2017 Drive for the Cure 300
{{Short description|29th race of the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASXFIN|Scheduled_laps=200|Announcers=Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte|Network=NBCSN|Avg={{convert|122.685|mph|km/h}}|Most_Team=Joe Gibbs Racing|Most_laps=111|Most_Driver=Daniel Suárez|Pole_Team=Joe Gibbs Racing|First_Team=Chip Ganassi Racing|First_Driver=Alex Bowman|Pole_Driver=Daniel Suárez|Date=October 7|Distance_km=482.803|Location=Concord, North Carolina, Charlotte Motor Speedway|Scheduled_km=482.803|Car=42|Scheduled_mi=300|Distance_laps=200|Official_name=36th Annual Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina|Race_Name=Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina|Year=2017|Course_km=2.41|Course_mi=1.5|Pole_Time=Set by 2017 owner's points|Distance_mi=300|Radio=Performance Racing Network|Race_No=29|Season_No=33}}The 2017 Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina was the 29th stock car race of the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the third and elimination race of the Round of 12, and the 36th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, October 7, 2017, in Concord, North Carolina at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. Alex Bowman, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, would control the late stages of the race to win his first and to date, only career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory and his only win of the season.{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2017 |title=Alex Bowman stuns at Charlotte, as Ryan Reed stays alive in NASCAR XFINITY Playoff |url=https://www.espn.com/jayski/nxs/2017/story/_/id/20950265/alex-bowman-stuns-charlotte-ryan-reed-stays-alive-nascar-xfinity-playoff |access-date=July 20, 2022 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} To fill out the podium, Sam Hornish Jr. and Ryan Blaney, both driving for Team Penske, would finish second and third, respectively.
The eight drivers to advance to the Round of 8 were William Byron, Justin Allgaier, Elliott Sadler, Daniel Hemric, Cole Custer, Brennan Poole, Ryan Reed, and Matt Tifft.{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2017 |title=Who's in, who's out: XFINITY Series Playoffs Round of 8 field set |url=https://m.nascar.com/news-media/2017/10/07/xfinity-series-playoffs-round-of-8-field-set/ |access-date=July 20, 2022 |website=Official Site Of NASCAR |language=en-US}}
Background
File:Charlotte_Motor_Speedway_diagram.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]
The race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, located in Concord, North Carolina. The speedway complex includes a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) quad-oval track that was utilized for the race, as well as a dragstrip and a dirt track. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams based in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith serving as track president.
= Entry list =
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
- (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor |
| 0 |
| 00
|Cole Custer (R) |Ford |
| 1 |
| 01 |
| 2
|Austin Dillon (i) |
| 3
|Ty Dillon (i) |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 7 |
| 07 |
| 8 |
| 9
|William Byron (R) |
| 11 |
| 12
|Ford |
| 13 |
| 14 |
| 15
|Reed Sorenson (i) |
| 16
|Ford |
| 18
|Daniel Suárez (i) |
| 19
|Matt Tifft (R) |
| 20
|Erik Jones (i) |
| 21
|Daniel Hemric (R) |
| 22
|Ryan Blaney (i) |Ford |
| 23
|Spencer Gallagher (R) |
| 24
|Corey LaJoie (i) |
| 33 |
| 38 |
| 39 |
| 40 |
| 42
|Alex Bowman (i) |
| 48 |
| 51
|[https://repairablevehicles.com/ RepairableVehicles.com], All South Electric |
| 52 |
| 62
|South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, Las Vegas "#VegasStrong" |
| 74 |
| 78 |
| 89 |
| 90 |
| 92 |
| 93
|Gray Gaulding (i) |
| 99
|BJMM with SS-Green Light Racing |
| colspan="5" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs-29cms2017entrylist.pdf Official entry list] |
|---|
