2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series preview - Charlotte oval

Michael Manny previews the Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Photo courtesy of Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

As May comes to a close, the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season will race in the sport’s backyard for the Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. EST. 

With 12 races down and 14 to go in the regular season, seven series regulars have locked themselves into the playoffs with a win. 

JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer will start the race on pole for the first time in his career.

The 18-year old has not posted a win this season, but he has been remarkably consistent. Mayer has finished in the top five in six of his last seven races, with his best performance being third at Richmond. Mayer’s teammate Justin Allgaier will start opposite him on the front row. 

At Texas Motor Speedway, another intermediate track, last weekend, there were 11 cautions for 62 laps. 

Making his second start of the year for Big Machine Racing at Texas, Tyler Reddick was able to avoid the chaos and earn his 10th Xfinity Series win. The win was Big Machine’s first ever series win and Reddick’s first since his 2019 championship. It also snapped a three-race win streak for JR Motorsports (Noah Gragson, Josh Berry and Allgaier). 

This week, another Cup Series regular in Austin Dillon will drive the No. 48. 

Ryan Preece will start in third, driving the No. 5 for BJ McLeod Motorsports. Preece is pulling triple duty this weekend, racing in the truck series Friday, Xfinity race Saturday and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday.

Berry and Brandon Jones round out the top five. 

Following a long layoff, Trevor Bayne has returned to the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing. In three previous starts this season, Bayne has finished third, fourth and 28th. He was the fastest car in practice and will start sixth. 

Ty Gibbs has already accomplished much early on in his Xfinity Series career and has three wins this season. After winning at Charlotte last season, he has a chance to become the sixth-different driver to record two-straight victories at the track. However, he will have to start from the rear after getting into the wall in practice. The No. 54 car had to be pushed back to the garage and did not qualify. 

Defending series champion Daniel Hemric has had an up-and-down campaign, but perhaps Charlotte will be the race he breaks through for his first win of the year. He earned his championship (and first national series win) in dramatic fashion at Phoenix last November, but that first could have come at Charlotte. Last season, he led 105 laps but crashed late in the race. 

Mason Massey (No. 91), David Starr (No. 08), Ronnie Bassett Jr. (No. 77) and Kyle Sieg (No. 28) failed to qualify for the 38-car field. 

The race can be found on Fox Sports 1, Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The stages will run through lap 45, 90 and 200.

Starting lineup:

Pit stall assignments:

GOODYEAR TIRE NOTES:

Xfinity Series – Race No. 13 – 200 laps / 300 miles
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – Race No. 10 – 134 laps / 201 miles
Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval) – Concord, N.C.
Fast Facts for May 27-28, 2022

Tire: Goodyear 15-inch Eagle Speedway Radials

Set limits: Xfinity: 6 sets for the event;
Truck: 5 sets for the event

Tire Codes:
Left-side — D-6110; Right-side — D-6130
Tire Circumference: Left-side — 2,225 mm (87.60 in.); Right-side — 2,250 mm (88.58 in.)

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front — 18 psi; Left Rear — 18 psi;
Right Front — 50 psi; Right Rear — 48 psi

Notes – Xfinity and Truck teams on Vegas/Kansas/Texas left-side and Darlington right-side at Charlotte: Being on 15-inch bead diameter tires, Xfinity and Camping World Truck teams will run a different tire set-up than those in the Cup Series at Charlotte this week . . . these teams have already run this left-side tire code at Las Vegas (both series), Kansas (Trucks only) and Texas (both series) this season . . . they have also run this right-side code at Darlington (both series) earlier this month . . . compared to last year at Charlotte, this tire set-up features a minor right-side compound change and a left-side compound change to align with other speedways . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, these teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Charlotte . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.

Goodyear to run special “Honor and Remember” sidewall at Charlotte: Since 2010, for one weekend per NASCAR season, Goodyear has changed the branding on the sidewall of its racing tires in a show of support for the United States military and fallen heroes.  This being the 13th year of that program, the official tire supplier to NASCAR’s top three series will work with the “Honor and Remember” organization for the fourth straight year.  The standard “Eagle” on the tires’ sidewall will be replaced by the Honor and Remember logo on all Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series tires at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, as is part of the larger, industry-wide effort known as “NASCAR Salutes.”

Honor and Remember is a national organization based out of Virginia that has a mission to “perpetually recognize the sacrifice of America’s military fallen service members and their families,” according to its website.  The organization recognizes fallen military personnel from all wars or conflicts, and with those from all branches of service.  They do so primarily by dedicating the specially designed Honor and Remember flag, which is intended to fly continuously as a tangible and visible reminder to all Americans of the lives lost in defense of our national freedoms.

— Goodyear Racing —