NOAPS Race Recap: NFPA 250

Qualifying for the NFPA 250 at Martinsville Speedway was cancelled due to rain. That put teammates Justin Allgaier and Rajah Caruth on the front row. Brent Crews and Brandon Jones started the race on the second row. Ross Chastain had to start the race from the rear due to unapproved adjustments. The stage lengths were 60 laps for the first and second stages, with the final stage being 130 laps.

All Allgaier

Allgaier got a great launch and took the lead into turn one. He dropped to the inside line in front of his teammate. Jesse Love was unable to get to the preferred line and had to battle hard early. The field mostly settled into the inside line around the half-mile paperclip.

Allgaier began to pull away from the field, and after ten laps, he was over half a second in front of Caruth.

Parker Retzlaff got to the inside of Love and made the pass. Day took advantage of the opening to also get around Love.

Allgaier pulled away by over two seconds, but caught the back of the field. That slowed him down, and  Jones began to close the gap behind the leader.

Lee Pulliam, making his maiden start in the series, passed his way into the top ten. He got around Love, who struggled early.

The Cautions Begin

The first caution of the day came out when Luke Baldwin got into the wall. He may have had a mechanical issue that sent him into the fence. Lavar Scott received some damage in the incident.

Allgaier and Jones brought the field back to the green flag. Allgaier got a great launch and was clear for the lead out of turn two. Jones had room, so he moved down to the preferred lane in front of Caruth. Allgaier quickly built his lead back to over half a second.

The second caution came out when Garrett Smithley got turned around in turn four. That yellow ended the stage to give Allgaier his third stage win of the season. Jones, Caruth, Crews, and Creed finished the stage in the top five.

Top of the Hill

Corey Day and Sam Mayer got stage two started from the front row. Day was able to take the lead out of turn two. Mayer settled into the inside line in second. Pulliam got in front of Gray to take the third spot.

Mayer did not let Day get away, while Day did not let Mayer get around. That allowed Pulliam to catch up and battle for the lead.

Day was eventually able to pull away from them and build a lead. Pulliam and Mayer battled for the second spot.

Jeremy Clements began to smoke out of his right front, and eventually brought out the third caution with fluid on the track.

On lap 101, Day and Mayer brought the field back to the green flag. Day got a great restart and took the lead out of turn two. Pulliam pulled to the inside of Mayer. Mayer used a huge run on the back stretch to gain on Pulliam. Mayer used his front bumper to shove Day into turn one. He drove underneath Day to take the lead.

The fourth caution came out on lap 106 for debris on the track.

Meanwhile, Lee Pulliam got a penalty after a tire rolled away from his crew during the pit stop.

Hill joined Mayer on the front row for the restart with eight to go in the stage. He tried to take the lead on the outside line, but Mayer kept him at bay. Mayer was eventually able to pull out front. Hill fought back and used his front bumper to move Mayer out of the way and take the lead. Austin Hill would take them to the green-white-checkered flag and win stage two in the NFPA 250! Mayer, Taylor Gray, Ryan Sieg, and William Sawalich finished the stage in the top five.

They Keep Coming

Harrison Burton and Caruth got the final stage underway from the front row. They both got equal restarts and fought for the lead. Caruth would prevail to take the lead. The sixth caution came out after Parker Retzlaff got turned around in turns one and two. Creed got into the inside of Patrick Staropoli, who got into Retzlaff.

Blaine Perkins was called into the pits after his car began to smoke under caution.

Burton and Caruth, again, brought the field back to the green. Caruth took the lead, but Burton did not give up. He stayed on the outside of Caruth as long as he could. He finally got an opening and settled into second.

The seventh caution came out when Staropoli got turned around. Kyle Sieg was also turned around in a separate incident.

Day and Burton got the race restarted with Allgaier in third. Burton was shot out of a cannon and took the lead into turn one. Day caught back up but could not pull to the inside line. Allgaier took second after the battle with Day.

Allgaier stayed on the bumper of the leader and did not let him get away.

Race to the Caution

With 90 to go, Allgaier began to challenge for the lead. He dove into turn three and was able to take the lead as they crossed the finish line. Day tried to pass Burton on the outside but was unable to.

Brent Crews began a charge to the front. He and Carson Kvapil got by Love to move into the top five.

Allgaier built his lead to almost two seconds. He was the fastest car on track.

Crews drove underneath Day to take the third position.

The eighth caution came out with 70 to go in the race. Ryan Ellis got spun around. He lost his brakes driving into turn three.

Jones and Pulliam brought the field back to green. Pulliam drove to the lead. Caruth got around Jones to take the runner-up spot.

Pulliam pulled away from Caruth by over half a second and kept building.

Allgaier carved his way back into the top three. He got around Jones to get back onto the podium.

The ninth caution came out with 54 laps to go in the race. Brad Perez and Garrett Smithley got together, and both turned around.

It Ain’t Over

Pulliam and Caruth restarted from the front row. Pulliam retook his lead with 48 to go in the race. Day drove to the inside of Allgaier and took third.

Beating and banging in the middle of the field made Kyle Sieg lose several spots after getting shoved out of the way twice in the same turn.

Pulliam enjoyed Caruth slowing the field up behind him. After Pulliam had pulled away by over a second, Day and Allgaier got around Caruth and began to charge for the lead.

With 34 to go, Nick Sanchez got into the outside wall with a flat right front tire. That was the tenth caution of the afternoon.

Pulliam and Allgaier got the race restarted on the front row. Pulliam could not get off the line and struggled to keep up with Allgaier. Allgaier took the lead out of turn four but could not get clear for a lap and a half. Day got to the inside of Pulliam to challenge for second.

The eleventh caution came out with 22 to go in the race. Ross Chastain got turned around on the back stretch.

More Carnage

Allgaier and Pulliam brought the field back to the green flag, but another caution immediately came out. Pulliam missed a shift, which made Kvapil run into his rear bumper. That stacked the field up before turn one. NASCAR displayed the red flag to allow time for cleanup.

Kvapil, Jeb Burton, Harrison Burton, Austin Green, Jones, Crews, Sanchez, Andrew Patterson, and more were all involved in the incident.

After the lengthy cleanup, Allgaier and Day restarted the race with five laps to go. Allgaier cleared for the lead out of turn two. Sammy Smith fought Day for second but could not make it stick. They fought for several laps. Allgaier took the white flag with Smith and Day side by side behind him. The caution came out on the white flag lap, which gave Justin Allgaier the win in the NFPA 250! Smith, Day, Sheldon Creed, and Pulliam rounded out the top five.

The caution came out when Crews got into the back of Caruth, who spun out.

Marvin’s Minute:

Justin Allgaier is the best driver in the best equipment in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He has three wins on the season and will get more. He has been the championship favorite all season and should be for the foreseeable future. Earning his second grandfather clock after so much carnage shows the experience and persistence he has gained throughout his career. The series continues its season at Rockingham next week!