The 2017 Sparks Energy 300 was the ninth stock car race of the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 26th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, May 6, 2017, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 113 laps to complete. At race's end, Aric Almirola, driving for Biagi–DenBeste Racing, would take the lead with four to go and defend fiercely to win his third and to date, his only win of the season. To fill out the podium, Elliott Sadler of JR Motorsports and Joey Logano of Team Penske would finish second and third, respectively.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord0Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet01Harrison RhodesJD MotorsportsChevrolet2Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet6Bubba WallaceRoush Fenway RacingFord7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet07Ray Black Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet8Jeff GreenB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota9William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet11Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet13Mark ThompsonMBM MotorsportsToyota14J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord18Daniel Suárez (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Erik Jones (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet22Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord23Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet24Scott Lagasse Jr.JGL RacingToyota25Chris CockrumChris Cockrum RacingChevrolet28Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota33Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet39Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet40Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge42Tyler ReddickChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet48Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet52Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet62Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge78B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet88Kasey Kahne (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet90Martin RoyKing AutosportChevrolet98Aric Almirola (i)Biagi–DenBeste RacingFord99David StarrB. J. McLeod Motorsports with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, May 5, at 10:30 AM CST, and would last for 55 minutes. Blake Koch of Kaulig Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a time of 49.722 and an average speed of . Pos#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed111Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet49.722192.591262Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet49.732192.55232Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet49.784192.351Full first practice results
Final practice The final practice session was held on Friday, May 5, at 12:30 PM CST and lasted for 55 minutes. Brandon Jones of Richard Childress Racing set the fastest time in the session, with a time of 52.381 and an average speed of . Pos#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed133Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet52.381182.814211Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet52.508182.372321Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet52.623181.974Full final practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, May 6, at 9:30 AM CST. Since Talladega Superspeedway at least in length, the qualifying system was a single car, single lap, two round system where in the first round, everyone would set a time to determine positions 13–40. Then, the fastest 12 qualifiers would move on to the second round to determine positions 1–12.
Blake Koch of Kaulig Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 52.188 and an average speed of in the second round.
B. J. McLeod was the only driver to fail to qualify.
Full qualifying results Pos#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)111Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet52.465182.52252.188183.490288Kasey Kahne (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet52.498182.40752.296183.112321Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet52.636181.92952.491182.43142Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet52.748181.54252.493182.424533Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet52.582182.11652.529182.29967Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet52.748181.54252.640181.91573Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet52.761181.49852.646181.894822Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord52.521182.32752.650181.88099William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet52.777181.44352.676181.7911020Erik Jones (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota52.747181.54652.678181.7841116Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord52.701181.70452.884181.0761248Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet52.607182.02953.338179.534Eliminated in Round 11300Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord52.781181.429 - -141Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet52.800181.364 - -1528Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota52.813181.319 - -1642Tyler ReddickChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet52.839181.230 - -1762Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet52.884181.076 - -1818Daniel Suárez (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota52.925180.935 - -1919Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota52.928180.925 - -2023Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet52.945180.867 - -215Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet52.953180.840 - -226Bubba WallaceRoush Fenway RacingFord53.102180.332 - -2398Aric Almirola (i)Biagi–DenBeste RacingFord53.170180.102 - -2424Scott Lagasse Jr.JGL RacingToyota53.421179.255 - -254Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet53.490179.024 - -2613Mark ThompsonMBM MotorsportsToyota53.527178.900 - -2725Chris CockrumChris Cockrum RacingChevrolet53.557178.800 - -2874Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge53.642178.517 - -290Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet53.663178.447 - -3039Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet53.772178.085 - -3114J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota53.776178.072 - -3299David StarrBJMM with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet53.836177.874 - -3389Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet54.090177.038 - -Qualified by owner's points3407Ray Black Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet54.139176.878 - -3552Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet54.164176.796 - -3690Martin RoyKing AutosportChevrolet54.318176.295 - -3740Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge54.359176.162 - -3801Harrison RhodesJD MotorsportsChevrolet54.378176.101 - -3951Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet54.394176.049 - -Champion's Provisional408Jeff GreenB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota54.523175.632 - -Failed to qualify4178B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota - - - -Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 25 Pos#DriverTeamMakePts198Aric Almirola (i)Biagi–DenBeste RacingFord0222Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord037Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet8420Erik Jones (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0511Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet665Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet5762Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4888Kasey Kahne (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0914J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota21039Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 25 Pos#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1023Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet0388Kasey Kahne (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0498Aric Almirola (i)Biagi–DenBeste RacingFord0520Erik Jones (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0622Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord0742Tyler ReddickChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet485Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet3919Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2102Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 63 Pos#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts198Aric Almirola (i)Biagi–DenBeste RacingFord11313running021Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1130running35322Joey Logano (i)Team PenskeFord11316running042Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1135running34520Erik Jones (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1135running0619Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1130running3375Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet1136running3887Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet11324running47918Daniel Suárez (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1131running0108Jeff GreenB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota11318running271114J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota1130running281239Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet1131running26136Bubba WallaceRoush Fenway RacingFord1120running24143Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1124running01588Kasey Kahne (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet11218running01652Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet1120running211740Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge1120running201899David StarrBJMM with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1120running19194Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet1121running182042Tyler ReddickChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet1120running21210Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1121running162201Harrison RhodesJD MotorsportsChevrolet1120running152328Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota1120running142448Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet1110running132574Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge1100running122600Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord950running112751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet550electrical102813Mark ThompsonMBM MotorsportsToyota550engine92916Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord490crash83062Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet490crash113111Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet491crash123290Martin RoyKing AutosportChevrolet490crash53325Chris CockrumChris Cockrum RacingChevrolet490crash43424Scott Lagasse Jr.JGL RacingToyota480crash33589Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet320fuel pump2369William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet320crash13733Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet200crash13821Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet200crash13923Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet200crash14007Ray Black Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet70engine1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Elliott Sadler 330 2 Justin Allgaier 301 (–29) 3 William Byron 252 (–78) 4 Bubba Wallace 235 (–95) 5 Daniel Hemric 229 (–101) 6 Michael Annett 224 (–106) 7 Matt Tifft 216 (–114) 8 Ryan Reed 206 (–124) 9 Blake Koch 202 (–128) 10 Brennan Poole 193 (–137) 11 Dakoda Armstrong 174 (–156) 12 Cole Custer 165 (–165)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References