Pole Sitters at Bristol Motor Speedway

NASCAR Xfinity Series Bristol Starting Lineup: Food City 300

Sarah Talker

It’s that time of year again at Bristol. The air gets a little crisper, the nights get a little longer, and the tempers on the racetrack get a whole lot shorter. That can only mean one thing. The NASCAR playoffs are here, and the Xfinity Series is ready to kick things off under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The Food City 300 isn’t just another race; it’s the start of a twelve-driver war for the championship, and it all begins at “The Last Great Colosseum.”For these drivers, everything they’ve worked for all season comes down to this. Every lap, every point, every single position matters now.

A bad night at Bristol can bury a team in a hole so deep they might as well start planning for next year. But a good night? A win? That earns you a ticket to the next round and lets you breathe a little easier. The pressure is immense, and you can feel it just walking through the garage.

The Starting Lineup for the Food City 300

The roar of the crowd, the smell of burning rubber, the sight of 38 cars screaming into Turn 1, and there’s nothing quite like it. Tonight’s starting lineup is a mix of seasoned veterans and hungry young guns, all looking to make their mark. Leading the field to the green flag is Justin Allgaier in the No. 7 Chevrolet. He laid down a blistering lap of 15.843 seconds to snag the pole, and let me tell you, that’s moving at Bristol.

He barely edged out Sam Mayer, who will start on the outside of the front row at Bristol. Allgaier knows what it takes to win here, and starting from the front is a huge advantage. He can control the pace, pick his line, and hopefully stay out of the inevitable chaos that will unfold behind him.

But don’t count out the guys right on his tail. You’ve got Aric Almirola and the young sensation Connor Zilisch in row two, both more than capable of stealing the show. And with heavy hitters like Jesse Love, Sheldon Creed, and Austin Hill lurking just a bit further back, this race is entirely up for grabs.

Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway

Xfinity Series: Starting Lineup

  • 1. Justin Allgaier, No. 7 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 2. Sam Mayer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
  • 3. Aric Almirola, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 4. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 5. Taylor Gray, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 6. William Sawalich, No. 18 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 7. Harrison Burton, No. 25 (AM Racing, Ford)
  • 8. Ryan Sieg, No. 39 (RSS Racing, Ford)
  • 9. Jesse Love, No. 2 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 10. Sheldon Creed, No. 00 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
  • 11. Carson Kvapil, No. 1 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 12. Christian Eckes, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 13. Stefan Parsons, No. 35 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 14. Sammy Smith, No. 8 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 15. Parker Retzlaff, No. 4 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 16. Dean Thompson, No. 26 (Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota)
  • 17. Corey Day, No. 17 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 18. Brennan Poole, No. 44 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 19. Jeb Burton, No. 27 (Jordan Anderson, Racing Chevrolet)
  • 20. Nick Sanchez, No. 48 (Big Machine Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 21. Austin Hill, No. 21 (Richard Childress, Racing Chevrolet)
  • 22. Brandon Jones, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 23. Leland Honeyman, No. 70 Cope Family Racing Chevrolet
  • 24. Jeffery Earnhardt, No. 24 (Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota)
  • 25. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 99 (Viking Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 26. Jeremy Clements, No. 51 (Jeremy Clements Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 27. Anthony Alfredo, No. 42 (Young’s Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 28. Brenden Queen, No. 11 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 29. Ryan Ellis, No. 71 (DGM Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 30. Kyle Sieg, No. 28 (RSS Racing, Ford)
  • 31. Daniel Dye, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 32. Josh Bilicki, No. 91 (DGM Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 33. Josh Williams, No. 45 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 34. Logan Bearden, No. 14 (SS GreenLight Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 35. Carson Ware, No. 07 SS (GreenLight Racing, Ford)
  • 36. Joey Gase, No. 53 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 37. Austin Green, No. 32 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 38. Blaine Perkins, No. 31 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)

How to Watch the Food City 300 at Bristol

You won’t want to miss a second of this action. It’s high-stakes, short-track racing at its absolute best. Be sure to tune in and watch these drivers battle it out for 300 laps of pure adrenaline.

  • Green Flag: Approx. 6:40 p.m. CT, Friday
  • Track: Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile concrete oval)
  • Race Length: 300 laps (159.9 miles)
  • Stages: 85 / 85 / 130 laps
  • TV: CW Network
  • Radio: PRN

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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