5 factors that make NASCAR Xfinity Series 2021 interesting

NASCAR Xfinity Series will kick off its 40th season in February. It may not have new teams like the Cup Series, but the action won't be any less exciting.

As many as seven road-course races are planned for the season. The fact that many of the top drivers from last year are back, only makes matters more interesting.

Let us take a closer look at 5 interesting factors for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series:

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#1 Tough pool and stiff competition

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The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series will see six of the top eight drivers vying for the top honors. The series champion, Austin Cindric will also make a return.

The competition is bound to be stiff with drivers like Justin Allgaier, Justin Haley, Noah Gragson, Brandon Jones, and Harrison Burton all returning. They combine to make up a total of 21 wins in 33 races from the last season — a good 63% wins.

Additionally, the playoff drivers — Michael Annett, Ryan Seig, Brandon Brown, and Riley Herbst will also make a return.

#2 Higher stakes

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A lot will be at stake for the young Riley Herbst in particular. After having a rather rough ride with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) last year, he has made the move to Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) this season.

The No. 98, which Herbst is supposed to drive this season, was driven by Chase Briscoe last year. Briscoe registered a series-best nine wins with the No. 98.

On the other hand, Daniel Hemric, who replaces Herbst at JGR, feels he has just the right car at his disposal to be able to clock the desired speeds for victory.

Another young driver to watch out for is Jeb Burton. Driving the No. 10 for Kaulig Racing, Burton has part-time stints with Xfinity Series in the past five years.

#3 The rise of Kaulig Racing

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Kaulig Racing are looking to go all out this season by expanding their line-up to three cars. With Haley, Burton, and AJ Allmendinger taking up the driving duties, Kaulig Racing present a strong candidature for themselves.

With the addition of superspeedway and road-course races in 2021, it could really turn out to be the year for Kaulig Racing and AJ Allmendinger.

#4 Addition of road courses at NASCAR Xfinity Series 2021

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Getting the road-course races back really opens up the Xfinity Series, but Allmendinger and Cindric go in as the strong favorites.

The two drivers combined to win three out of the four road-course races in the previous year.

But with third-place finishes on road courses at Indianapolis and Daytona, the prowess of Noah Gragson cannot be undermined either.

#5 NASCAR Xfinity Dash 4 Cash schedule

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The Dash 4 Cash schedule, where the drivers compete against each other for cash bonuses, will add to the overall excitement in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

There are a total of four different types of tracks denoted for the same. Martinsville Speedway (April 9th), and Talladega Superspeedway (April 24th) make up the first two.

The action would then shift to Darlington Raceway (May 8th), followed by the fourth and the final race at Dover International Speedway (May 15th).

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