The 2023 Contender Boats 300 was the 31st stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series, the second race of the Round of 8, and the 29th iteration of the event. The race washeld on Saturday, October 21, 2023, in Homestead, Florida at Homestead–Miami Speedway, a permanent oval shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. In a wild finish, Sam Mayer, driving for JR Motorsports, would take the lead in the late stages of the race, and held off a fast-charging Riley Herbst in the closing laps to earn his fourth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, his fourth of the season, and his first win on an oval track. He would also earn a spot in the Championship 4. Cole Custer would dominate the majority of the race, winning the first stage and leading a race-high 114 laps, until hitting the wall and blowing a tire in the late stages. To fill out the podium, Herbst, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, and John Hunter Nemechek, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Background Homestead–Miami Speedway is a motor racing track located in Homestead, Florida. The track, which has several configurations, has promoted several series of racing, including NASCAR, the NTT IndyCar Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.
From 2002 to 2019, Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted the final race of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series. The track has since held races on different dates in 2020 (June) and 2021 (February), which were both effected by the COVID-19 pandemic, before being moved back into the Playoffs as the second race of the Round of 8 in 2022, with the date being kept for 2023.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (P) denotes playoff driver. (OP) denotes owner's playoffs car.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet02Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet2Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4J. J. YeleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet6Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet07Natalie DeckerSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet08Mason MasseySS-Green Light RacingFord8Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet11Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet16Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet18Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Joe Graf Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet24Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota25Brett MoffittAM RacingFord26Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord29Mason Maggio (i)RSS RacingFord31Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet38Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Leland HoneymanAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53Matt Mills (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsToyota66Ryan NewmanMBM MotorsportsFord74Dawson CramCHK RacingChevrolet78Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet88Dale Earnhardt Jr.JR MotorsportsChevrolet91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Friday, October 20, at 6:05 PM EST, and would last for 20 minutes. Cole Custer, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 32.964, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed100Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord32.964163.815220John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota33.261162.352348Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet33.387161.740Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, October 20, at 6:35 PM EST. Since Homestead–Miami Speedway is an intermediate racetrack, the qualifying system used is a single-car, one-lap system with only one round. In that round, whoever sets the fastest time will win the pole. Cole Custer, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 32.608, and an average speed of Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed100Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord32.608165.604220John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota32.786164.70437Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet32.888164.194421Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet32.940163.934518Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota33.020163.537625Brett MoffittAM RacingFord33.028163.498798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord33.037163.45388Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet33.038163.44892Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet33.068163.3001048Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet33.138162.9551119Joe Graf Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota33.155162.8711216Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet33.167162.812131Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet33.201162.6461439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord33.407161.6431510Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet33.425161.5561631Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet33.463161.372179Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet33.528161.0591891Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet33.583160.7961926Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota33.628160.5802011Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet33.671160.3752124Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota33.753159.9862251Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet33.822159.6592388Dale Earnhardt Jr.JR MotorsportsChevrolet33.843159.5602466Ryan NewmanMBM MotorsportsFord33.939159.1092538Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord33.971158.9592692Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet34.081158.4462745Leland HoneymanAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet34.093158.3902827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet34.149158.131296Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet34.215157.8263029Mason Maggio (i)RSS RacingFord34.271157.5683178Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet34.278157.5353274Dawson CramCHK RacingChevrolet34.294157.4623344Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet34.357157.173Qualified by owner's points3402Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet34.499156.5263508Mason MasseySS-Green Light RacingFord34.925154.6173635Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet34.835150.6913743Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet36.200149.1713828C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord36.313148.707Failed to qualify3953Matt Mills (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsToyota34.411156.927404J. J. YeleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet34.419156.8904107Natalie DeckerSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet35.628151.566Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 40 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts100Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1021Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet9320John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota842Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet7525Brett MoffittAM RacingFord667Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet5798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord4821Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3926Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota21010Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 40 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts111Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet10220John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota9300Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord841Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet757Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet6648Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet5738Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord4898Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord3921Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet21010Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 120 Pos.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1131Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet20046Running562798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord2000Running423220John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2007Running514421Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2000Running3852388Dale Earnhardt Jr.JR MotorsportsChevrolet2000Running3261510Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet2000Running3371048Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet2000Running358179Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet2000Running299518Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2000Running28101119Joe Graf Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2000Running27112011Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet20021Running36121631Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2000Running2513100Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord199114Running42141439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord1990Running231537Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1998Running33161891Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet1990Running21172692Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1990Running20183344Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1990Running1919296Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet1990Running18202827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1990Running17212251Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1990Running16222538Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1990Running19232745Leland HoneymanAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1990Running14243743Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1990Running13253635Patrick EmerlingEmerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1980Running122692Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1984Running18273508Mason MasseySS-Green Light RacingFord1980Running10283178Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1970Running9293402Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet1960Running8301926Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota1940Running9312124Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota1900Electrical63288Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet1710Accident5333029Mason Maggio (i)RSS RacingFord1530Electrical0341216Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1380Engine335625Brett MoffittAM RacingFord970Accident8363274Dawson CramCHK RacingChevrolet650Accident1373828C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord370Carburetor1382466Ryan NewmanMBM MotorsportsFord270Rear Gear1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 John Hunter Nemechek 3,154 2 2 Cole Custer 3,113 (-41) 3 Austin Hill 3,113 (–41) 2 4 Sam Mayer 3,111 (–43) 3 5 Justin Allgaier 3,110 (–44) 1 6 Sammy Smith 3,064 (–90) 2 7 Chandler Smith 3,059 (–95) 8 Sheldon Creed 3,048 (–106) 9 Daniel Hemric 2,177 (–977) 10 Parker Kligerman 2,161 (–993) 11 Josh Berry 2,096 (–1,058) 12 Jeb Burton 2,073 (–1,081)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References