8) Jesse Love # (P), No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 29.635, 182.217, 1, 1, 0.196, 0.008
9) AJ Allmendinger (P), No. 16 Modern Day Garage Chevrolet, 29.724, 181.671, 1, 1, 0.285, 0.089
10) Ryan Sieg, No. 28 Sci Aps Ford, 29.741, 181.568, 1, 1, 0.302, 0.017
11) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, 29.747, 181.531, 1, 1, 0.308, 0.006
12) Aric Almirola (P), No. 20 MRC Construction Toyota, 29.810, 181.147, 1, 1, 0.371, 0.063
13) Taylor Gray(i), No. 19 Operation 300 Toyota, 29.859, 180.850, 1, 1, 0.420, 0.049
14) Corey Heim(i), No. 26 Synergy Modular Toyota, 29.875, 180.753, 1, 1, 0.436, 0.016
15) Jeb Burton, No. 27 Puryear Tank Lines Chevrolet, 29.886, 180.687, 1, 1, 0.447, 0.011
16) Shane Van Gisbergen #, No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet, 29.990, 180.060, 1, 1, 0.551, 0.104
17) Austin Hill (P), No. 21 Global Industrial Chevrolet, 30.058, 179.653, 1, 1, 0.619, 0.068
18) Anthony Alfredo, No. 5 Dead On Tools Chevrolet, 30.100, 179.402, 1, 1, 0.661, 0.042
19) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 First Pacific Funding Chevrolet, 30.161, 179.039, 1, 1, 0.722, 0.061
20) Parker Retzlaff, No. 31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet, 30.167, 179.004, 1, 1, 0.728, 0.006
21) Dylan Lupton, No. 15 AirBox Ford, 30.180, 178.926, 1, 1, 0.741, 0.013
22) Kyle Sieg, No. 39 The Thomas Group Ford, 30.215, 178.719, 1, 1, 0.776, 0.035
23) Josh Williams, No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet, 30.283, 178.318, 1, 1, 0.844, 0.068
24) Matt DiBenedetto, No. 38 ReMA Ford, 30.310, 178.159, 1, 1, 0.871, 0.027
25) Leland Honeyman #, No. 42 LH Waterfront Construction Chevrolet, 30.371, 177.801, 1, 1, 0.932, 0.061
26) Dawson Cram(i), No. 92 Trade With thr Pros Chevrolet, 30.489, 177.113, 1, 1, 1.050, 0.118
27) Kyle Weatherman, No. 91 MyRadar/DriveSmartWarranty.com Chevrolet, 30.541, 176.811, 1, 1, 1.102, 0.052
28) JJ Yeley, No. 14  Ford, 30.545, 176.788, 1, 1, 1.106, 0.004
29) Ryan Vargas, No. 74 Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet, 30.817, 175.228, 1, 1, 1.378, 0.272
30) Daniel Dye(i), No. 10 Trackside Chevrolet, 30.907, 174.718, 1, 1, 1.468, 0.090
31) Garrett Smithley, No. 45 Vet the Vote Chevrolet, 30.955, 174.447, 1, 1, 1.516, 0.048
32) Brennan Poole, No. 44 Macc Door Systems Chevrolet, 30.980, 174.306, 1, 1, 1.541, 0.025
33) Myatt Snider, No. 07 BBPrintingCO.com Chevrolet, 31.184, 173.166, 1, 1, 1.745, 0.204
34) Ryan Ellis (OP), No. 43 Snapchat Chevrolet, 31.196, 173.099, 1, 1, 1.757, 0.012
35) Blaine Perkins(OP), No. 29 VIVID EV Ford, 31.242, 172.844, 1, 1, 1.803, 0.046
36) Joey Gase(OP), No. 53 Nevada Donor Network Chevrolet, 31.374, 172.117, 1, 1, 1.935, 0.132
37) Akinori Ogata(OP) (i), No. 35 Moon Chevrolet, 32.030, 168.592, 1, 1, 2.591, 0.656
38) Sheldon Creed(OP), No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota, 0.000, 0.000, 0, 0, -----, -----
(OP) Top 30 in Owner Points,(i)Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P)Playoffs

