2015 Xfinity Series Odds and Picks: Nationwide Series Championship Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

2015 Xfinity Series Odds and Picks: Nationwide Series Championship Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers: There was a big change for NASCAR’s second-tier series this offseason with title sponsor Nationwide giving way to new sponsor Xfinity. Of course, not everything about the series has changed, and the top five drivers in the standings from a year ago will all be back to contend for the title in 2015. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the drivers that figure to be the major contenders for the first-ever Xfinity Series championship.

The Favorite

Considering he won the series title last year as a rookie, it is a safe bet to assume Chase Elliott will have a great shot at repeating now that he actually has some experience on his side. He claimed last year’s crown by a comfortable 42 points, and no other series regular was able to compete against the Cup drivers that frequent the series as well as Elliott. His three wins were the most of any championship-eligible driver, and his 16 top-five finishes were nine more than the next closest title contender. Throw in the fact that he tied for the series lead with 26 top-10s, and Elliott is going to be tough to beat if he shows the same combination of speed and consistency in 2015.

Other Contenders

He finished third in the final standings in 2013, and last year, Regan Smith was the runner-up last season. Consistency has been his trademark, and he delivered again in 2014 by tying for the series lead with 26 top-10s. Meanwhile, his seven top-five finishes ranked second among series regulars. Smith is blessed with some of the best equipment in the series at JR Motorsports, and his ability to reel off top-10s week in and week out should keep him in the thick of the title hunt again in 2015.

It seems like every year that Elliott Sadler is making a run at the Xfinity title. Since returning to the series full time in 2011, he has finished second, second, fourth and third in the final standings while driving for two different teams. Sadler is switching teams again in 2015 after joining Roush Fenway Racing in the offseason. Year in and year out he is one of the most consistent drivers on the track, and there is no reason he shouldn’t be battling for a championship for the fifth year in a row.

A slow start put Ty Dillon in a hole that he was never able to dig out of, but after the rookie got some starts under his belt, he showed some serious potential. Dillon finished with 24 top-10s in 33 starts, winning a race at Indianapolis and tying for the second-most top-five finishes among series regulars with seven. Dillon has excellent equipment behind him at Richard Childress Racing, and he should be able to avoid a sloppy start in 2015 now that he has some experience on his side.

The Sleeper

He was able to win multiple races in the Truck Series the last couple of years, and Darrell Wallace Jr. will take the jump to the Xfinity Series with Roush Fenway Racing in 2015. He doesn’t have many starts in the series, but he showed more than enough talent in the Truck Series to make some serious noise after landing with a proven organization. Chase Elliott won the title as an inexperienced rookie last year, and Wallace could do the same this year.

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