2017 XFINITY Series Picks and Predictions – DC Solar 200 Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers: The 2017 XFINITY Series season stays on the West Coast this weekend with a trip to Phoenix International Raceway, and although the Cup Series is also in town, this weekend’s field won’t be cluttered with a bunch of well-established Cup regulars.
Yes, there are several drivers pulling double duty, but they are mostly younger drivers who are trying to gain as much experience as possible and don’t have a track record of dominating XFINITY competition. Throw in the fact the series regulars have an added incentive to run well as part of the Dash 4 Cash program, and Saturday’s DC Solar should be one of the more wide-open races to date.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the frontrunners and other potential contenders.
2017 XFINITY Series Picks and Predictions: DC Solar 200 Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers
The Favorites
Defending series champion Daniel Suarez is now full-time racing in the Cup Series, but he will make an XFINITY Series start for Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend and flat out knows how to get around Phoenix. He has only made four starts at the track, but he has three top-five finishes to go along with a 5.8 average finish. With many of the top stars in the Cup Series sitting this one out, Suarez could dominate in the desert Saturday.
He is currently enjoying his best season at the Cup level, and Ryan Blaney is always a force in the XFINITY Series when he jumps behind the Team Penske No. 22. He finished in the top 10 in his only start at Phoenix in the XFINITY Series back in 2013, and he has become a much better driver since then. He is one of the top young drivers in NASCAR and is driving some of the best equipment around. Blaney will be a major player for the win Saturday.
Phoenix has always been a good track for Austin Dillon at the XFINITY level, and he brings a 5.8 average finish into Saturday’s race. He has finished seventh or better in seven of his eight starts at PIR, finishing a career-best second here last fall. Dillon is actually one of the most accomplished drivers in the field this weekend, which only enhances his chances of visiting victory lane.
He looks like a future star in the Cup Series, and Erik Jones is no stranger to competing for wins at Phoenix in the XFINITY Series. His 5.2 average finish here is the best among drivers in the field this weekend, and in five starts, he has never finished outside the top 10. More importantly, Jones has three top-five finishes at PIR, including a pair of top-three runs in his last three starts.
The Contenders
Although he has never won at Phoenix, Ty Dillon has been the model of consistency at the track. He owns a 6.3 average finish in six starts, and he has never finished outside the top 10. Dillon has actually finished seventh or better in his last five starts here, finishing as high as fourth. In a slightly weaker field than normal, Dillon could be one of the main beneficiaries.
After a couple of rough races, Justin Allgaier got on track with a strong showing last weekend at Las Vegas. You can expect the momentum to continue this weekend at Phoenix where he has always been one of the best series regulars. Allgaier has reeled off four straight top-five finishes at PIR, including a pair of fourth-place runs last year.
Veteran Elliott Sadler is one of those drivers who you can never count out because he always seems to be within striking distance at the end of races. Phoenix is no exception, and over the last 10 races here, he has finished outside the top 15 just once. Sadler has seven top-10s during that same span, including a win.
The Sleeper
The learning curve hasn’t been too bad for rookie William Byron, and after winning seven times as a rookie in the Truck Series last year, he enters Saturday’s race ranked in the top five in the point standings. He clearly has the talent and equipment to succeed immediately, and I think it’s only a matter of time before he has a breakout performance. It could come as early as this weekend at Phoenix, and I think he is worth a flier.
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Odds to Win 2017 DC Solar 200
Erik Jones +250
Austin Dillon +800
Daniel Suarez +600
Ryan Blaney +500
William Byron +500
Elliott Sadler +1200
Justin Allgaier +1200
Daniel Hemric +2000
Ty Dillon +2200
Tyler Reddick +2200
Matt Tifft +2000
Darrell Wallace Jr +4000
Ryan Reed +3000
Brendan Gaughan +2000
Brennan Poole +4000
Cole Custer +2500
Field +2000
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