The 2017 Virginia 529 College Savings 250 was the 25th stock car race of the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the 37th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, September 8, 2017, in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 250 laps to complete. In the final stages of the race, Brad Keselowski, driving for Team Penske, would pull away from the field to win his 36th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win and his second and final win of the season. To fill out the podium, Kyle Busch, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Ty Dillon, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would finish second and third, respectively.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMake0Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet00Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet01Harrison RhodesJD MotorsportsChevrolet2Paul Menard (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet5Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet07Ray Black Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet8Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet9William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet11Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet13Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge14J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota15Reed Sorenson (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet16Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord18Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet22Brad Keselowski (i)Team PenskeFord23Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet24Dylan LuptonJGL RacingToyota28Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota33Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet39Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet40Bobby Dale EarnhardtMBM MotorsportsChevrolet42Tyler ReddickChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet48Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet52Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet62Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet74Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge78John GrahamB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet88Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet90Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet93Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet98Casey MearsBiagi-DenBeste RacingFord99David StarrBJMM with SS-Green Light RacingChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice The only one hour and 55-minute practice session was held on Friday, September 8, at 8:00 AM EST. Blake Koch, driving for Kaulig Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.967 and an average speed of . Pos#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed111Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet21.967122.91229William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet22.106122.139333Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet22.159121.847Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, September 8, at 4:15 PM EST. Since Richmond Raceway is under 2 miles (3.2 km) in length, the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included three rounds. The first round was 15 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 15 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 24 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Round 3 consisted of the fastest 12 drivers from Round 2, and the drivers would have 5 minutes to set a time. Whoever was fastest in Round 3 would win the pole.
Kyle Busch, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole after setting a time of 22.638 and an average speed of in the third round.
Morgan Shepherd was the only driver to fail to qualify.
Full qualifying results Pos#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)Time (R3)Speed (R3)118Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota -* -* -* -*22.638119.268248Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.722118.828322Brad Keselowski (i)Team PenskeFord -* -* -* -*22.746118.702400Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord -* -* -* -*22.749118.687588Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.765118.60369William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.781118.520711Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.810118.369821Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.821118.31297Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.841118.208102Paul Menard (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.867118.074111Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -* -* -*22.881118.0021216Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord -* -* -* -*23.107116.848Eliminated in Round 21319Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota -* -*22.784118.504 - -1420Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota -* -*22.806118.390 - -1551Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet -* -*22.809118.374 - -163Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -*22.845118.188 - -1762Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -*22.867118.074 - -185Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*22.965117.570 - -1939Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet -* -*23.018117.300 - -2024Dylan LuptonJGL RacingToyota -* -*23.089116.939 - -214Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*23.111116.827 - -2298Casey MearsBiagi-DenBeste RacingFord -* -*23.166116.550 - -2323Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet -* -*23.314115.810 - -2490Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*23.345115.656 - -Eliminated in Round 12542Tyler ReddickChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet22.975117.519 - - - -2633Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet22.977117.509 - - - -2793Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet22.982117.483 - - - -2852Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet23.087116.949 - - - -2999David StarrBJMM with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet23.154116.611 - - - -3014J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota23.164116.560 - - - -3128Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota23.169116.535 - - - -3213Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge23.232116.219 - - - -3315Reed Sorenson (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet23.372115.523 - - - -Qualified by owner's points3407Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet23.590114.455 - - - -358Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet23.729113.785 - - - -3674Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge23.902112.961 - - - -3778John GrahamB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet24.445110.452 - - - -3801Harrison RhodesJD MotorsportsChevrolet24.751109.087 - - - -390Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet24.874108.547 - - - -4040Bobby Dale EarnhardtMBM MotorsportsChevrolet25.244106.956 - - - -Failed to qualify4189Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet23.441115.183 - - - -Official starting lineup *Time not available.
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 75 Pos#DriverTeamMakePts13Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet0220Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0362Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8421Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet7522Brad Keselowski (i)Team PenskeFord0618Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0700Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord4888Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet092Paul Menard (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet0107Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 75 Pos#DriverTeamMakePts122Brad Keselowski (i)Team PenskeFord0218Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0321Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet843Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet0588Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet067Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet571Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet482Paul Menard (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet099William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet21020Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0 Stage 3 Laps: 100 Pos#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts122Brad Keselowski (i)Team PenskeFord25034running0218Kyle Busch (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota250182running033Ty Dillon (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet25016running0421Daniel Hemric (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet25013running4851Elliott SadlerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2500running36620Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2500running079William Byron (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2500running3287Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet2500running35988Dale Earnhardt Jr. (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2500running01048Brennan PooleChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2490running271111Blake KochKaulig RacingChevrolet2490running261216Ryan ReedRoush Fenway RacingFord2490running251319Matt Tifft (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2490running241400Cole Custer (R)Stewart–Haas RacingFord2490running27155Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet2490running221651Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2490running211742Tyler ReddickChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet2490running201828Dakoda ArmstrongJGL RacingToyota2490running19192Paul Menard (i)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2480running02014J. J. YeleyTriStar MotorsportsToyota2480running172162Brendan GaughanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2485running242223Spencer Gallagher (R)GMS RacingChevrolet2470running152333Brandon JonesRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2470running142424Dylan LuptonJGL RacingToyota2470running132598Casey MearsBiagi-DenBeste RacingFord2460running122639Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet2460running112790Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet2460running10284Ross ChastainJD MotorsportsChevrolet2450running9298Tommy Joe MartinsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet2440running83001Harrison RhodesJD MotorsportsChevrolet2430running73107Spencer BoydSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2420running6320Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet2410running53374Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingDodge2330running43440Bobby Dale EarnhardtMBM MotorsportsChevrolet2290running33599David StarrBJMM with SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2160clutch23652Joey GaseJimmy Means RacingChevrolet1640rear gear13778John GrahamB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet780rear gear13813Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsDodge330overheating13915Reed Sorenson (i)JD MotorsportsChevrolet170vibration04093Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet80electrical1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Elliott Sadler 894 2 William Byron 799 (-95) 3 Justin Allgaier 774 (–120) 1 4 Daniel Hemric 702 (–192) 1 5 Brennan Poole 701 (–193) 6 Cole Custer 617 (-277) 7 Matt Tifft 582 (-312) 8 Blake Koch 537 (-357) 1 9 Ryan Reed 512 (-382) 1 10 Michael Annett 512 (-382) 11 Brendan Gaughan 511 (-383) 12 Dakoda Armstrong 486 (-408)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References