NASCAR
Gragson Wins Xfinity Homestead Race, Locks into Phoenix
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – After dominating but losing each of the last three Homestead Xfinity races, Noah Gragson finally got the monkey off his back. Thanks to win number eight of 2022, the No. 9 JR Motorsports team will be in the Championship 4 at Phoenix. While Gragson was undoubtedly the best car on long runs, this race came down to a quick sprint where the 9 performed in the clutch.
Gragson quickly found the lead, winning Stage 1 under caution after amassing a five-second gap. Stage 2 saw Gragson almost immediately lead again, only to briefly lose the top spot to Austin Hill. Unmatched on longer runs, Gragson got back by the 21 of Hill for a Stage-sweeping day.
The 9 was slow off the start again for Stage 3, but once tires aged Gragson came to life. Lap 125 saw the 9 pass Trevor Bayne for the lead, and then drive off from the field. With Austin Hill having to pit from second with a loose wheel, Gragson appeared unchallenged on a cruise to victory lane. However, a caution flew inside of the final 12 laps, erasing all of the 9’s nine-second advantage.
A spin from the No. 45 car will put us under caution and set up a late-race restart. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/0UgBGDnPv4
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 22, 2022
On a restart with just five laps left, Gragson got enough of a jump to run away. The race was on for second behind the 9, as Gragson picked up his eighth win of his Xfinity Series swan song season.
“We just kicked their ass baby, let’s go!” Gragson exclaimed after the race. “I wanted this one so bad the last three years. Words just can’t describe how thankful I am for everybody at JR Motorsports. Unbelievable, thank you Bass Pro Shops. Man I’m worn out.”
Gragson joins his JRM teammate Josh Berry locked into the Championship 4 from Phoenix. By far the strongest and most consistent team all season, Gragson may just be the championship favorite now. The 9 also won at Phoenix in the spring, so they head back to the desert with maximum confidence.
Behind Gragson, top finishers were Ty Gibbs, AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric, Sam Mayer, Trevor Bayne, Chandler Smith, Riley Herbst, Austin Hill, and Justin Allgaier.
With two Championship 4 spots now taken by JRM cars, the other six contenders will fight on at Martinsville. The Dead On Tools 250 will go green at 3:00 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. The last two tickets to the dance are up for grabs next Saturday at the Half-Mile of Mayhem, as the standings are tight at the cut line. Can JR Motorsports potentially put all four drivers through to the finale? Both Allgaier and Mayer are very much still factors heading into this elimination race.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Jared East/Getty Images for NASCAR
