The VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 was a race run by NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, United States. It was first run in 2012, and was won by the winner of the Feed the Children 300, Austin Dillon. The distance of the race was 300 miles (480 km). This race was used as a filler for the Kentucky Indy 300 race that ran here from 2001 to 2011, Starting in 2016, it was the first race in the Round of 12 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs. On March 8, 2017, it was announced that Las Vegas Motor Speedway, another SMI track, would get a second Cup date, a second Xfinity date, and a second Truck date. While the Fall Cup race and Truck race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway went there, Kentucky lost this race and was moved to Las Vegas
 | |
 | |
| NASCAR Xfinity Series | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Kentucky Speedway |
| Location | Sparta, Kentucky, United States |
| Corporate sponsor | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina |
| First race | 2012 |
| Last race | 2017 |
| Distance | 300 mi (480 km) |
| Laps | 200 (Stage 1: 45 Stage 2: 45 Stage 3: 110) |
| Previous names | Kentucky 300 (2012–2013) VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 (2014–2017) Shady Rays 200 (2020) |
| Most wins (driver) | Ryan Blaney (2) |
| Most wins (team) | Team Penske (3) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chevrolet (4) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
History
The first time that this race was run was in 2012, and it was won by the contender and winner of the NASCAR Rookie of the Year award, and pole winner, Austin Dillon.
Despite being off the schedule since 2017, the race was briefly restored during the 2020 season as a replacement for the New Hampshire Motor Speedway event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in a July doubleheader with the Alsco 300.[1][2] The race, the Shady Rays 200, was held the day before the Alsco 300.[3]
Past winners
| Year | Date | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||||
| 2012 | September 22 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 300 (482.803) | 2:10:55 | 137.492 | |
| 2013 | September 21 | 22 | Ryan Blaney | Penske Racing | Ford | 200 | 300 (482.803) | 2:28:36 | 121.131 | |
| 2014 | September 20 | 62 | Brendan Gaughan | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 300 (482.803) | 2:21:36 | 127.119 | |
| 2015 | September 26 | 22 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske | Ford | 201* | 301.5 (485.217) | 2:44:06 | 110.238 | |
| 2016 | September 24 | 1 | Elliott Sadler | JR Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 300 (482.803) | 2:48:37 | 106.751 | |
| 2017 | September 23 | 42 | Tyler Reddick | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 300 (482.803) | 1:58:38 | 151.728 | |
| 2018 – 2019 | Not held | |||||||||
| 2020* | July 9 | 22 | Austin Cindric | Team Penske | Ford | 136* | 204 (328.306) | 1:51:31 | 109.759 | |
- 2015 & 2020: Race extended due to a green–white–checker finish.
- 2017: Race distance time and average speed record.
- 2020: Race added due to COVID-19 pandemic replaced New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Multiple winners (drivers)
| # Wins | Team | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ryan Blaney | 2013, 2015 |
Multiple winners (teams)
| # Wins | Team | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Team Penske | 2013, 2015, 2020 |
| 2 | Richard Childress Racing | 2012, 2014 |
Manufacturer wins
| # Wins | Make | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 4 |  Chevrolet | 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 |
| 3 | Ford | 2013, 2015, 2020 |
References
External links
- Kentucky Speedway race results at Racing-Reference