The 2017 Mid-Ohio Challenge was the 21st stock car race of the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the fifth iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, August 12, 2017, in Lexington, Ohio at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a 2.258 miles (3.634 km) permanent road course. The race took the scheduled 75 laps to complete. At race's end, Sam Hornish Jr., driving for Team Penske, would hold off the field on the final restart with five to go to complete a dominant performance. The win was Hornish's sixth and to date, final career win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and his only win of the season. To fill out the podium, Daniel Hemric, driving for Richard Childress Racing, and Matt Tifft, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, 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 MotorsportsChevrolet01Sheldon CreedJD MotorsportsChevrolet2Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3Scott Lagasse Jr.Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet07Andy LallySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet8Josh BilickiB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet9William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet11Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet13Enrique BacaMBM MotorsportsDodge14J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord18Regan Smith (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20James DavisonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet22Sam Hornish Jr.Team PenskeFord23Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet24Dylan LuptonJGL RacingToyota28Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota33Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet39Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet40Tim CowenMBM MotorsportsFord42Justin MarksChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet46Anthony KumpenPrecision Performance MotorsportsChevrolet48Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet52Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet62Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet74Cody Ware (i)Mike Harmon RacingDodge78Stephen YoungB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet90Matt BellKing AutosportChevrolet93Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet98Casey MearsBiagi–DenBeste RacingFord99David StarrB. J. McLeod Motorsports with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice Originally, two practices were scheduled to be held on Friday, August 11. However, rain would force the cancellation of both sessions. Instead, a lone practice session was run the following day.
The only 45-minute practice session was held on Saturday, August 12, at 8:00 AM EST. Sam Hornish Jr., driving for Team Penske would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 1:25.695 and an average speed of . Pos#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed122Sam Hornish Jr.Team PenskeFord1:25.69594.857220James DavisonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1:25.70594.846319Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1:25.98194.542Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, August 12, at 12:00 PM EST. Since the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course, the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included two rounds. The first round was 25 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 25 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 12 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Whoever set the fastest time in Round 2 would win the pole.
Sam Hornish Jr., driving for Team Penske would win the pole, with a lap of 1:23.921 and an average speed of in the second round.
No drivers would fail to qualify.
Full qualifying results Pos#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)122Sam Hornish Jr.Team PenskeFord1:24.35796.3621:23.92196.86321Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1:24.60896.0761:24.87095.779311Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet1:24.93295.7101:25.05295.574416Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord1:24.81195.8461:25.17395.439519Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1:25.05995.5671:25.35895.232621Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1:25.00895.6241:25.39795.18872Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1:24.94695.6941:25.53395.03787Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1:24.98895.6461:25.56994.997900Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1:24.60896.0761:25.78394.7601048Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet1:24.97995.6571:27.84692.5351120James DavisonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1:25.13395.4841:33.79186.6691218Regan Smith (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1:25.21595.392 - -Eliminated in Round 11307Andy LallySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1:25.35395.237 - -144Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet1:25.44095.140 - -1524Dylan LuptonJGL RacingToyota1:25.54595.024 - -1639Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet1:25.55395.015 - -1762Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1:25.64094.918 - -1814J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota1:25.78294.761 - -1998Casey MearsBiagi–DenBeste RacingFord1:25.85394.683 - -2051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1:25.97694.547 - -2142Justin MarksChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet1:25.98994.533 - -228Josh BilickiB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1:26.30894.184 - -239William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1:26.33294.157 - -2423Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet1:26.36994.117 - -2533Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1:26.37694.109 - -263Scott Lagasse Jr.Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1:26.64493.818 - -2790Matt BellKing AutosportChevrolet1:26.80893.641 - -2828Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota1:26.88993.554 - -2913Enrique BacaMBM MotorsportsDodge1:26.89893.544 - -305Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet1:26.91193.530 - -3193Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet1:27.13893.287 - -3201Sheldon CreedJD MotorsportsChevrolet1:27.20793.213 - -330Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1:27.25093.167 - -Qualified by owner's points3446Anthony KumpenPrecision Performance MotorsportsChevrolet1:28.00992.363 - -3599David StarrBJMM with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1:28.47991.873 - -3640Tim CowenMBM MotorsportsFord1:28.48291.870 - -3778Stephen YoungB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1:30.58789.735 - -3889Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet1:34.97385.591 - -3952Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet - - - -4074Cody Ware (i)Mike Harmon RacingDodge - - - -Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 20 Pos#DriverTeamMakePts111Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet10248Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet9362Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8416Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord754Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet6651Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet5739Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet4821Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3922Sam Hornish Jr.Team PenskeFord2108Josh BilickiB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 20 Pos#DriverTeamMakePts122Sam Hornish Jr.Team PenskeFord10221Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet9320James DavisonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota847Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet7507Andy LallySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet6642Justin MarksChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet5718Regan Smith (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota082Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3948Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet21011Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 35 Pos#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts122Sam Hornish Jr.Team PenskeFord7561running52221Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet758running47319Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota750running34420James DavisonJoe Gibbs RacingToyota750running41507Andy LallySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet750running3861Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet751running31762Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet750running38848Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet750running40942Justin MarksChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet750running331028Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota750running271111Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet753running371239Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet750running291314J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota750running241433Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet750running23154Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet750running281646Anthony KumpenPrecision Performance MotorsportsChevrolet750running211799David StarrBJMM with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet750running201813Enrique BacaMBM MotorsportsDodge750running19195Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet750running182040Tim CowenMBM MotorsportsFord750running172152Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet750running16223Scott Lagasse Jr.Richard Childress RacingChevrolet750running152374Cody Ware (i)Mike Harmon RacingDodge750running02478Stephen YoungB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet750running13259William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet670crash12262Ben Kennedy (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet670crash142724Dylan LuptonJGL RacingToyota670crash102818Regan Smith (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota670crash0298Josh BilickiB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet670crash9300Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet670crash7317Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet670crash133298Casey MearsBiagi–DenBeste RacingFord640engine53316Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord572crash113401Sheldon CreedJD MotorsportsChevrolet560running33500Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord540running23623Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet510crash13751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet510crash63890Matt BellKing AutosportChevrolet150crash13993Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet90transmission14089Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet50handling1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Elliott Sadler 763 2 William Byron 682 (-81) 3 Justin Allgaier 621 (–142) 4 Brennan Poole 581 (–182) 5 Daniel Hemric 567 (–196) 6 Cole Custer 505 (-258) 7 Matt Tifft 494 (-269) 8 Ryan Reed 457 (-306) 9 Dakoda Armstrong 431 (-332) 10 Blake Koch 431 (-332) 11 Brendan Gaughan 421 (-342) 12 Michael Annett 410 (-353)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References