Most drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series would give up a lot just for some additional practice before races. Ever since the promotion cut down practice sessions during the COVID era, there have been calls to bring the original timings back. With the sport riding this low wave, do the drivers who contest in both the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series on a given weekend have an edge over those who don’t?
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Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell believes not. The 29-year-old has already fixed his spot in the upcoming playoffs and is in New Hampshire for a doubleheader weekend. Talking to the press at the venue he underlined that the cars in the two series are largely different from each other and render no advantage to a driver racing on both Saturday and Sunday.
“I think the advantage from Saturday to Sunday is pretty much gone. You know, the cars are completely different. The shift pattern is different. The way they react in corners is… it is completely almost irrelevant from Saturday to Sunday. So, now, it is just about enjoyment and track time. It’s very hard to take anything from Saturday to Sunday.” – Christopher Bell.
Alex Bowman hopes to gain insights for Sunday’s race by driving in the Xfinity Series in New Hampshire
While Bell does not believe that the second tier gives any realistic advantage to drivers, Hendrick Motorsports driver Bowman certainly does. He told the press that he hopes to use the additional track time from driving on Friday and Saturday will hopefully give him additional insight for the Cup Series race. He will be piloting the #17 Hendrick Motorsports car in the Xfinity Series.
He said, “Hopefully those extra laps on Friday and Saturday will help me gain some additional insight on the track before Sunday’s race. Our Ally Racing team is working diligently to try and put the #48 back in the victory lane.”
Unlike Bell, Bowman is yet to find the victory lane in 2024. He has however been largely consistent with his performances and sits 66 points above the playoff cutoff line.
While the cars in both the tiers may be largely different as Bell pointed out, there is an advantage that comes with getting on the track earlier than others do. Particularly when it comes to a tricky track such as the Magic Mile this can very well mean the difference between winning and crashing out.
