Starting Lineup, Xfinity Series at the Charlotte Roval

Xfinity Series at the Charlotte Roval: Blue Cross NC 250 Starting Lineup

Sarah Talker

Man, what a sight to behold at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval configuration. When you see that starting lineup for Saturday’s Blue Cross NC 250, your heart can’t help but skip a beat if you’re a JR Motorsports fan. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s operation has absolutely locked down the front of the field, and it’s something special to witness.

Connor Zilisch earned himself the pole position, and you can bet he’s feeling every ounce of pressure and excitement that comes with leading this talented field to green. Right beside him on the starting lineup sits his teammate Justin Allgaier, a veteran who knows how to handle the big moments. These two drivers represent the incredible depth and talent that JR Motorsports has built over the years.

JR Motorsports Shows Championship-Level Depth

The starting lineup tells a story that goes way beyond just one or two fast cars. When you’ve got Connor Mosack rolling off third, followed by Sammy Smith in fourth and Carson Kvapil rounding out the top five, you’re looking at a team that’s firing on all cylinders. That’s all five JR Motorsports entries sitting in the top five positions, and frankly, it’s the kind of performance that gives you goosebumps.

This isn’t just a luck or a fluke qualifying session. This represents months of hard work, dedication, and the kind of teamwork that separates championship organizations from the rest of the pack. Every mechanic, every engineer, every crew chief in that shop should feel proud of what they’ve accomplished heading into Saturday’s race.

Charlotte Roval Presents Unique Challenge

The Charlotte Roval isn’t your typical NASCAR track, and that starting lineup becomes even more impressive when you consider the technical demands of this 2.32-mile road course configuration.

Drivers need to master both the high-speed banking sections and the technical infield portions, switching between oval racing mentality and road course precision multiple times per lap.

Corey Day, representing Hendrick Motorsports, managed to crack into that JR Motorsports stranglehold by qualifying sixth. Sam Mayer and Jesse Love round out the top eight, giving fans plenty of storylines to follow when the green flag drops at approximately 4:10 p.m. CT.

What This Starting Lineup Means for Saturday’s Race

Looking at this field based on the starting lineup, you can feel the anticipation building. Zilisch has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season, and starting from the pole gives him the best possible chance to control the early portion of the race. But with four teammates right behind him, strategy becomes incredibly important.

JR Motorsports has options. They can work together early, split strategies, or simply let their drivers race hard against each other. Whatever they choose, it will make for compelling television on the CW Network.

The drivers on this starting lineup who didn’t cut tell their own story of disappointment. Garrett Smithley, Andrew Patterson, Austin J Hill, and Thomas Annunziata all fell short of making the 38-car field. In NASCAR, those moments sting, but they also fuel the determination to come back stronger.

Blue Cross North Carolina 250 at the Charlotte Roval

Xfinity Series: Starting Lineup

  • 1. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 2. Justin Allgaier, No. 7 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 3. Connor Mosack, No. 9 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 4. Sammy Smith, No. 8 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 5. Carson Kvapil, No. 1 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 6. Corey Day, No. 17 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 7. Sam Mayer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
  • 8. Jesse Love, No. 2 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 9. Kaz Grala, No. 24 (Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota)
  • 10. Austin Green, No. 87 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 11. Aric Almirola, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 12. Brennan Poole, No. 44 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 13. Sheldon Creed, No. 00 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
  • 14. Nicholas Sanchez, No. 48 (Big Machine Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 15. William Sawalich, No. 18 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 16. Austin Hill, No. 21 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 17. Taylor Gray, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 18. Christian Eckes, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 19. Preston Pardus, No. 50 (Pardus Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 20. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 99 (Viking Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 21. Alex Labbe, No. 07 (SS GreenLight Racing, Ford)
  • 22. Ryan Sieg, No. 39 (RSS Racing, Ford)
  • 23.  Brandon Jones, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 24. Josh Bilicki, NO. 91 (DGM X JIM Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 25. Sage Karam, No. 53 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 26. Parker Retzlaff, No. 4 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 27. Daniel Hemric, No. 11 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 28. Harrison Burton, No. 25 (AM Racing, Ford)
  • 29. Ryan Ellis, No. 71 (DGM Racing X JIM, Chevrolet)
  • 30. Jeb Burton, No. 27 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 31. Leland Honeyman, No. 91 (DGM Racing X JIM, Chevrolet)
  • 32. Josh Williams, No. 45 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 33. Dean Thompson, No. 26 (Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota)
  • 34. Anthony Alfredo, No. 42 (Young’s Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 35. Blaine Perkins, No. 31 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 36. Jeremy Clements, NO. 51 (Jeremy Clements Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 37. Kyle Sieg, No. 28 (RSS Racing, Ford)
  • 38. Daniel Dye, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)

Television Coverage and Race Details

Fans won’t want to miss a single lap of Saturday’s action. The CW Network will broadcast the race nationally, with streaming options available through FUBO in select markets. Radio coverage is provided by PRN, ensuring that no one misses the excitement.

The race distance of 67 laps might seem short compared to traditional NASCAR events, but the Charlotte Roval demands constant attention. With stage breaks at 20 laps and 20 laps, followed by a 27-lap final stage, strategy calls become crucial.

This starting lineup sets up what could be an absolute thriller at Charlotte. JR Motorsports has positioned itself perfectly, but in NASCAR, anything can happen once that green flag waves. The combination of talent, preparation, and a little bit of racing luck will determine who celebrates in victory lane Saturday evening.

 

Sarah is a writer with a passion for delivering interesting yet informative news stories about motorsports including NASCAR, IMSA, F1, and IndyCar. She has covered the Daytona 500 and the Wurth 400 live and is highly passionate about sharing her knowledge and expertise across the motorsports industry.

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