Taylor Gray led the NASCAR Xfinity Series practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, just one week after leaving the playoff race at The Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval. Gray recorded the fastest lap at 30.557 seconds, securing the top spot ahead of a highly anticipated weekend for the series and highlighting strong early pace during the practice session.
Gray Leads a Competitive Field in Practice
The NASCAR Xfinity Series practice session at Las Vegas saw Taylor Gray dominate with the quickest time, outpacing contenders like Ryan Sieg, Nick Sanchez, Jesse Love, and Aric Almirola, who made up the rest of the top five. Corey Day, Daniel Hemric, Harrison Burton, Thomas Annunziata, and Austin Hill filled out the top 10, each showing notable speed as the field prepared for qualifying and race day. Notably, Jesse Love stood out as the only playoff driver among the top finishers in practice, setting the stage for a crucial race ahead.
Key Results from Las Vegas Practice
Defending Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier, who won at Las Vegas in March, finished just outside the top 10 in 11th place. Other notable results include Carson Kvapil finishing 15th, Sheldon Creed in 16th, and Brandon Jones coming in at 23rd. Former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne placed 25th, followed by Connor Zilisch in 26th, Sammy Smith in 30th, and Sam Mayer in 32nd. With top playoff contenders spread throughout the results, the competitive field promises unpredictability going into qualifying and the upcoming race.
Excitement Builds Ahead of Qualifying and the Focused Health 302
Qualifying for the Xfinity Series is the next agenda, airing on the CW App, while the Focused Health 302 race will start shortly after 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, broadcast on CW, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Pre-race coverage will begin at 7 p.m. ET. AJ Allmendinger, last year’s winner, will return to defend his victory, increasing the expectations for a thrilling event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“He’s showing the speed early! @Taylor_Gray was fastest in practice at @LVMotorSpeedway! pic.twitter.com/jObroMIC12”
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity)
The strong practice performance by Taylor Gray, with names like Aric Almirola, Nick Sanchez, and Jesse Love close behind, sets the stage for an intense and pivotal weekend for the series. As the drivers prepare to compete for key positions, fans and teams alike will watch closely to see how Saturday’s momentum carries over to qualifying and race night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
He’s showing the speed early! @Taylor_Gray was fastest in practice at @LVMotorSpeedway! pic.twitter.com/jObroMIC12
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 11, 2025
