The 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner is going to pull double-duty during the NASCAR weekend in Charlotte. Austin Dillon will join Big Machine Racing for the Xfinity Series race on May 28 (1 p.m. ET, FS1).
The NASCAR Roster Portal provided the big reveal on May 23. The entry list for the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet Camaro had Dillon as the driver and Patrick Donahue as the crew chief. The portal had originally listed Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing teammate, Tyler Reddick, as the driver, but he will take on a different role during the Xfinity Series race while serving as a pit reporter for the drivers-only broadcast.
The Alsco Uniforms 300 will mark Dillon’s debut in the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet. The entry has featured Jade Buford (eight starts), Kaz Grala (two starts), and Reddick (two starts). Dillon’s teammate has bragging rights in that he secured the first-ever win in Big Machine Racing history at Texas Motor Speedway.
ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on NASCAR newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on NASCAR Newsletter!
Dillon Made Multiple Xfinity Series Starts in 2021
GettyAustin Dillon has returned to the Xfinity Series.
The Cup Series veteran has continued to focus on the No. 3 team and trying to get back into the playoffs, but he has also spent some time making limited starts in the Xfinity Series. This run includes four starts in 2019 and five in 2021.
The most recent run featured starts for four different teams. He made his return to the Xfinity Series while driving for Bassett Racing at Circuit of the Americas. Dillon then replaced an injured Michael Annett in the No. 1 JR Motorsports entry at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Dillon rounded out his schedule with starts for Our Motorsports at Watkins Glen International and Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Jordan Anderson Racing at Darlington Raceway. A chassis issue disrupted his race at Watkins Glen, but he secured a top-10 finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course.
Dillon Has Big Driving Shoes To Fill
We did the thing!!!
When Dillon takes over the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro, he will have big driving shoes to fill. His teammate, who happens to be a two-time Xfinity Series champion, captured the first win for Big Machine Racing after leading the final 31 laps and holding off a late charge by William Byron.
Dillon will be able to fight for a second consecutive win at a track where he has previous success. The 2013 Xfinity Series champion has nine wins in the second-tier series, including two previous trips to Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Dillon actually swept the 2015 season races at the North Caroline track. He led 163 of the scheduled 200 laps during the spring race, and then he led another 61 during the October 2015 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Along with the wins, Dillon has performed consistently while taking on the 1.5-mile track. He has a total of 11 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway with seven top-10 finishes and six top-fives. His only DNF took place in 2019 when the No. 10 Kaulig Racing entry had cooling issues.
READ NEXT: NASCAR Fans & Drivers Sound Off After All-Star Race Controversy
Comments
Austin Dillon Joins New Team for Packed Charlotte Weekend