The stage was set for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship race at Phoenix. William Sawalich snatched the pole but the championship drivers looked to play spoiler to the rookie. Austin Hill started the race in fifth, Cole Custer in seventh, AJ Allmendinger had to start in the rear after changing brakes, and Justin Allgaier had to start in the rear after wrecking in practice. The stage lengths were 45 laps for the first and second stages and 110 laps for the final stage.
Herbst Fast, Allgaier Too
Sawalich and Sheldon Creed brought the field to the green flag. Creed took the lead out of turn 2. Allmendinger and Allgaier began their trek through the field. They both moved through the traffic like a hot knife. After starting in the back, they were in the top 20 before lap eight was complete. Riley Herbst, Chandler Smith, and Creed fought for the lead, but Herbst took the lead from Creed after cutting the dogleg. Hill and Creed made up no ground as they sat in fifth and seventh.
Hill made his way past Sawalich for fourth. Allmendinger and Allgaier continued their passing ways. Allmendinger made it to 18th and stalled while Allgaier made it to 10th and kept going.
While Custer dropped a spot to eighth, Herbst maintained his lead over the field. He built a two-second gap over C. Smith. Hill, over the radio, said his water temp gauge was pegged. That meant his water temperature was too high and the gauge was flashing red to signal the driver. They had the same issue in practice and diagnosed a gauge issue as opposed to a water temp issue.
Allgaier passed Custer for sixth with five to go in the stage. Allmendinger still sat in 18th. Hill could not make up any ground on the leader and sat in fourth. Herbst led most of the stage and got the stage win! C. Smith did make a lunge at the end of the stage but could not make the pass. They were over five seconds ahead of Creed in third.
Hard Racing
Herbst was the first car off of pit road with Hill coming out second. Custer restarted in fourth, and Allgaier in 10th. It was an even restart for the front two, but Custer took the lead off of turn 2. Herbst took second from Hill. Allgaier made his way into the top five after a great restart. Herbst retook his lead from Custer.
Then, Stefan Parsons and Greg Van Alst brought out the second caution. Anthony Alfredo hooked Parsons in the right rear which sent him into the outside wall. Van Alst got turned around while slowing down for the yellow. Alfredo was penalized two laps for intentionally hooking another driver.
Herbst and Custer restarted on the front row with Hill and Allgaier in fourth and fifth. Herbst took the lead out of turn two. While Allgaier passed Custer who fell a few spots, Custer did not give up. He retook his spot from Allgaier for third. C. Smith brought out the third caution after getting turned around. Smith and Creed wanted the same real estate in turn two. The top three championship drivers took this opportunity to pit while Allmendinger stayed out to gain track position.
Beginning of the Problems
Jesse Love and Creed brought the field back to green. Allmendinger sat in third and Allgaier in fifth. Allgaier made contact with Herbst but also made the pass on Allmendinger. Custer caught Allmendinger and passed him, and then Allgaier. Allgaier then felt the left rear tire going down with three laps to go in the stage, but He stayed on the track to keep his track position. Herbst got the stage win while the highest championship driver was Custer in fifth. Allmendinger and Allgaier pitted for tires and fuel. Allgaier only changed his lefts.
Penalty on top of a Penalty
Aric Almirola and Herbst restarted the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship on the front row. Custer pushed Herbst back into the lead and Almirola fell to fourth. Allgaier was hit with a restart violation after pulling out of line before the start/finish line. He was made to serve a drive-through penalty through the pits. Then he was hit with a penalty for speeding on pit road. Back-to-back penalties were not what Allgaier needed. With that, he went a lap down.
At sixty laps to go, Herbst had built his lead over Custer to just five seconds. Custer had a six-second lead over the next championship driver in Allmendinger. Hill sat in 15th. Allgaier remained at a lap down to the leader. With 55 laps to go, Herbst brought his car down pit road for tires and fuel. That began the frenzy. Hill was the first championship driver to pit. Custer and Allmendinger pitted next.
After all of the shuffle, Custer maintained his lead in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship. Alfredo brought out the next caution. He blew a right front tire in turn one. Allgaier got his lap back due to the yellow flag. He was able to pit for tires. Hill followed him for tires as well.
The Comeback
Herbst and Love restarted the race on the front row. Custer sat in fourth with Allmendinger in sixth, Allgaier in ninth, and Hill in 11th. Custer was surrounded by Allgaier’s teammates, Connor Zilisch and Sam Mayer. Allgaier made some ground on Custer. With Custer in the heat of a three-car battle for third, Allgaier was able to close the gap.
Allgaier quickly passed Creed and Almirola while running the fastest lap on the track. Custer battled to maintain his spot. He tried to pass Love for second, but could not get it done.
Allgaier was playful over the radio asking for Jaws music.
(dun dun…) Custer hurt his tires battling to keep his third spot. Zilisch was constantly on the attack from the inside and outside.
(dun dun…) Herbst drove away from this battle behind him.
Custer moved to the top of the track to keep Zilisch at bay. Allgaier passed Mayer on the outside to move into fifth.
(dun dun…) Then, Hill caught up to the back of Mayer. Zilisch moved onto Custer’s right rear quarter panel and made the pass.
(dun dun…) He squeezed and moved Custer up the track which allowed Allgaier to move right behind Custer. Allgaier made his move as he dove into turn 3 and completed the pass.
(dun dun… dun dun…) With five laps to go in the race, Allgaier was out in front with some lapped traffic in front of him. He cleared the traffic and had Custer still fighting for the position.
Then Leland Honeyman brought the sixth caution sending the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship into overtime!
Overtime in the Championship!
All four championship drivers pitted for tires. Hill was the first out after taking two tires. Custer was the second out with Allgaier right behind him. Hill restarted on the front row with his teammate right beside him. Hill got a good restart but so did the rest. Allgaier passed Custer and Hill on the inside to move into second. Parker Retzlaff got turned around and hit the wall which brought out the seventh caution and second overtime.
Love and Allgaier brought us back to green. Allgaier got a good restart and took the lead. Herbst made contact with Love but stayed in it and passed Almirola for second.
Then, Herbst chased Allgaier for the lead and they separated themselves from the field.
Finally, Herbst made the pass in turn three and pulled away for the win! Justin Allgaier finished second and won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship!
Marvin’s Minute
Justin Allgaier won a fantastic race! He deserves the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship. He has been fighting for it for a while. What a come-from-behind win. Starting in the rear of the field, then two pass-through penalties kept him down but he did not stay down. He battled back and finally got his ring. Allgaier will be back next season to defend his title.
I want to say thank you to all the fans that read my recaps this season! I joined Pit Pass Network very early this season and have enjoyed my first season with a great team. Thank you all. I will, hopefully, be back next season so keep checking back for some offseason content.
