XFINITY: Justin Allgaier Earns Xfinity Win No. 25 in Overtime at Michigan

With just 16 laps until the checkered flag was set to be displayed, Justin Allgaier drove to the front of the pack, using a bit of fuel strategy and a fast No. 7 Hellmann’s Chevrolet Camaro to put himself in contention for the victory.

Pitting for the final time on the 68th lap of Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 at Michigan International Speedway, seven laps later than the race leaders, the Riverton, Illinois-native was able to avoid saving fuel to slice through the pack and compete for the victory.

While the NASCAR-dictated finish of Saturday’s event was after Lap 125, nobody actually knew when the event would conclude, with precipitation headed directly for the two-mile speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. With eight laps remaining, that rain reached Michigan International Speedway.

Not only did the sanctioning body get the complete 125-lap distance in, but the event went into NASCAR Overtime, after a 14-minute red flag to get the racetrack properly prepared for a two-lap shootout to the finish.

On the final restart, Allgaier had the benefit of a teammate starting on the inside lane, quickly getting his Hellmann’s-sponsored machine clear of the inside lane by the exit of the second corner, allowing himself to scoot away from the pack.

Polesitter Sheldon Creed attempted to make a charge on Allgaier during the race’s final lap, but was unable to get within striking distance, with his opportunities further cut short by a dramatic last-lap crash which saw Kyle Sieg go upside-down on the backstretch.

Creed, driving the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, had a strong race car on Saturday, leading the opening 23 laps from the pole, before getting spun around by Riley Herbst. The Alpine, California-native would drive through the pack to finish runner-up.

It’s the 11th runner-up finish for Creed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which sets a new record for the most second-place finishes for a driver before scoring their first career victory. It’s his fourth of the season, with others coming at Daytona, Loudon, and Sonoma.

NASCAR Cup Series regular John Hunter Nemechek brought home a third-place finish, after leading 31 laps early in the going. Nemechek was contesting his final of 10 Xfinity Series starts for Joe Gibbs Racing this season in the No. 20 Toyota GR Supra.

In fourth, Anthony Alfredo brought home a second top-five result this season for low-budget team Our Motorsports. JR Motorsports driver Sammy Smith rounded out the top five, which propelled him inside the post-season cutline by a single point over Ryan Sieg.

Noah Gragson, also a NASCAR Cup Series regular, brought Rette Jones Racing home in sixth-place, collecting the organization’s third top-10 finish in three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts. Matt DiBenedetto, in seventh-place, matched a career-best finish in the second-tier series.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular Taylor Gray was eighth, with Alpha Prime Racing co-owner Caesar Bacarella recording his third top-10 result in his last four starts with a ninth-place run. AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top-10 for Kaulig Racing.

Leaving Michigan, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has its defending champion Cole Custer leading the regular-season point standings by 12 markers over Saturday’s winner Justin Allgaier. Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top-five.

The series will travel to Daytona Beach, Florida for its 22nd event of the season at the 2.5-mile superspeedway of Daytona International Speedway. Coverage of the event will take place on Friday, August 23, 2024 on USA Network.