By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer
A wild, up and down day ended with Justin Allgaier scoring a top-10 finish in the Contender Boats 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Just before the end of Stage 2, Allgaier cut a right front tire on his No. 7 The BRANDT Foundation Chevrolet Camaro SS. Running inside the top-10, the JR Motorsports driver was forced to pit road, forgoing Stage points following contact with the outside wall.
Allgaier stayed out during the Stage break, taking the wave around. The NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran started to work his way back through the field. After green flag pit stops, he was back inside the top-10, closing in on the top-five.
With just under 20 laps to go, further contact with the outside wall cut Allgaier’s right rear tire. He limped back to pit road just before the final caution waved. Once again, Allgaier stayed on track for the wave around.
The Riverton, IL native restarted 14th for the five-lap run to the finish. He made quick work of some others that also took the wave around. However, in the short run to the finish, he only made it back to 10th by the time the caution flag waved.
“(It was) eventful, we had it all tonight, the good, the bad, and the ugly,” Allgaier explained. “It just seemed like no matter what we couldn’t get ahead of the eight ball. Probably the biggest thing that hurt us is the jack breaking on pit road. We managed as best we could with the tire situation, ultimately, I think the jack breaking on pit road was the difference maker.
“Proud of our team, the effort to come back. It was a big effort to get back onto the lead lap, finish in the top-10 with two flat tires on a long day is a good recovery.”
The 10th-place finish left Allgaier just below the NASCAR Playoffs cutline heading into the Dead On Tools 250 at Martinsville Speedway. The 36-year-old is five points behind A.J. Allmendinger with just one race remaining in the Round of Eight for the Xfinity Series.
JR Motorsports swept the races at Martinsville in 2021 with Josh Berry and Noah Gragson. The two drivers have swept the first two races of the Round of Eight at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami respectively.
“I go to Martinsville with the thought that I know that our cars are good enough to win there,” Allgaier stated. “I know that our speed is there. We’ve run really good there the last couple of years. Martinsville’s so hit and miss. One race it’s ultra-aggressive and the next time we go back its super calm. I don’t know what to expect. I’m glad our race this year is not at night.
“Days like today, if we rolled over and don’t have the good day today, then we don’t even have a shot at next week. The fact that our team did the job that they did is why we have a good shot at next week.”
Allgaier qualified 20th for the 300-mile race at Homestead-Miami. The elder statesman JR Motorsports drove through the field to finish Stage 1 in 10th.
The 10th-place finish in the race was Allgaier’s 21st top-10 this season and the 240th of his Xfinity Series career.
The Dead On Tools 250 at Martinsville Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, October 29 at 3:00 p.m. ET on NBC. The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.