Justin Allgaier has done it again! The JR Motorsports driver secured his second consecutive win this season at the Hard Rock Bet 300. Competition was stiff, with drivers such as 2021 Cup Champion Kyle Larson on the field on Saturday. Taylor Gray (P1), who qualified to start at the pole, was expected to perform well, as was Nick Sanchez (P2) and Connor Zilisch (P3). Allgaier qualified in P4, followed by Christian Eckes to cap the top-five. Despite the odds stacked against him, Allgaier determinedly prevailed.
Justin Allgaier’s Last Lap Recovery
For 132 laps on Saturday, Kyle Larson appeared victorious. Larson, who triple-headed the weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, itched to secure all three NASCAR series titles. On Friday, he kicked off the weekend, winning the truck series Baptist Health 200. He also hoped for an Xfinity title. Sadly, his Hard Rock Bet 300 bid was cut short after a strong 132-lap lead. His No. 17 Chevrolet got caught under caution when Taylor Gray spun out on lap 76. The caution put the race into overtime, forcing a pit stop.
After briefly pitting a restart, the drivers returned to the field. Kyle Larson returned to the bottom ahead of Haas Factory driver Sam Mayer. Mayer moved behind him in a last-ditch effort to pass on the final two laps. In the process, the No. 41 driver slammed the back of Larson’s Hendrick Chevrolet, knocking it back. Richard Childress driver Austin Hill could then steal the lead until Allgaier saw an opening. Once Justin Allgaier worked his way in, the rest was history. He took the checkered flag in a photo finish.
In a post-race statement, Allgaier spoke to the media about his miraculous win.“Just a testament to this team,” he said. “Honestly, it was looking like it was one of those days that wasn‘t our day. We got behind but were able to persevere and to get this Chevrolet to Victory Lane is special,” he continued.
How Overtime Worked in His Favor
Justin Allgaier won the Hard Rock Bet 300 in an unpredictable finish. The 38-year-old, unable to believe the win himself, recalls how overtime helped him. He mentions how he felt about thwarting Kyle Larson’s attempted weekend sweep. Allgaier and Larson will go head-to-head again in Martinsville this weekend for the US Marine Corps 250.
“I was actually bummed to see the caution flag come out, but it worked out in my favor,” Justin Allgaier said. “I‘m bummed I maybe got the triple from Kyle Larson because I think he‘s going to have a great shot at winning it tomorrow.”But we were at the right place at the right time, and I‘m really proud of this race team,” he concluded.
Final Thoughts
The Xfinity Series is preparing to head to Martinsville Speedway for the US Marine Corps 250 for another full weekend. Justin Allgaier has dominated Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami for the last two weeks. Can he do it again? Allgaier credits luck being on his side for Saturday’s win, but was it luck? Or has he finally cracked the Kyle Larson code? Stay tuned.
