{"id":36710,"date":"2021-11-04T19:58:04","date_gmt":"2021-11-05T00:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=36710"},"modified":"2021-11-08T15:41:02","modified_gmt":"2021-11-08T21:41:02","slug":"nascar-xfinity-series-championship-4-media-day-notebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2021\/11\/04\/nascar-xfinity-series-championship-4-media-day-notebook\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 Media Day Notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

Austin Cindric \u201cjust happy\u201d for a shot at a second straight NASCAR Xfinity title<\/b><\/p>\n

PHOENIX, Ariz. \u2013 In the NASCAR Cup Series, drivers seldom win consecutive titles.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Austin Cindric, driver of the #22 CarShop Ford, speaks to the media during the 2021 NASCAR Championship 4 Media Day at the Phoenix Convention Center on November 04, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Sean Gardner)<\/p><\/div>\n

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the feat is almost commonplace.<\/p>\n

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are the only two Cup drivers in the last 25 years to earn consecutive championships\u2014Gordon with titles in 1997-1998 and Johnson with a record five straight from 2006 through 2010.<\/p>\n

In the Xfinity Series, on the other hand, championships seem to come in pairs. Randy LaJoie won in 1996 and 1997, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 1998 and 1999. Martin Truex Jr. was champion in 2004 and 2005, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. claimed trophies in 2011 and 2012.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Austin Cindric, driver of the #22 CarShop Ford, speaks to the media during the 2021 NASCAR Championship 4 Media Day at the Phoenix Convention Center on November 04, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Sean Gardner)<\/p><\/div>\n

Most recently, Tyler Reddick won titles in 2018 and 2019 for two different teams, JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing.<\/p>\n

Austin Cindric will be racing for his second straight Xfinity title in Saturday\u2019s championship event at Phoenix (8:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). If he wins, it can\u2019t be considered a break in form.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds great to me,\u201d Cindric said of the prospect of a second championship. \u201cIt absolutely sounds great. So I\u2019ll take it if you\u2019re handing it out, but otherwise I\u2019ve got to go get it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the value for me is having another season to let things slow down and focus on some smaller details that might help me in the future. Those are the things I think I\u2019ve benefited from in the 2021 season versus 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Austin Cindric, driver of the #22 CarShop Ford, speaks to the media during the 2021 NASCAR Championship 4 Media Day at the Phoenix Convention Center on November 04, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Obviously, the experience of winning a series championship is unique to Cindric within a Championship 4 that also includes Regular Season Champion AJ Allmendinger, Noah Gragson and Daniel Hemric.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s less newness, as far as that\u2019s concerned for me, as far as what to expect out of myself,\u201d said Cindric, who also is trying for his third straight win at Phoenix. \u201cI feel like I learned a lot in a positive way from the mentality that I took. I think I\u2019m bringing that mentality back\u2014just the fact that I\u2019m happy to be here.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019ve won the championship, but that doesn\u2019t guarantee me anything on Saturday. So, happy to be here, happy to have a shot, happy to be a part of the conversation, happy to be driving fast race cars. So I\u2019m looking forward to making the most of that opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/CindricChamp4MediaDay.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

AJ Allmendinger guarantees massive celebration if he wins Xfinity title<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

An AJ Allmendinger victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway would guarantee two things: 1) an unprecedented celebration involving the driver, team owner Matt Kaulig and team president Chris Rice; and 2) a scream from Allmendinger\u2019s father that would drown out those of his son.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Hyperice Chevrolet, speaks to the media during the 2021 NASCAR Championship 4 Media Day at the Phoenix Convention Center on November 04, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Sean Gardner)<\/p><\/div>\n

What it won\u2019t be is a life-changing experience for the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, who will turn 40 on Dec. 16.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to winning a championship, yeah, it would be so special,\u201d Allmendinger said during Xfinity Series Championship 4 Media Day interviews at the Phoenix Convention Center. \u201cI\u2019m going to be nervous as can be standing by the car, getting ready to go.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if we\u2019re going to be brutally honest, if I win it or I don\u2019t, for me personally, it doesn\u2019t change my life. Of course, I want to win a championship in NASCAR. I\u2019ve been here 15 years trying to do it\u2026 I\u2019d love to win it, and, hell, the celebration if we win it may be better than anybody\u2019s you\u2019ve ever seen.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween myself and the whole team, but between me, Chris and Matt\u2014you may never hear from us again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Allmendinger\u2019s father, Greg Allmendinger, is certain to be a big part of the celebration.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we\u2019re fortunate enough to win this thing on Saturday, you will hear the loudest scream from my dad,\u201d Allmendinger promised. \u201cAnybody who\u2019s been around my dad\u2014you get a little insight into who I am once you meet my dad.\u201d<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/AllmendingerChamp4MediaDay.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Noah Gragson takes a Playoff page from the NHL Golden Knights<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Las Vegas native Noah Gragson, naturally enough, is a fan of the Las Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops\/TrueTimber\/BRCC Chevrolet, speak to the media during the 2021 NASCAR Championship 4 Media Day at the Phoenix Convention Center on November 04, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

That\u2019s why the driver of the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet arrived at Thursday\u2019s Xfinity Series Championship 4 Media Day, sporting a bushy beard.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Former NASCAR driver) Brendan Gaughan texted me after we won Martinsville (last Saturday), and he was like, \u2018That ugly beard\u2019s got to go,\u2019\u201d Gragson said. \u201cI wish I could grow a good one, but, yeah, it\u2019s like hockey guys\u2026 I\u2019m a big Golden Knights fan, and they grow their Playoff beards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got my hair cut before we went to Vegas for the start of the Playoffs, and it\u2019s kind of a Playoff beard and Playoff haircut\u2014(I won\u2019t) shave it until the Playoffs are over. Just another week.\u201d<\/p>\n

After his triumph at Martinsville in a must-win scenario in the Round of 8 elimination race, Gragson is approaching Saturday\u2019s championship race with an air of confidence.<\/p>\n

Then again, to borrow another concept from his hometown, he\u2019s playing on house money.<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/GragsonChamp4MediaDay.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Daniel Hemric interview:<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/HemricChamp4MediaDay.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Austin Cindric \u201cjust happy\u201d for a shot at a second straight NASCAR Xfinity title PHOENIX, Ariz. \u2013 In the NASCAR Cup Series, drivers seldom win consecutive titles. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the feat is almost commonplace. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are the only two […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":36720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[16,181],"class_list":["post-36710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-nascar","tag-nascar-xfinity-series"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/GettyImages-1351359408-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-9y6","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36710"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36710\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36725,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36710\/revisions\/36725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}