Justin Allgaier claims his first Las Vegas Motor Speedway victory within the NASCAR Xfinity Collection on Saturday afternoon in The LiUNA.
LAS VEGAS—On Friday night time, Justin Allgaier noticed the Eagles in live performance. On Saturday, he was flying.
Justin Allgaier Las Vegas Victory
Holding off Aric Almirola over a 102-lap green-flag run, Allgaier lastly claimed victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after ending second 4 instances on the 1.5-mile observe.
Allgaier’s victory in The Liuna! was his first of the season, the twenty sixth of his profession, and the ninetieth for JR Motorsports within the NASCAR Xfinity Collection. The reigning sequence champion crossed the end line 1.067 seconds forward of Almirola, who misplaced floor making an attempt to run the surface lane with simply over three laps left.
The decisive second within the race might have come a lot earlier. Allgaier misplaced the result in Almirola throughout an alternate of pit stops halfway via the ultimate stage, however he regained it in visitors on lap 152 and remained out entrance the remainder of the best way.
With the victory, Allgaier certified for the primary Xfinity Dash4Cash race subsequent Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, together with third-place finisher Jesse Love, fourth-place Austin Hill, and fifth-place Sam Mayer. The very best finisher among the many 4 earns a $100,000 bonus.
Almirola isn’t scheduled to run the Homestead race.
“It was wonderful,” stated Allgaier. “This complete crew—I simply can’t say sufficient. Aric and I have been going at it. Hats of to him; he ran a heck of a race…
“Rick Brandt (of sponsor Brandt) was right here final night time. He took us to an amazing live performance, Eagles live performance … Everybody at JR Motorsports, I can’t say sufficient about how proud I’m of what we have now right here. It’s been particular.”
Aric Almirola Settles for Second
After Allgaier took the lead on lap 152, he opened a bonus of greater than two seconds over Almirola, who spent the following 40 laps whittling the margin all the way down to a car-length. However Almirola couldn’t discover a well beyond Allgaier within the closing laps.
“You at all times hate to complete second, however Justin and that crew was I felt like the category of the sector at this time,” Almirola stated. “We have been shut, however they may simply take off a lot quicker than I might. I feel that’s actually the distinction.
“I believed my solely hope was to cycle in entrance of him on the green-flag cease, and we did, however I simply obtained caught up behind some lapped visitors there that I misjudged. I wasn’t positive which manner they have been going, and he obtained by me and constructed such an enormous hole that I used my stuff up making an attempt to get again to him.”
Rookie Connor Zilisch Loses Result in Justin Allgaier
The green-flag stops within the ultimate stage proved expensive to Sunoco rookie Connor Zilisch, who streaked into the lead on lap 100 and held it till Allgaier nosed forward at the beginning/end line on lap 127.
Through the stops on lap 145, nevertheless, Zilisch drew a rushing penalty and served a pass-through that dropped him to the again of the lead lap. He rallied to complete ninth, the final driver on the lead lap.
Allgaier led 102 of the 200 laps, adopted by Almirola (51) and Zilisch (28). Brandon Jones, Ryan Seig, Harrison Burton, Zilisch, and Sheldon Creed accomplished the highest ten.
Allgaier, who gained the primary stage by 8.262 seconds, additionally completed second in Stage 2. Allgaier took over the sequence lead by 19 factors over Love. Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, and Sammy Smith spherical out the highest 5, with 44 factors separating the chief.
Subsequent Up
The NASCAR Xfinity Collection will race at Homestead Miami Speedway on Saturday, March twenty second. The Laborious Rock Wager 300 begins at 4 p.m. ET, and protection is on CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The defending winner at Homestead Miami is Austin Hill.
