NASCAR Xfinity Series: Should Brett Moffitt race full-time?
By Mark Kristl
Brett Moffitt has competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season. Should he move from the Truck Series to the Xfinity Series next year?
Finishing in eighth place in any NASCAR race would be a solid result for any competitor. Eighth was the combined total for Brett Moffitt on Saturday, October 17 at Kansas Speedway, as he won the Truck Series race and then finished in seventh in the Xfinity Series race.
Moffitt competes full-time in the Truck Series and has driven in the majority of Xfinity Series races (26 of 30) this year. With his performance in the Xfinity Series, should the 28-year-old move up to the Xfinity Series full-time in 2021?
Moffitt currently is in his third full-time season in the Truck Series. His resume there is stout. He won the 2018 championship and has amassed 12 wins, 38 top five finishes and 50 top 10 finishes in 79 starts.
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Moreover, with his win at Kansas Speedway last weekend, he has clinched a berth into the Truck Series Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway. He has now made the Championship 4 in three straight years. So why leave the Truck Series?
Moffitt has experience in the Cup Series as well, winning the 2015 Rookie of the Year Award. He still has aspirations of competing in the Cup Series, saying, “I want to get back to Cup racing and try to win championships there.” But as Cup Series seats are filled, Moffitt remains the forgotten free agent.
Moffitt has found a home with Our Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. He has driven their #02 Chevrolet in 26 races this season and notched seven of the nine top 10 finishes for the first-year team this season.
After winning the @NASCAR_Trucks event earlier in the day, @Brett_Moffitt finishes 7th-place for @OurMotorsports in the @NASCAR_Xfinity Series event, the team's ninth top-ten of the season.#NASCAR | @NASCAR_Xfinity | #KansasLottery300 pic.twitter.com/rTK6QNAJzq
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) October 18, 2020
Moffitt set their career-best finish of fifth place at Talladega Superspeedway. While Andy Lally finished in fifth in the races at Road America and at the Daytona International Speedway road course, Moffitt has led all 25 laps for the team this year.
The #02 Our Motorsports Chevrolet sits in 15th place in the owner standings, chasing RSS Racing and Brandonbilt Motorsports, two organizations which fielded drivers who qualified for the playoffs.
Yes, Moffitt has only finished on the lead lap in 11 of his 26 Xfinity Series starts this year. Nevertheless, he has garnered more top 10 finishes than several full-time drivers, including playoff driver Brandon Brown.
When Hattori Racing Enterprises replaced Moffitt with Austin Hill following the 2018 Truck Series season, it was due to sponsorship. Moffitt joined GMS Racing, but he has driven an unsponsored #23 Chevrolet in a few races, including the playoff opener at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“We need some sponsors on it, as you can see!” Moffitt said after that race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he finished second.
Our Motorsports have found sponsorship for their #02 Chevrolet, which could make it an attractive option for Moffitt in 2021. He began his 2020 Xfinity Series slate strong. He had been on a string of poor finishes, with five finishes outside of the top 10, until the race at Kansas Speedway.
Moffitt’s seventh place finish there, in which he bested five of the eight remaining playoff drivers, caught the attention of Cup Series crew chief Rodney Childers, who sits atop the pit box of current playoff driver and 2014 champion Kevin Harvick.
How about @Brett_Moffitt today.. Wheeling this @NASCAR_Xfinity car tonight..
— Rodney Childers (@RodneyChilders4) October 18, 2020
Moffitt is slated to pilot the #02 Chevrolet for the rest of this year.
Should he move up to the Xfinity Series full-time next year? He has run well thus far, and playoff drivers Chase Briscoe and Ross Chastain are moving up to the Cup Series next year, presenting an opportunity for him to finish better, earn stage points and battle for a playoff berth. He has confirmed that he has offers for 2021.
I’m liking what @TonyStewart has to say today! Huge congrats to @ChaseBriscoe5! I’m 28 years young with a lot of @NASCAR experience if anyone needs a wheelman! Oh and yea I’ve had some hard hits to say the least.
— Brett Moffitt (@Brett_Moffitt) October 20, 2020
If given the opportunity to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series for Our Motorsports next year, he should accept the offer.
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Should Brett Moffitt move up to the Xfinity Series next year, or should he stay in the Truck Series and continue to contend driving for GMS Racing? The 2020 season ends in less than three weeks. Then it will be decision time!