Ross Chastain, the driver of the #42 DC Solar Chevrolet, poses with the winner’s sticker after the NASCAR Xfinity Series DC Solar 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 15, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
LAS VEGAS – Two weeks ago at Darlington, Ross Chastain showcased his potential in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, leading 90 laps before falling out of the race in a dust-up with veteran Kevin Harvick. Continue reading
Brad Keselowski, the driver of the #22 Snap-On Ford, affixes the winner?s decal to his car in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington Raceway on September 1, 2018, in Darlington, South Carolina Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
DARLINGTON, S.C. – Brad Keselowski took the lead in Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington Raceway when the two cars in front of him tangled off turn two. Continue reading
Justin Allgaier, the driver of the #7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Johnsonville 180 at Road America on August 24, 2018, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. – Continuing to make the most of his banner year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Justin Allgaier took advantage of a mistake by James Davison in the closing laps of the Johnsonville 180 to cruise to his fourth win of the season at the 4.048-mile road course of Road America. Continue reading
LEXINGTON, OHIO – Justin Allgaier pulled off the NASCAR version of a ‘spin and win’ to take the Xfinity Series victory in Saturday’s Rock N Roll Tequila 170 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
The JR Motorsports driver of the No. 7 Brandt Chevrolet rallied from late-race contact and a spin to pass Austin Cindric with eight laps remaining, claiming his third win of the season and first at the famed 2.4-mile road course.
Cindric’s No. 22 Penske Racing Ford won the pole position and led a dominant 59 of the race’s 75 laps but his track position gamble out front on old tires couldn’t hold off a hard-charging Allgaier, who pitted for new rubber in the race’s final caution period with nine laps remaining.
Cindric held on for second place. Richard Childress Racing driver Daniel Hemric finished third, followed by teammate and Ohio native Matt Tifft. Ryan Truex rounded out the top-five. Allgaier beomes the sixth different winner in as many Xfinity races at Mid-Ohio.
The race was
“I thought we gave it away when I went off (course),’’ Allgaier said of his mid-race collision with Ford’s Cole Custer. “But that pit call (for tires) at the end is what did it. …We’ve been good this year, but to do it (win) at a road course is even better.”
And, he added with a smile, “it was a real barn-burner at the end.’’
For his part, Cindric was understandably disappointed to come home runner-up because he had clearly been the class of the field all weekend. The 19-year old Indiana-native came just two-seconds away from claiming his first Xfinity Series win, but did lead the most laps and earned a stage win as well.
“It was a big points day for me. .. but too bad we couldn’t capitalize with a dominant car,’’ Cindric said.
Four-time race winner and series points leader Christopher Bell ran as high as second place at one point, but heavy contact between him and veteran Elliott Sadler in the closing laps spun Bell’s No. 20 Toyota around and caused a final lap catch-up session. He ended up 11th and still holds a 17-point advantage over Hemric and Elliott in the standings with four races left to set the Playoff field.
Former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, Andy Lally led seven laps and finished 15th – leading the road racing contingent to a good showing on the afternoon.
IMSA standout and former IndyCar driver Katherine Legge finished 30th, having to retire her car ten laps from the end with engine problems. She is scheduled to compete with the Xfinity Series again at Road America in two weeks – as is NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, who is coming out of retirement for that race.
The Xfinity Series races the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway next Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 73.312 mph.
Time of Race: 02 Hrs, 18 Mins, 36 Secs. The Margin of Victory: 2.095 Seconds.
Caution Flags: Six for 18 laps.
Lead Changes: Seven among four drivers.
Lap Leaders: A. Cindric # 1-17; J. Allgaier 18-21; A. Cindric # 22-42; A. Lally 43-49; A. Cindric # 50-63; C. Bell # 64; A. Cindric # 65-71; J. Allgaier 72-75.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): A. Cindric # four times for 59 laps; J. Allgaier two times for eight laps; A. Lally one time for seven laps; C. Bell # one time for one lap.
Stage #1 Top-Ten: 7,1,11,4,22,61,23,15,60,2
Stage #2 Top-Ten: 22,2,20,00,21,9,51,1,3,7
Christopher Bell, the driver of the #20 Ruud Toyota, poses with the winner’s sticker Victory Lane after the NASCAR Xfinity Series U.S. Cellular 250 presented by The Rasmussen Group at Iowa Speedway on July 28, 2018, in Newton, Iowa. Photo – Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
NEWTON, Iowa — How long had it been since a non-Monster Energy Cup regular triumphed in three straight Xfinity Series races? Continue reading