Talladega always proves to be one of the most exciting tracks of the season and the Ag-Pro 300 was no different. Round two of qualifying was canceled due to lightning in the area, which gave the pole to the fastest car in round one, Jesse Love! His teammate, Austin Hill, joined him on the front row. The stage lengths were 25 laps for the first and second stage, with the final stage being 63 laps.
A Hornets Nest
Love got a great launch at the start of the race and immediately got to the inside and in front of Hill. The middle line began to form and gain speed, but Love and Hill got in front of it to block. Justin Allgaier was the leader of the middle line and pulled it alongside Hill, who led the inside. The outside had little help, with no one really pushing to the front.
Love and Hill moved into every lane they needed to to pinch off the runs. The Toyotas tried to form up on the outside but could not make up any ground. Ten laps in, Love led the bottom with Allgaier splitting the RCR teammates.
Allgaier got shuffled out and lost his spot in the front. He was picked up by the smaller inside line. Nick Sanchez got in front of Allgaier, and the inside line was able to get side by side with the leaders. They could not hold serve and lost a few car lengths, but did keep close.
Love led from wire to wire to pick up the stage one win! That was his first stage win of the season. Hill finished the stage in second with Sheldon Creed, Christian Eckes, and Ryan Sieg rounding out a close top five.
Most of the leaders took right side tires in the pits. Love got out first with Eckes in close pursuit.
Ride the Denté
Love and Sanchez brought the field back to the green flag. Eckes pushed Love out, but Sanchez and Allgaier did a better job. Sanchez took the lead on the backstretch but got shoved to the middle and fell out of the front spot. Love retook his lead and began to block the inside and middle lanes.
Love failed to block a speedy outside line with Jeb Burton leading. Burton was able to get out front and take the lead. He made his car three lanes wide, blocking from the top to the bottom of the track. The pack rode behind him three wide for more than seven rows.
Hill used a push from Sammy Smith to get inside and in front of Burton in turns 1 and 2. He led the outside line while the inside and middle lines fell by the wayside. Out of turn 4, the leaders slid down to the inside line to shorten the track. Love used an aggressive move to get inside Burton and behind his teammate in the lead.
Hill led the final five laps to get the win in stage two. Behind him were Love, Aric Almirola, Sanchez, and Smith. Love was the quickest car on pit road and was first out in front of his teammate.
Pit Stops!
Love and Almirola brought out the green flag. Love got a great push with Hill behind him. They took the inside line out front. The middle lane made a push to the front but was unable to stay with the leaders. With green flag stops potentially very soon, the field was trying to get set up inside to quickly dive down when needed.
With 45 laps to go, the RCR teammates and several other Chevys made their green flag pit stop. They all got in and out in a routine manner to get single file as quickly as they could. Next to pit was the rest of the Chevys. They all got into the pits smoothly and lined up well out.
With 39 to go, Brandon Jones led the Toyotas and a few Fords for their stops. They also got in and out together. The Chevys stayed side by side for too long, which allowed the Toyotas to get their speed back and stay out front. While all of the pit stops were taking place, Katherine Legge and Greg Van Alst stayed out and led the race for a few laps.
William Sawalich had his engine expire with 37 laps to go in the Ag-Pro 300.
Cautions Begin
While running four wide, Sammy Smith and Jeb Burton made contact, which sent Smith across the track and into the wall. Ryan Sieg and Greg Van Alst were also involved in the incident.
Jones and Creed brought the green back out. Creed got a great push from Love. Jones was just as good on the restart. Creed used a run off of the tri-oval to jump in front of Jones. He saw a quick outside line and was able to block it. Creed got hung out and fell to the back. Jones retook the lead on the inside.
Love led the outside line with Connor Zilisch pushing him. He saw an opening and dove in front of Jones to retake the lead. Love shuffled himself to the middle and fell to the back of the pack. Zilisch took the lead on the outside. Love charged back to the front in the middle. Hill led the inside line to the front. Zilisch went back and forth between each lane.
Jeb Burton got in front of the inside and Zilisch fell to fifth after Hill retook the lead. Love took a run to get alongside Hill. With Burton and Creed behind Love, and Zilisch and Sanchez behind Hill, nothing separated the top six.
Timely Wreck
Aric Almirola thought he was clear and tried to move to the outside line. He crossed the nose of Katherine Legge and was turned into the outside wall. Brandon Jones and Jeffrey Earnhardt were also involved in the incident.
With six laps to go in the Ag-Pro 300, Zilisch and Hill brought the field back to green. Zilisch got the better launch with Sanchez pushing him. Kvapil and Allgaier got behind their teammate in the lead. Sanchez used a push from Hill to jump out in front. Sanchez closed off a run from Love in the middle. Zilisch used a push from Allgaier to retake the lead.
The inside line gathered together much better than the outside. Beating and banging brought the outside line back. Zilisch made his car four lines wide. Zilisch took the white flag with four wide behind him. Burton snuck to the lead on the inside line but could not hold it. Love pushed Zilisch and turned him into the inside wall. The caution came out with Hill in front for the win!
NASCAR reviewed the last few seconds of the race and determined that Hill was in front!
Marvin’s Moment:
This was a very clean race for the Xfinity series. With so much intense, close racing, the drivers kept it clean and put on a great race. The ability to balance aggression and patience is something that is much needed at Talladega. Austin Hill continues to prove himself the best at drafting tracks. Someone needs to give him a Cup car at every drafting track.
Great read
Thank You!