WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – With seven races left in the regular season, Ross Chastain has his eye on the playoffs.
Chastain, driving the No. 4 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller, sits 12th in Xfinity points and, if the regular season ended today, would be the 12th and final driver to qualify for the playoffs and a shot at the seasonal championship. He is 40 points above the cutoff line.
Chastain will be protecting that spot in Saturday’s Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International as the Xfinity Series opens a month in which its drivers will compete on three road courses.
Chastain has raced three times in Xfinity events at the Glen, a fast 2.45-mile course with seven turns.
“The Glen is really fast for a road course,” Chastain said. “It gets your attention in a hurry. But I’ve been there enough now to have a good idea how to drive the place. We’re looking to finish well again this week.”
Chastain finished fourth – his best run of the season – last week at Iowa Speedway.
Practice for the 82-lap race is scheduled at 12:35 p.m. and 2:05 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 11:35 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 3 p.m.