NASCAR
Aric Almirola Edges Ahead in Mad Overtime Dash at Phoenix
AVONDALE, Ariz. – The Xfinity Series continues to give some of the best on-track moments in modern motorsports. Phoenix Raceway proved this yet again, with one driver’s dominant day turned upside down in overtime. Following final corner contact, Aric Almirola is the ultimate winner with Joe Gibbs Racing. Almirola had to use up Alex Bowman to grab this checkered flag, leaving the Arizona native in second.
From the pole, Bowman led all of Stage 1 in the Hendrick No. 17 Chevrolet. Aric Almirola initially started Stage 2 out front, but lost this win to Justin Allgaier. The reigning Xfinity Series champion took his first stage win of the year after starting 14th and quickly asserting himself as a contender.
A rare mistake by Austin Hill took out himself and Sheldon Creed early in Stage 2. On a restart Hill misjudged turn three entry, clipping the inside wall. This juked the No. 21 Chevrolet outside and into the paths of Creed and Dean Thompson with some heavy impacts. Hill took full responsibility for this incident, calling it “probably the dumbest move of my racing career.”
Allgaier was well in control for most of the final stage, until a late caution flag flew. Nick Leitz blowing a tire inside of the final five laps would permanently alter this race. Now in overtime, a hard charging Aric Almirola was alongside the 7.
On the two-lap dash Allgaier got another great jump into turn one, but so did Almirola. Both drivers entered the corner on each other’s doors, causing the 7 to get loose under the 19. This allowed Alex Bowman to scoot by for the lead; the 17 was clear at the white flag. Almirola had enough car left though to chase Bowman back down on the final lap. In turn four Almirola made contact with Bowman, sending the 17 into the outside wall. The 19 had just enough momentum to beat Bowman back to the checkers.
“I just knew I needed to get from (turn four) to (the finish line) first,” Almirola said. “I knew I was going to use him up a little bit, trying to win the race. And I feel like it was warranted. I didn’t think I did anything overly egregious. I just throttled up and I knew it was gonna be a drag race to the start/finish line.”
“Just so proud of all the guys on this team. Our Young Life Toyota GR Supra is awesome, as fast as Xfinity Internet. Thank you to everybody at Toyota, thanks to Coach and what a blessing this is. It is so much fun to come and drive these racecars. Every single time I get in, I feel like I get an opportunity to win, and I get to represent Jesus Christ and point teenagers and young adults to Him with Young Life.”
“I didn’t know what I was doing two months or two weeks before Daytona. I was planning on just helping at JGR and volunteering at church. Then I got a phone call to come run some races, what an opportunity. So proud of Seth (Chavka, crew chief) and all the guys on this team, and everyone back at Joe Gibbs Racing building these racecars. I’m just having fun, this is so awesome, doing this with my family. I’m just having a blast.”
Behind Almirola and Bowman, Brandon Jones made it a three-wide finish at the line. Ryan Sieg and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top-five. Allgaier has to settle for fifth after a race-high 130 laps led. Other top finishers included: Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Christian Eckes, Jesse Love, and Nick Sanchez.
Xfinity cars will be back on track Saturday from Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The LiUNA! (4:30 p.m. ET on The CW, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is the next chance for a contender to win their way into the postseason. Only three spots remain occupied, all by Chevrolet drivers. Can another manufacturer break this stranglehold on the Xfinity Series?
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Chris Graythen/Getty Images
