NASCAR: Preview of Powershares QQQ 300 at Daytona

By Sean Anderson | Feb 16, 2018

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Brendan Gaughan, driver of the #62 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 25, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

The 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is almost here. Here is a preview of what to watch and what you should be excited to see this Saturday.

The 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season starts on Saturday with the Powershares QQQ 300. If this year’s race is anything like last season’s opener, fans have a lot to be excited about. Who will come out as the winner of the Powershares QQQ 300 at Daytona?

The Xfinity Series will see many changes this season from last season. Christopher Bell has moved up from the Camping World Truck Series to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Bell is also the reigning Truck Series champion. Kaz Grala also moved up from the Truck Series to the Xfinity Series.

Grala won the season-opening Truck Series race last season. Austin Cindric will race the full season in the Xfinity Series after competing for Brad Keselowski Racing in the Truck Series last year. He will drive the #60 car for Roush Fenway Racing and the #12 car for Team Penske. Ryan Truex is another driver moving up the ladder. He will drive the #11 car for Kaulig Racing.

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All four of these drivers proved they can win in the Truck Series, and they look to take the next step in their careers in the Xfinity Series season opener and throughout the year.

There will be 46 drivers attempting to make the Xfinity Series season opener. Only 40 of them will make the race. Among those 46 drivers is Tyler Reddick, who ran a limited schedule in the Xfinity Series last year. Reddick earned his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Kentucky last season and has now moved over to JR Motorsports in the #9 car.

Ryan Reed, who is a two-time winner of the race, should be the early favorite driving for Roush Fenway Racing. Reed is a driver who has had limited success in the Xfinity Series and will look to take that next step this season.

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The NASCAR Xfinity Series has had very close, action-packed races at Daytona over the past few years. This year should not be any different. Fans know to expect two things during the season opener: there will be plenty of pack racing, and there will be “The Big One”. NASCAR’s up-and-coming stars will compete in their biggest race of the season and try to impress the fans, Cup Series owners and their sponsors.