COTA NXS Race Report
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Race 11 of 33: Pit Boss 250
Location: Circuit of the Americas (3.4-mile road course)
Format: 46 laps / 156.86 miles
Buford’s Finish: 15th
Jade Buford and the No. 48 Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers team scored a 15th-place finish in Saturday’s inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of the America’s. Buford ran as high as third and earned valuable stage points on the way to securing Big Machine Racing’s best finish in the team’s short history.
Saturday morning started with a qualifying session in the rain. No stranger to racing in wet conditions, Buford ran a lap that solidified him a top-20 starting position. The Nashville, Tenn. native rolled off the grid from 18th place and was still inside the top 20 when a caution came out on lap 11. Under the yellow flag Buford reported that the Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers Camaro needed to improve on entry and exit of the turns, so crew chief Patrick Donahue called him to pit road for four tires, fuel and multiple adjustments. Due to an uncontrolled tire during the pit stop, Buford was forced to drop to the back of the field for the restart with one lap to go in Stage One. When the green and white checkered flag waved on lap 14, he was scored in the 27th position.
Staying out on the track under the caution, Buford lined up for Stage Two in the 17th position. After just three laps of green flag racing the caution flag waved, and Buford relayed that the No. 48 Chevrolet still needed some help on entry and exit of the corners. Opting to stay out, the team maintained their top-20 spot in the running order. With less than five laps remaining in the stage, several teams headed to pit road while the No. 48 team decided to stay out on the track. The gamble paid off with Buford earning his best stage finish of the season, crossing the line in third.
Prior to the final stage the team made a fast stop for four tires and multiple adjustments, giving Buford another top-20 restarting position on lap 32. After losing some ground initially, the handling on the Big Machine Racing driver’s Camaro started to improve and he methodically worked his way forward over a long green-flag run to take the checkered flag in the 15th position.
The top-15 finish and valuable stage points he earned catapulted Buford and the team up seven positions in the NXS point standings to 22nd.
Jade Buford, driver of the No. 48 Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers Chevrolet:
“Things are starting to come together for our No. 48 Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers team. I’m so proud of how far we’ve come in such a short time with it being our first season. We wanted better than a 15th-place finish today, but it still feels good to finally have a top 15 and it was a great day for us overall. The next stop is a top 10, and I don’t think we’re far away from that.”
Next Up:
The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Alsco Uniforms 300 on Saturday, May 29. Tune in to FOX Sports 1 at 1 p.m. ET.