Practice
= First practice =
The first practice session was held on Friday, October 6, at 3:00 PM EST. The session would last for 55 minutes.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-09 |title=2017 NASCAR XFINITY Charlotte Race Info |url=https://www.espn.com/jayski/nxs/races/2017/story/_/id/20495642/2017-nascar-xfinity-charlotte-race-info |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} Justin Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.721 and an average speed of {{Convert|181.690|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |last=Bonkowski |first=Jerry |date=2017-10-06 |title=Justin Allgaier fastest in first Xfinity practice at Charlotte |url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/10/06/justin-allgaier-fastest-in-first-xfinity-practice-at-charlotte/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports |language=en-US}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|7 |29.721 |181.690 |
|---|
| 2
|42 |Alex Bowman (i) |29.889 |180.668 |
| 3
|9 |William Byron (R) |29.892 |180.650 |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs-29cms2017prac1.pdf Full first practice results] |
= Second and final practice =
The final practice session, sometimes known as Happy Hour, was held on Friday, October 6, at 6:00 PM EST. The session would last for 55 minutes. Sam Hornish Jr., driving for Team Penske, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.602 and an average speed of {{Convert|182.420|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |last=McFadin |first=Daniel |date=2017-10-06 |title=Sam Hornish Jr. tops final Xfinity practice at Charlotte |url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/10/06/sam-hornish-jr-tops-final-xfinity-practice-at-charlotte/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports |language=en-US}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|12 |Ford |29.602 |182.420 |
|---|
| 2
|22 |Ryan Blaney (i) |Ford |29.728 |181.647 |
| 3
|19 |Matt Tifft (R) |29.762 |181.439 |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs-29cms2017prac2.pdf Full Happy Hour practice results] |
Qualifying
Qualifying was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday, October 7. However, inclement weather would cancel the session. The starting lineup was determined by the current owner's points. As a result, Daniel Suárez, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole.{{Cite web |date=2017-10-07 |title=Rain alters Saturday schedule at Charlotte; XFINITY race set for night time |url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/10/07/first-monster-energy-series-practice-delayed-due-to-weather/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Official Site Of NASCAR |language=en-US}}
= Full starting lineup =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make |
| 1
|18 |Daniel Suárez (i) |
|---|
| 2
|22 |Ryan Blaney (i) |Ford |
| 3
|20 |Erik Jones (i) |
| 4
|42 |Alex Bowman (i) |
| 5
|7 |
| 6
|9 |William Byron (R) |
| 7
|1 |
| 8
|21 |Daniel Hemric (R) |
| 9
|48 |
| 10
|3 |Ty Dillon (i) |
| 11
|16 |Ford |
| 12
|2 |Austin Dillon (i) |
| 13
|00 |Cole Custer (R) |Ford |
| 14
|19 |Matt Tifft (R) |
| 15
|11 |
| 16
|62 |
| 17
|5 |
| 18
|24 |Corey LaJoie (i) |
| 19
|14 |
| 20
|4 |
| 21
|39 |
| 22
|33 |
| 23
|51 |
| 24
|23 |Spencer Gallagher (R) |
| 25
|07 |
| 26
|52 |
| 27
|0 |
| 28
|8 |
| 29
|99 |BJMM with SS-Green Light Racing |
| 30
|01 |
| 31
|12 |Ford |
| 32
|38 |
| 33
|90 |
| 34
|40 |
| 35
|78 |
| 36
|74 |
| 37
|13 |
| 38
|93 |Gray Gaulding (i) |
| 39
|89 |
| 40
|15 |Reed Sorenson (i) |
| colspan="5" |Failed to qualify |
| 41
|92 |
| colspan="5" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs-29cms2017lineup.pdf Official starting lineup] |
Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 45
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|20 |Erik Jones (i) |0 |
|---|
| 2
|18 |Daniel Suárez (i) |0 |
| 3
|22 |Ryan Blaney (i) |Ford |0 |
| 4
|7 |7 |
| 5
|21 |Daniel Hemric (R) |6 |
| 6
|9 |William Byron (R) |5 |
| 7
|42 |Alex Bowman (i) |0 |
