NXS Race Recap: IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250

The IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 at Martinsville was the final opportunity for NASCAR’s Xfinity Series drivers to advance to the championship. Harrison Burton and Carson Kvapil got the race started from the front row. Aric Almirola and Justin Allgaier started on the second row. Sheldon Creed started from fifth. The stage lengths were 60 laps for the first and second stages, with the final stage being 130 laps.

Cautions Early

Burton got the better launch at the initial start. He cleared Kvapil for the lead into turn one. Almirola was able to get by Kvapil to take second. Kvapil quickly jumped to the inside line and settled into third. Taylor Gray, who started in 13th, began to make passes to the front. Sam Mayer used his front bumper early after moving Blaine Perkins up the track to take 20th.

Kvapil fell out of the top five early. He could not find speed.

Almirola began challenging Burton for the lead. He got underneath Burton but could not complete the pass. Burton held him off for several corners. Ultimately, Almirola was able to drive deeper into turn three and took the lead out of four.

Almirola immediately built a gap over Allgaier, who had also gotten around Burton.

On lap 32, the first caution came out when Myatt Snider got turned around after contact with Nick Sanchez.

Brenden Queen and Jeb Burton, who stayed out during the caution, led the field back to green. Sam Mayer, who restarted in fourth, shoved Burton up the track in turn one. Burton fell outside of the top five as a result. Mayer was able to take second from Eckes.

Queen pulled away from the field by almost a second.

The second caution came out when Connor Mosack got turned around on lap 47. He was running in 31st.

Shootout to the Stage End

Mayer joined Queen on the front row for the restart. They got equal jumps and drove side by side for a few laps. Allgaier stayed patiently behind them. Mayer took the lead out of four with five laps to go in the stage. Allgaier pulled to the inside of Queen into turn one to take second.

Allgaier caught the rear bumper of Mayer. He drove underneath Mayer and snagged the lead with two to go in the stage. Mayer locked up his rear tires and fell back to fifth. Allgaier took the field to the green white checkered to win stage one in the IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250! Almirola, Queen, Brandon Jones, and Mayer rounded out the top five.

The Intensity is Elevating

Allgaier and Jones restarted on the front row. Allgaier immediately retook the lead into turn one. Jones settled for second after dropping in front of Almirola. Connor Zilisch battled Harrison Burton for fourth. Burton would prevail after Zilisch began to struggle.

Jones hounded Allgaier for the lead. Allgaier could not create a separation between himself and the runner-up.

Almirola got underneath Jones and was able to snag the second spot.

On lap 92, Jeb Burton got turned around in turn four after a flat left rear tire caused him to spin out. He was the only car involved in the incident.

The race restarted on lap 99 with Kvapil and Queen on the front row. Kvapil was able to jump out into the lead. He cleared Queen as they left turn two. Queen was able to stay within half a second of Kvapil.

Kvapil was able to take the field to the stage end. That was his second stage win of the season.

Right before the stage ended, Thomas Annunziata had his engine expire. He was able to get to this pit box, but the caution was extended to allow for cleanup of fluids left on the track.

Almirola vs Gray

Mayer and Gray restarted the race on the front row. Mayer took the lead out of turn two. Allgaier drove to the inside of Gray. Gray fought hard to get to the preferred line. Gray locked his rear tires and drove up the track. Allgaier and Almirola pounced on the mistake to drop Gray to fifth.

With the battling behind him, Mayer built his lead to over a second.

Almirola and Gray moved Allgaier to the outside line and drove by him. They began closing the gap to the leader. Almirola got to the right rear quarter panel of Mayer. He and Gray drove right by Mayer to take first and second. Mayer fell to third. Gray stayed on the bumper of the leader.

Almirola did everything he could to hold off the faster car in Gray. Gray was finally able to get inside of Almirola. They drove side by side for several laps. They caught some lapped traffic. Gray could not make the pass, so he resigned behind the leader.

Jeremy Clements drove to the pits with a mechanical issue.

Almirola put Jesse Love down a lap.

Gray continued the fight for the lead. Almirola could not break away from the quicker car in Gray. Gray got to the inside of the leader, again, but was unable to make the pass.

On lap 193, Brennan Poole shoved Queen into Josh Williams, who got turned around. That caused a stack-up in turn four. Queen, Zilisch, Poole, and Corey Day all ended up parked in the turn. They were all able to get back around and continue the race. That brought out the caution.

50 to Go

Gray and Sanchez restarted on the front row, and Gray was able to snag the lead out of turn four. Allgaier made contact with Snider and Ryan Ellis, but they were able to keep going. Almirola and Jones got around Sanchez to take second and third.

Gray could not get away from his Toyota teammates in Almirola and Jones.

The next caution came out when Parker Retzlaff and Brad Perez got turned around on lap 219.

Gray and Almirola brought the field back to green. Gray got a much better restart than Almirola and took the lead easily.

On lap 227, Kvapil got turned around by Ryan Sieg. Sieg was pushed into Kvapil by Harrison Burton.

With 17 to go, Gray and Almirola restarted on the front row. Gray drove deep into turn one and two and was able to retake the lead on the back stretch. Sammy Smith got to the inside of Almirola and fought for second. Smith would prevail out of turn four. Then, he set his sights on the leader.

Jones was able to get around Almirola for third. He then drove underneath and by Smith for second.

Gray began to pull away from Smith.

With four to go, Daniel Dye hit the wall and brought out the caution. He drove to the pits with a flat right front tire.

Overtime in Martinsville

Gray and Smith started overtime on the front row. Gray took the inside line. He got a great launch and took the lead out of turn two. Smith dropped to the inside line. Gray took the white flag. He was able to build his lead. Taylor Gray took the checkered flag to get his first career win in the IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250!

Smith, Jones, Creed, and Almirola rounded out the top five.

Marvin’s Minute:

The four that will fight for the championship in Phoenix are Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, and Carson Kvapil. What a great season by them all. Zilisch should be the favorite, but with the one-race shootout, anything can happen.

Now onto the winner, Taylor Gray was the fastest car all night and earned his win. He fought the seasoned veteran in Almirola. He earned it for sure.

The series concludes its season at Phoenix next week!