Allgaier Takes First Superspeedway Win at Daytona

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

NASCAR

Justin Allgaier Takes Second 2023 Victory in Maiden Daytona Triumph

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – After losing out in February, Justin Allgaier and JR Motorsports came back to Daytona with vengeance on their minds. Multiple inspection failures, double overtime and low fuel were obstacles thrown at the No. 7 team ahead of the Wawa 250, all of which were vanquished. Justin Allgaier is in victory lane for the second time this year, his first career superspeedway win. With the Xfinity Playoffs right around the corner, Allgaier may be emerging as a title threat.

Both Stages would be surprisingly calm and be split by the front row starters. Richard Childress Racing teammates Austin Hill and Sheldon Creed each took a Playoff bonus point. Creed’s Stage 2 win came in a photo-finish with the 21.

Stage 2 finish, @sheldoncreed by a nose over @_AustinHill at the line. #Wawa250 #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/zPe8BCAXFA

— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) August 26, 2023

As laps wound down the RCR duo’s stranglehold on the front of the field was threatened. Trevor Bayne, Sam Mayer and eventually Justin Allgaier all took turns leading. A caution with eight laps left set up a regulation green-white-checkered finish, only lasting a few hundred yards. Trevor Bayne tried aggressively blocking Austin Hill all the way to the outside wall and was turned from the top spot.

Overtime number two occurred after a big wreck behind the leaders entering turn three. Josh Berry was sent around along with John Hunter Nemechek and many others.

Even with an almost too big advantage over the pack, Allgaier was able to just edge Creed out at the line. By 0.005 seconds, Allgaier is finally a Daytona winner. Sheldon Creed is left still winless in the Xfinity Series, now with a fifth runner-up result.

“I’ve been coming to this place for a long time,” said Allgaier. “I wanted to win here so bad—we’ve been so close. I just can’t say enough about (crew chief) Jim Pohlman and everybody on this 7 team. 

“We had an oversight yesterday when we brought a car to the track and put it through inspection, and it wasn’t where we wanted. That cost us a pass-through, but the team never quit, never gave up and we rallied, and obviously we put ourselves in a good position. The strategy was awesome.” 

After Daytona Allgaier is now a 21-time Xfinity Series winner. This ties Dale Earnhardt and Harry Gant for 14th-most all time victories.

Behind Allgaier and Creed, the Daytona top-10 were: Daniel Hemric, Parker Kligerman, Cole Custer, Ryan Sieg, Parker Retzlaff, Anthony Alfredo, Gray Gaulding and Justin Haley. Hear from some of the top finishers below.

Thanks to early issues by Riley Herbst, Kligerman now moves into 12th in the standings by 20 points over the 98. Two races remain in the Xfinity Series regular season.

The next stop for Xfinity teams will be round two at Darlington Raceway. The Sport Clips/VFW Help a Hero 200 will go green Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Darlington is the last race Cup drivers are allowed to run this year, with a few high profile names chasing the checkered flag.

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credit to Sean Gardner/Getty Images