RHODES PARKS WITH GEAR ISSUE

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Harrison Rhodes finished 36th in Saturday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

       Rhodes parked his No. 01 Chevrolet after 94 of 104 laps with rear gear problems.

       “We couldn’t make it to the finish,” Rhodes said. “It’s tough to have to park the car early like that – just a problem we couldn’t deal with.”

       William Byron won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       After a Friday start, the race was suspended by rain and was concluded on Saturday before the weekend’s Monster Energy Cup Series race.

       The Xfinity Series rolls on to Kentucky Speedway for a July 7 race.

CHASTAIN RIDES MOMENTUM INTO DAYTONA

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ross Chastain rolls into Daytona International Speedway this week fresh off the best run of his Xfinity Series career.

       Chastain finished fourth in last week’s Xfinity race at Iowa Speedway, marking the best run of his young career in NASCAR’s No. 2 series. He hopes the momentum will carry over as the series moves from a short track to one of its biggest for Friday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250.

       “We had a great run at Iowa,” Chastain said. “It should be a big boost at Daytona, where we’ve also had some good finishes. I’m looking forward to another big weekend.”

       Chastain will drive the G&K Services No. 4 Chevy at Daytona.

       He owns a pair of top-10 finishes in Xfinity races at the 2.5-mile track.

       Practice is scheduled at 2 and 4 p.m. Thursday. Qualifying is set for 2:10 p.m. Friday, with the race to follow at 7:30.

SMITHLEY LOOKS FOR DAYTONA REPEAT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Garrett Smithley is more than ready to race again at Daytona International Speedway.

       In February, in the Xfinity Series season-opener, Smithley recorded what has been his best finish of the season – an eighth place. He roared along in the tight draft at the finish of the race and scored one of the top finishes of his NASCAR career.

       “It was a great day,” Smithley said. “To run up front and draft along with the lead pack was great. We’re hoping to duplicate that this weekend.”

       Smithley will drive the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 0 Chevrolet in Friday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 race. He’s coming off a strong 10th-place finish in last week’s race at Iowa Speedway.

       Daytona practice is scheduled at 2 and 4 p.m. Thursday. Qualifying is set for 2:10 p.m. Friday, with the race to follow at 7:30.

RHODES READY FOR DAYTONA

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Harrison Rhodes has a fun history at Daytona International Speedway, site of Friday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 Xfinity Series race.

       In three appearances at the World Center of Racing, Rhodes has two top-10 finishes – a ninth in 2015 and a 10th in this year’s season-opener.

       “I absolutely love Daytona,” Rhodes said. “If you have a decent car, you can keep up with the draft and then make some things happen late in the race. We had a good car there in February, and I feel sure we’ll be able to compete up front again.”

       Daytona practice is scheduled at 2 and 4 p.m. Thursday. Qualifying is scheduled at 2:10 p.m. Friday, with the race to follow at 7:30.

CHASTAIN FAST FOURTH AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – Ross Chastain posted the best finish of his Xfinity Series career Saturday night, charging late in the race to finish fourth in the American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa Speedway.

       Racing on one of his favorite tracks, Chastain started sixth on the night’s final restart and played traffic perfectly to move up in the order and roll home fourth in the Georgia Watermelon Association No. 4 Chevrolet.

       “My guys kept swinging at it,” Chastain said. “It’s a testimony to the 4 car and what we can do and what the short tracks can do for us. This is good momentum going into the summer months.

       “Watermelons in the top five feels good, and we’re going home to celebrate.”

       Team owner Johnny Davis said Chastain drove like a winner over the closing laps.

       “We all knew the last restarts were going to be crazy,” Davis said. “Ross could have tried to overdrive the car and crashed out, but he picked his spots and made up positions. It was a great night for Ross and the whole 4 crew.”

       William Byron won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       Daytona International Speedway hosts the next Xfinity race June 30.

SMITHLEY STRONG 10th AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – Garrett Smithley scored one of the best runs of his NASCAR career Saturday night at Iowa Speedway, finishing 10th in the American Ethanol E15 250 Xfinity Series race.

       Smithley ran with the lead pack much of the night and was in eighth place, behind JD Motorsports with Gary Keller teammate Ross Chastain, for the final restart.

       The finish was Smithley’s second best of the season. He finished eighth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

       “What a great night,” Smithley said. “It was quite a thrill to run up front with all those guys, particularly near the end of the race when everybody was scrambling around trying to find an open space. I’m very proud of the guys on the ‘Number Nothin’’ team. They did a great job all night.”

       Smithley moved to 21st in Xfinity driver points with the fine finish.

       Team owner Johnny Davis said Smithley and the No. 0 crew performed very well.

       “I can’t say enough about how all the guys did,” Davis said. “We’re a smaller team, but we raced with the big guns tonight. Garrett handled the car well and showed the right mix of patience and aggression.”

       William Byron won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The series rolls on to Daytona International Speedway for a June 30 race.

RHODES PARKS WITH ENGINE TROUBLE

NEWTON, Iowa – Engine problems relegated Harrison Rhodes to a 36th-place finish in Saturday night’s American Ethanol E15 250 Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway.

       Rhodes parked his JD Motorsports with Gary Keller Chevrolet after 118 of the race’s 250 laps.

       “A tough night for us,” Rhodes said. “Had to end the night with engine problems. We’ll bounce back at Daytona next week.”

       The series moves on to Daytona International Speedway for a Friday night race. Rhodes finished a season-high 10th in the 2017 opener at Daytona.

       Rhodes is 24th in Xfinity driver points 14 races into the season.

       William Byron scored his first win in the Iowa race. Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

CHASTAIN LIKES CHANCES AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – The Xfinity Series schedule stretches from coast to coast, but Ross Chastain always looks forward to the stops in the heartland at Iowa Speedway.

       The Iowa track has been particularly good to the Florida driver over the years.

       In his last three appearances in an Xfinity car at Iowa, Chastain has finished 10th, 14th and 18th. He finished second in a Camping World Truck Series race at the track in 2013.

       “I circle the Iowa dates on the calendar every year,” said Chastain, who will drive the Georgia Watermelon Association Chevrolet Saturday. “It’s been a great track for me. The mix of short track and fast track is perfect.”

       Practice at Iowa is scheduled at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying is set for 6:15 p.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 8:30.

SMITHLEY IN THIRD RACE AT IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa – Garrett Smithley will make his third Xfinity Series start at Iowa Speedway in Saturday’s American Ethanol E15 250.

       The seven-eighths mile track usually hosts tight races for the Xfinity Series.

       “It’s a really fun racetrack,” Smithley said. “It’s a great blend of a short track and a speed track. I’m sure we’ll have a good run there.”

       Smithley sits 22nd in Xfinity driver points entering the race, the 14th of the season.

       Iowa practice is scheduled at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying is set for 6:15 p.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 8:30.

RHODES ‘VETERAN’ AT IOWA TRACK

 NEWTON, Iowa – Although still a relative newcomer to NASCAR racing, Harrison Rhodes will sign in at Iowa Speedway this weekend as a veteran of sorts.

       Rhodes has raced in four Xfinity Series events at the seven-eighths mile track.

       “I feel like I know the track pretty well,” Rhodes said. “It’s short but fast. If you have a good car, you can cut some really good laps there.”

       Rhodes will drive the 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller in Saturday’s American Ethanol E15 250 at Iowa.

       Practice is scheduled at 2 and 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying is set for 6:15 p.m., with the race to follow at 8:30.