Starting Lineup: Ambetter Health 302, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Pos, Driver, Car, Time, Speed
1) Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Pelonis Chevrolet, 29.439, 183.430
2) Cole Custer (P), No. 00 3D Systems Ford, 29.478, 183.187
3) Chandler Smith (P), No. 81 QuickTie Toyota, 29.547, 182.760
4) Sam Mayer (P), No. 1 10X Health Chevrolet, 29.566, 182.642
5) Sammy Smith (P), No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 29.575, 182.587
6) Justin Allgaier (P), No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet, 29.616, 182.334
7) Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 29.627, 182.266
8) Jesse Love # (P), No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 29.635, 182.217
9) AJ Allmendinger (P), No. 16 Modern Day Garage Chevrolet, 29.724, 181.671
10) Ryan Sieg, No. 28 Sci Aps Ford, 29.741, 181.568
11) Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, 29.747, 181.531
12) Aric Almirola (P), No. 20 MRC Construction Toyota, 29.810, 181.147
13) Taylor Gray(i), No. 19 Operation 300 Toyota, 29.859, 180.850
14) Corey Heim(i), No. 26 Synergy Modular Toyota, 29.875, 180.753
15) Jeb Burton, No. 27 Puryear Tank Lines Chevrolet, 29.886, 180.687
16) Shane Van Gisbergen #, No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet, 29.990, 180.060
17) Austin Hill (P), No. 21 Global Industrial Chevrolet, 30.058, 179.653
18) Anthony Alfredo, No. 5 Dead On Tools Chevrolet, 30.100, 179.402
19) Jeremy Clements, No. 51 First Pacific Funding Chevrolet, 30.161, 179.039
20) Parker Retzlaff, No. 31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet, 30.167, 179.004
21) Dylan Lupton, No. 15 AirBox Ford, 30.180, 178.926
22) Kyle Sieg, No. 39 The Thomas Group Ford, 30.215, 178.719
23) Josh Williams, No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet, 30.283, 178.318
24) Matt DiBenedetto, No. 38 ReMA Ford, 30.310, 178.159
25) Leland Honeyman #, No. 42 LH Waterfront Construction Chevrolet, 30.371, 177.801
26) Dawson Cram(i), No. 92 Trade With thr Pros Chevrolet, 30.489, 177.113
27) Kyle Weatherman, No. 91 MyRadar/DriveSmartWarranty.com Chevrolet, 30.541, 176.811
28) JJ Yeley, No. 14  Ford, 30.545, 176.788
29) Ryan Vargas, No. 74 Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet, 30.817, 175.228
30) Daniel Dye(i), No. 10 Trackside Chevrolet, 30.907, 174.718
31) Garrett Smithley, No. 45 Vet the Vote Chevrolet, 30.955, 174.447
32) Brennan Poole, No. 44 Macc Door Systems Chevrolet, 30.980, 174.306
33) Myatt Snider, No. 07 BBPrintingCO.com Chevrolet, 31.184, 173.166
34) Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Snapchat Chevrolet, Owner Points, 
35) Blaine Perkins, No. 29 VIVID EV Ford, Owner Points, 
36) Joey Gase, No. 53 Nevada Donor Network Chevrolet, Owner Points, 
37) Akinori Ogata(i), No. 35 Moon Chevrolet, Owner Points, 
38) Sheldon Creed, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota, Owner Points,
(OP) Top 30 in Owner Points,(i)Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P)Playoffs

Track Qualifying Record: Kyle Busch 03/11/17 29.098 sec 185.58 mph

Track Race Record: Josh Berry, 10/15/22, 2:04:14, 145.613 mph