NASCAR
Xfinity Playoff Opening Race Goes to Non-Contender Aric Almirola
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Despite not being in the 12-man Xfinity Series Playoffs, part-timer Aric Almirola took the checkers first in Kansas. The semi-retired veteran will pilot Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 for the rest of 2024, with trophies at the top of mind. Kansas saw the No. 20 as best in class on long runs, battling back from a slow pit stop. The site of his broken back seven years ago, Kansas becomes Almirola’s sixth Xfinity Series win.
Almirola took Stage 1, and Playoff contender Sam Mayer won Stage 2. The only incident across both stages saw Justin Allgaier go for a spin on a restart and slam the inside wall. Entering Kansas as the top Playoff seed, the No. 7 left in 36th and a point below the cut line.
When Stage 3 went green, three contenders had emerged as the class of the field. Having the first pit stall allowed Chandler Smith’s team to give him the top spot to start the stage, just ahead of Cole Custer. Almirola also had a lightning-quick Toyota, but wall contact forced a pit stop with around 80 laps left.
Fresher tires did give Almirola a slight advantage over the leaders. The 20 set a torrent pace through the field, soon finding third thanks to a well-timed caution. As Smith and Custer swapped the lead back and forth, Almirola grew larger and larger in their rearview mirrors.
Smith’s Toyota lost its handle for good with 10 laps left, allowing Custer to clear and set sail into the sunset. Almirola soon dispatched of the 81 himself too though, and set his sights on the 00. The veteran took command with four laps left and earned team 20’s eighth win of the season.
“Really patient,” Almirola said of the last run to the checkers. “I obviously wasn’t patient earlier in the race. I’m wore out, that was a long and hard day at the office, especially for a guy that’s been sitting on the couch. I just overdrove, I knew we had such a great He Gets Us Toyota GR Supra. I was able to get by everybody on the long run. Then I just pushed too hard there when we had the issue on pit road, and I got in the fence. I cut the right rear tire down, so I knew I had to put my head down and go to work after that.”
“We got lucky to get the caution when we did, and then we were out of tires. The fact that it went green there to the end, that’s where we were strong, really strong on the long run. It just worked out.”
“I want to thank God, first and foremost. This is such an awesome opportunity to do this with Coach [Gibbs], thank you so much again. I know I say it over and over, I sound like a broken record. But this is o much fun, to come and race these cars for Joe Gibbs Racing. Everybody at Toyota, the GR Supras are always fast, as fast as Xfinity internet. Just really hats off to all the guys, the pit crew, they’ve been fast with this group, and victory lane has eluded them. I’ve told them all week ‘man I’d love nothing more than to share a beer with you guys in victory lane and get our picture made.'” Good to celebrate with them and Janice in victory lane. Hi to the kids, they’re back home with my mom, love you guys. We’re going to celebrate this one.”
Behind the front trio of Almirola-Custer-Smith, Connor Zilisch ended his second Xfinity start in fourth, and Sheldon Creed was fifth. Brandon Jones, Austin Hill, Shane van Gisbergen, Jesse Love, and Riley Herbst were the top-10. Take a look at the updated Xfinity Playoff grid below, with no drivers locked in after Kansas.
The Xfinity Series Playoffs continue from Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday. The United Rentals 250 goes green at 4 p.m. ET on The CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Austin Hill heads to Alabama looking to defend his drafting track prowess. Plenty more hungry drivers hope they break through into victory lane though.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Chris Graythen/Getty Images