| 8
|2 |Austin Dillon (i) |0 |
| 9
|00 |Cole Custer (R) |Ford |2 |
| 10
|12 |Ford |1 |
Stage 2 Laps: 45
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|18 |Daniel Suárez (i) |0 |
|---|
| 2
|20 |Erik Jones (i) |0 |
| 3
|12 |Ford |8 |
| 4
|22 |Ryan Blaney (i) |Ford |0 |
| 5
|42 |Alex Bowman (i) |0 |
| 6
|21 |Daniel Hemric (R) |5 |
| 7
|9 |William Byron (R) |4 |
| 8
|00 |Cole Custer (R) |Ford |3 |
| 9
|1 |2 |
| 10
|2 |Austin Dillon (i) |0 |
Stage 3 Laps: 110
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!St !# !Driver !Team !Make !Laps !Led !Status !Pts |
| 1
|4 |42 |Alex Bowman (i) |200 |32 |running |0 |
|---|
| 2
|31 |12 |Ford |200 |0 |running |44 |
| 3
|2 |22 |Ryan Blaney (i) |Ford |200 |38 |running |0 |
| 4
|12 |2 |Austin Dillon (i) |200 |0 |running |0 |
| 5
|9 |48 |200 |0 |running |32 |
| 6
|13 |00 |Cole Custer (R) |Ford |200 |0 |running |36 |
| 7
|8 |21 |Daniel Hemric (R) |200 |0 |running |41 |
| 8
|1 |18 |Daniel Suárez (i) |200 |111 |running |0 |
| 9
|14 |19 |Matt Tifft (R) |200 |0 |running |18 |
| 10
|7 |1 |200 |1 |running |29 |
| 11
|16 |62 |200 |0 |running |26 |
| 12
|11 |16 |Ford |200 |0 |running |25 |
| 13
|22 |33 |200 |0 |running |24 |
| 14
|20 |4 |200 |0 |running |23 |
| 15
|10 |3 |Ty Dillon (i) |200 |4 |running |0 |
| 16
|6 |9 |William Byron (R) |200 |6 |running |30 |
| 17
|18 |24 |Corey LaJoie (i) |200 |0 |running |0 |
| 18
|21 |39 |200 |0 |running |19 |
| 19
|19 |14 |200 |0 |running |18 |
| 20
|23 |51 |199 |0 |running |17 |
| 21
|25 |07 |199 |0 |running |16 |
| 22
|30 |01 |199 |1 |running |15 |
| 23
|27 |0 |199 |0 |running |14 |
| 24
|33 |90 |199 |0 |running |13 |
| 25
|15 |11 |199 |0 |running |2 |
| 26
|29 |99 |BJMM with SS-Green Light Racing |198 |0 |running |11 |
| 27
|17 |5 |197 |0 |running |10 |
| 28
|28 |8 |196 |0 |running |9 |
| 29
|34 |40 |193 |0 |running |8 |
| 30
|3 |20 |Erik Jones (i) |192 |7 |running |0 |
| 31
|26 |52 |161 |0 |oil leak |6 |
| 32
|36 |74 |160 |0 |suspension |5 |
| 33
|5 |7 |112 |0 |overheating |11 |
| 34
|24 |23 |Spencer Gallagher (R) |62 |0 |crash |3 |
| 35
|37 |13 |52 |0 |steering |2 |
| 36
|35 |78 |36 |0 |crash |1 |
| 37
|40 |15 |Reed Sorenson (i) |15 |0 |electrical |0 |
| 38
|39 |89 |13 |0 |handling |1 |
| 39
|38 |93 |Gray Gaulding (i) |3 |0 |electrical |0 |
| 40
|32 |38 |2 |0 |steering |1 |
| colspan="10" |Failed to qualify |
| 41
! |92 ! colspan="4" | |
| colspan="10" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs-29cms2017racereport.pdf Official race results] |
Standings after the race
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Drivers' Championship standings
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| ! Pos
! Driver ! Points |
|---|
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,026 |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,023 (-3) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,020 (–6) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,009 (–17) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,007 (–19) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,006 (-20) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,005 (-21) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 3,004 (-22) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,079 (-947) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 10 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,058 (-968) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,055 (-971) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,052 (-974) |
| class="sortbottom"
!colspan="9"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/nxs-29cms2017points.pdf Official driver's standings] |
- Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{NASCAR next race|Previous_race=2017 Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200|Monsteryear=2017|Series=NASCAR Xfinity Series|Next_race=2017 Kansas Lottery 300}}
{{NASCAR on NBC}}{{2017 NASCAR Xfinity}}
Category:2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series
Category:NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway