XFINITY: Jordan Anderson goes head-to-head with Jeff Green in securing fourth-consecutive last-place finish
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| PHOTO: @j66anderson |
The finish, which came in Anderson’s 11th series start, was his fourth of the season and fourth in a row. He now joins all-time last-place leader Jeff Green as the only two drivers in NASCAR history to trail four straight races. The NASCAR record remains Green’s streak of eight in a row, also in XFINITY, during the summer of 2015.
Anderson was one of 41 drivers on a preliminary entry list which, once again, changed several times. On Monday, Mike Harmon and his #74 SupportMilitary.org Dodge were added, growing the list to 42 for 40 spots. Three days later, fellow owner-driver Morgan Shepherd withdrew his #89 Racing With Jesus / Visone RV Chevrolet. Finally, the day after, Obaika Racing entered its #97 Vroom! Brands Chevrolet, once again with Stephen Leicht aboard. In the end, Harmon and Leicht would be the two drivers sent home after qualifying.
Anderson ran 30th-fastest in Friday’s opening practice, 29th in Happy Hour, and timed in 31st in qualifying with a lap of 184.080mph, the third-slowest car to make the field on speed.
Starting last on Saturday was none other than Jeff Green in B.J. McLeod Motorsports’ #8 Chevrolet. While he’d started in that spot one other time this season, at Daytona, he’d yet to finish there in 2017. But last fall, the Texas track saw his 94th and, to date, most recent NASCAR last-place run. During the pace laps, Anderson joined Green at the back of the pack and stole away last on the opening lap. In four previous starts this season, Anderson had completed no more than three laps, but this time he stayed out there, challenging Green for the spot on track. The two cars began to lose touch with the leaders, and Green fell behind Anderson on Lap 8.
Lap 11 saw the first yellow, and a new challenger broke up the battle. Daniel Hemric, running 2nd in Richard Childress Racing’s #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, broke loose in the first corner and backed into the outside wall, damaging the right-front corner as well. By Lap 13, Hemric took last from Anderson and Green, but had made it to pit road for repairs. The crew beat the Crash Clock, returning to competition two laps behind, but struggled to meet minimum speed. Within two laps of the restart, it was Anderson who pulled off the track first, and by the 20th circuit, he’d taken last from Hemric. Hemric managed to finish 32nd while Green remained past the halfway mark, coming home 36th.
39th on Saturday went to Carl Long, whose #13 Chris Kyle Memorial Benefit Toyota struggled to catch the field for the restart following Hemric’s wreck. Motorsports Business Management cited steering issues as the reason for Long’s exit; his teammate Timmy Hill ran 31st. 38th went to Casey Mears, out with rear gear issues on the #98 GEICO Military Ford. One spot behind Jeff Green was Brennan Poole, his #48 DC Solar Chevrolet eliminated in the day’s biggest accident on Lap 67.
LASTCAR STATISTICS
*This marked the second-consecutive last-place finish for RSS Racing’s #93 in the spring race at Texas. Last year, Josh Wise trailed in the car with early brake trouble, starting a weekend sweep with the Cup race.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
40) #93-Jordan Anderson / 17 laps / electrical
39) #13-Carl Long / 24 laps / steering
38) #98-Casey Mears / 50 laps / rear gear
37) #48-Brennan Poole / 66 laps / crash
36) #8-Jeff Green / 114 laps / suspension
2017 LASTCAR XFINITY SERIES OWNER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) RSS Racing (4)
2nd) B.J. McLeod Motorsports, Kaulig Racing (1)
2017 LASTCAR XFINITY SERIES MANUFACTURER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Chevrolet (6)
2017 LASTCAR XFINITY SERIES DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
