NASCAR Xfinity Series: Wawa 250 Preview – Race Night at Daytona

Event: 24th Annual Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, part of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series
When: Friday, August 22, 2025 – Green flag drops around 7:30 p.m. ET (TV on The CW, radio on MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Where: Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile high-banked superspeedway
Distance & Format: 100 laps totaling 250 miles. Stage breaks at lap 30 and lap 60 make for two stage finishes before the final sprint to lap 100

With just three races remaining before the Round of 12, the Wawa 250 is a playoff cutoff crucible—drivers on the fringe must deliver to secure their spot

There’s no rain in the forecast, making conditions favorable for an evening superspeedway showdown
Tickets are still available, ranging roughly $38–$73 for Thursday’s Xfinity race.

Drivers & Betting Insights

Simulations favor Austin Hill, showing the strongest chance to win (~17.3%), followed by Aric Almirola, Jesse Love, and Sheldon Creed in podium contention
DFS values place top names like Austin Hill, Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, and Connor Zilisch as high-cost picks. Mid-tier threats include Aric Almirola, Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray, and Carson Kvapil

Daytona races are notorious for frequent cautions and attrition—in the spring Xfinity event there were eight cautions, and last year’s version saw 34 of 102 laps under yellow, with nearly 25% of the field not finishing.
Winner placements show some advantage for strong starters: 6 winners from the pole, 31 from the top 5, and 48 from the top 10 in Xfinity Daytona history

Natalie Decker returns to the national series just six months after giving birth, driving the No. 92 DGM Racing Chevrolet with Wawa sponsorship. It’s a powerful comeback storyline and a rare example of motherhood and motorsport intersecting at this level

Carson Kvapil is racing for one of the final wildcard playoff spots. Tonight marks his second start at Daytona—he placed fourth earlier this year, a top-five performance to watch for repeat potential

JGR’s Xfinity program boasts a strong Daytona pedigree: 5 wins, 35 top‑fives, 56 top‑10s, 795 laps led, and 10 poles. Expect their entries to be prominent in tonight’s mix

The Wawa 250 features a full 38‑car field, after a midweek withdrawal trimmed the entry list. Everyone who entered will start, adding depth and complexity to that superspeedway shuffle