CREED 34th IN XFINITY DEBUT

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Sheldon Creed was hit with bad luck in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut Saturday.

       Creed, 19, experienced transmission failure on the first lap of the Mid-Ohio Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The JD Motorsports with Gary Keller crew did a quick change, but Creed, driving the United Rentals Chevrolet, lost time on the course and finished 34th. He completed 56 of the race’s 75 laps.

       Creed is scheduled to drive the 01 Chevy again Aug. 27 at Road America.

       Sam Hornish Jr. won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The series races next Aug. 18 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

CREED SET FOR XFINITY DEBUT

LEXINGTON, Ohio – This week’s Xfinity Series field will have a new face.

       Newcomer Sheldon Creed, a 19-year-old off-road racer from Alpine, Calif., is scheduled to make his Xfinity Series debut in the United Rentals No. 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller.

       Creed is scheduled to drive the 01 in Saturday’s Mid-Ohio Challenge and two weeks later at Road America.

       Creed has raced twice in the Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway but will be driving an Xfinity car for the first time.

       He is a two-time champion of the Speed Energy Formula Off-Road Series for trucks and has scored double-digit wins in that series. He also has raced in the K&N Pro Series East and West and in ARCA.

       Creed also will race in the Trans-Am Series at Mid-Ohio this weekend.

       Practice is scheduled at 2 and 4 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for noon Saturday, with the race to follow at 3:30 p.m.

CHASTAIN LOOKS FOR MORE AT MID-OHIO

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Ross Chastain hopes to improve on an impressive 2016 run at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course when he drives the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 4 Chevrolet in Saturday’s Mid-Ohio Challenge.

       Chastain finished 14th and on the lead lap in last year’s race at Mid-Ohio, scoring one of his best runs of the season.

       “I like road-course racing, and I particularly like Mid-Ohio,” Chastain said. “We had a very good run there last year. Everything went almost to plan. We’re looking for more this time.”

       Chastain sits 15th in Xfinity driver points as the season rolls toward the playoffs.

       Practice is scheduled at Mid-Ohio at 2 and 4 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for noon Saturday, with the race to follow at 3:30 p.m.

SMITHLEY SET FOR MID-OHIO

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Garrett Smithley got his first experience at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last season. This weekend he’s back for more.

       Smithley finished a strong 24th in last year’s Xfinity Series race at the twisting road course. He’ll drive the Wheeling Nailers No. 0 Chevrolet in Saturday’s Mid-Ohio Challenge.

       The race is the second of three road-course events on this year’s Xfinity schedule. Smithley finished 24th last week at Watkins Glen, N.Y.

       “I really like the road courses and how all of them are different,” Smithley said. “It takes a different kind of approach to do well. We’re looking forward to another good run this week.”

       Smithley is 22nd in Xfinity driver points.

       Practice is scheduled at 2 and 4 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for noon Saturday, with the race to follow at 3:30 p.m.

CHASTAIN FINISHES 19th AT THE GLEN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Ross Chastain finished 19th Saturday in the Zippo 200 Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International in the Buckle Up NY Protect Your Melon Chevrolet.

       The finish marked Chastain’s eighth straight in the top 20 in the highly competitive series.

       “I was proud to carry the Buckle Up NY Protect Your Melon colors this weekend and to help spread the message about wearing seat belts to the fine folks in New York,” Chastain said. “We had a pretty good run and a really good car. It was a great afternoon on the road course.”

       Chastain remains 15th in Xfinity driver points.

       Kyle Busch won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The Xfinity Series rolls on to another road course – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – for an Aug. 12 race.

SMITHLEY 24th AT WATKINS GLEN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – This time Garrett Smithley rode all the way home.

       After a disappointing debut at Watkins Glen International last season – a race in which overheating problems sidelined him early, Smithley responded with a 24th-place finish in Saturday’s Zippo 200 over the Glen road course. He finished one lap behind the lead group.

       “It felt good to bring the car home and to run well,” Smithley said. “I’m still relatively new at road-course racing, so we’re still learning the ins and outs of it all. But it was a fun race day.”

       Smithley is 22nd in Xfinity driver points.

       Kyle Busch won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The Xfinity Series rolls on to another road course – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – for an Aug. 12 race.

ON THE RHODES – 23RD AT THE GLEN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Harrison Rhodes turned in a fine run in his debut race at the Watkins Glen International road course, finishing 23rdin Saturday’s Zippo 200.

       The race was Rhodes’ first over the tough, twisty course.

       “It was quite an adventure,” Rhodes said. “The course is very fast for a road-course layout, and it was a load of fun for me. We turned in a pretty good finish.”

       Rhodes, who drove the Great Outdoors RV Superstore Chevrolet Saturday, is 24th in Xfinity driver points.

       Kyle Busch won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The Xfinity Series rolls on to another road course – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – for an Aug. 12 race.

CHASTAIN HITS THE ROAD AGAIN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Still riding a strong summer stretch, Ross Chastain will drive the Protect Your Melon Chevrolet in Saturday’s Zippo 200 Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen.

       Chastain has scored seven straight top-20 runs in Xfinity events and remains in the hunt for a spot in the series playoffs.

       Last year at the Glen, he had a fine day, finishing 14th.

       “I’m looking forward to getting back to Watkins Glen and picking up where we left off last year,” Chastain said. “We had a good road-course car there and were able to show what the team could do under unusual circumstances. We expect to do well again this time.”

       The race is the first of three road-course events in four weeks for Xfinity teams. Mid-Ohio and Road America also are on the schedule in August.

       Xfinity teams are scheduled to practice at noon and 2:30 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is scheduled for 11:05 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 2 p.m.

SMITHLEY RETURNS TO THE GLEN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Garrett Smithley wants another shot at Watkins Glen International, and he’ll get it this weekend.

       Smithley will drive the Taughannock Aviation and Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport Chevrolet in Saturday’s Zippo 200 Xfinity Series race on the Glen road course. Smithley made his debut at Watkins Glen last season, but he had a very short day. He parked after only 13 laps with overheating problems.

       “I remember last year at the Glen far too clearly,” Smithley said. “After being all fired up to run there for the first time, our day ended really quickly. I’m anxious to get back and get in some strong laps there and get a good finish.”

       Smithley is 22nd in Xfinity driver points entering the race.

       Practice is scheduled at noon and 2:30 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 11:05 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 2 p.m.

RHODES DEBUTS AT WATKINS GLEN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – It’s Race One for Harrison Rhodes at Watkins Glen International, the world-famous road racing course in New York.

       Rhodes will drive the Great Outdoors RV Superstore Chevrolet in Saturday’s Zippo 200, an 82-lap race around the 2.45-mile course.

       “I’ve heard and read about the Glen all my life, and I’m ready for it,” Rhodes said. “I always like to go to new tracks, and this one certainly will be a challenge. But I’ve got great teammates at JD Motorsports who’ve run well there, so they will be a lot of help in getting me started.”

       Rhodes is 24th in Xfinity driver points entering the race.

       Rhodes will get his first shot at the track in opening practice at noon Friday. More practice is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 11:05 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 2 p.m.