By: Ashley McCubbin

If your name is not Austin or Justin, then you know you are not among one of the drivers to win in the most recent seven races for the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway. Unless you are Jeremy Clements, then you were the exception in the summer of 2022.

Justin Haley. Justin Allgaier. Austin Hill. Austin Cindric. In a series that follows the tagline, names are made here, each of these drivers have gone onto to write headlines of their own in NASCAR’s second-tier division outside of just their trophies from Daytona.

Austin Hill and Justin Allgaier will hope to keep the trend going, as they begin their quest for their first series championships once again. The pair were impressive last season with multiple race wins and Allgaier being apart of the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway. They also know how to draft with the best as evident by their previous wins, and a top-five in four of the last five races at the 2.5-mile oval for Allgaier. Combined with power house teams like Richard Childress Racing and JR Motorsports, it’s the perfect recipe for success.

However, the field of contenders who hope to change the tune is very long – and with anything possible throughout the United Rentals 300, it could easily happen on Saturday.

Cole Custer is the first name that should come to mind, considering he won the 2023 season finale at Phoenix Raceway, allowing him to also take home the championship. He asserted his return to the series is all about chasing trophies, and will hope to better his finishes of ninth and fifth last year at Daytona.

Allgaier’s teammate Sam Mayer had a break-out campaign in 2023 to put himself inside the Championship 4 with four victories in the second half of the season. The only reason he may be left off your list of Daytona contenders, is the lack of top-10 finishes in his five previous trips to Florida.

Sheldon Creed will be looking to prove his move to Joe Gibbs Racing was worth it, and build off the momentum of a runner-up at Phoenix to complete the 2023 campaign. It’s been hit or miss at the beach for him, as he has a second and a sixth alongside three crashes.

You also have Sammy Smith, that spent last year with JGR but now joins JR Motorsports for 2024. Can he repeat the past success at Daytona that Justin Allgaier has experienced? He placed 19th and 21st at Daytona last year en route to a sixth-place finish in the standings.

A.J. Allmendinger joins the list of those with something to prove as he returns to the series, ready to chase a championship. His last four appearances at Daytona have also produced a string of top-five finishes as he was one of the critical keys to bringing teammate magic to Kaulig Racing, the recipe for Haley’s victory.

If you prefer a darkhorse, we have one of those for you as well. Parker Retzlaff has only been to Daytona twice with Jordan Anderson Racing, with finishes of fourth and seventh. Does he pull off the big upset? It wouldn’t the first time for Anderson, as Jeb Burton pulled off the feat at Talladega.