The West Coast Swing was in full effect as the NASCAR Xfinity Series raced in Las Vegas, Nevada for The LiUNA! Sammy Smith was fastest in qualifying so he took the pole. His JR Motorsports teammates also qualified in the top six. Last week’s winner, Aric Almirola, started the race in eleventh. The first two stages were 45 laps, with the final stage being 110.
JRM to the Front
Smith got a great jump at the drop of the green flag. The field could not get out of turn 2 before William Sawalich hit the wall. Jeb Burton helped Sawalich get loose and slide up the track and smack the wall. Parker Retzlaff was caught in no man’s land as he tried to stop his car. He got bumped from behind and turned into the wall.
Smith and Connor Zilisch took the field back to green. Smith got a great push from his teammate in Kvapil. The JRM cars filled out the top four spots. Brennan Poole tapped Josh Williams, who slid up the turn and almost into Ryan Sieg. Justin Allgaier used a run on the backstretch to take the lead from Smith.
Late Stage Charge
Josh Williams, who has been under the weather for a few weeks now, requested a driver swap after reporting breathing issues. Taylor Gray and Almirola moved into the top five after passing Zilisch. Josh Bilicki got a flat right front tire and was able to limp it to the pits.
Almirola was flying through the field as he moved into second to break up the JRM party in the front. With Allgaier having a lead of over seven seconds, Almirola tried to cut it down but was unable to. Allgaier used that lead to win the first stage!
Jeremy Clements had to be pushed back to the pits after stopping on the track. Josh Williams was about to get out of his car, and Ty Dillon got in.
Differing Strategies
Almirola and Kvapil brought the field back to green. Almirola got a great jump to take the lead. Ryan Sieg had issues with his third gear and could not get up to speed with the field, losing several spots. Austin Hill made some great moves after the restart to get into second.
Allgaier used his speed to carve through the field back to the front. His team removed some tape under the caution, but it did not slow him down at all. Almirola did the opposite under the yellow, his team added tape. Hill went down pit road, complaining of a vibration. He pitted from the fifth position and surrendered all that track position.
Allgaier caught the leader and began his plan of attack for the lead. He made the pass using a lapped car to block Almirola. As soon as he retook the lead, he got loose and slid up the track allowing Almirola to take back the lead. Almirola was able to hold on and win the second stage!
JRM was Dominant
Almirola and Smith brought the field to green for the final stage. Allgaier pushed Almirola out to the lead and then tried to make the pass, to no avail. Zilisch would not let Allgaier pass. Zilisch ran the fastest lap of the race and made the pass for the lead. He maintained his lead at just under a full second.
Action throughout the field included Hill carving his way back from the unscheduled pit stop, the Burton family battling hard (albeit clean), and side-by-side action-packed racing for important track position. In the midst of all of this, Brandon Jones and R. Sieg fought for the ninth position.
Allgaier was eventually able to pass Almirola for second behind Zilisch. He closed the gap using lapped traffic and a mistake by Zilisch and was able to use Garrett Smithley to get back to the lead. Almirola took advantage of Zilisch’s used-up tires. Almirola caught up and passed him with ease.
Pit Stops to the Finish
Green flag pit stops began with 56 to go in the race. Allgaier and Almirola pitted at the same time, which left Zilisch to retake the lead. Almirola passed Allgaier in the pits. They split a lapped car, with Allgaier reclaiming the lead (after the pit cycle). Zilisch and Smith were penalized for speeding on pit road. Kyle Sieg and Daniel Dye pit and surrendered the lead back.
Allgaier and Almirola reclaimed the lead and second place, putting a nine-second gap to the third-place car in Jesse Love. Ryan Ellis had an electrical issue with 23 laps left. He made it to pit road with no caution thrown.
Allgaier could not pull away from Almirola. Almirola closed the gap, and with 18 to go, it was under two tenths of a second between them. Almirola searched for grip and speed but could not find any that Allgaier did not have. They continued to pass lapped cars, but nothing broke the fastest two cars up.
Kvapil pitted with nine to go in the race, as he was short on fuel.
Almirola would not let Allgaier go. Lapped traffic played nicely, getting out of the way of the leaders. Almirola slipped up coming out of Turn 4 with four laps to go. Allgaier did everything he could and was able to take the victory in Vegas!
Almirola finished in second. Jesse Love, Austin Hill, and Sam Mayer rounded out the top five.
Marvin’s Moment:
That was a classic Justin Allgaier win. He was fast from the start to the finish. Allgaier almost had the victory last week in Phoenix but could not close it out. However, he had some redemption in Vegas! Allgaier seems to always have speed. Do not count him out if he is still in the playoffs for the last race of the season.
