Allmendinger grabs spot in NASCAR Xfinity Series championship finale with 1st victory of season

PHOENIX — AJ Allmendinger won for the first time this season, claiming the victory at Phoenix Raceway and securing a spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship finale. Allmendinger passed teammate Justin Allgaier with six laps remaining after a late-race caution to grab his first win since the 2021 Xfinity Series finale at Phoenix.

Allgaier was dominant throughout the race, leading 125 laps, but a speeding penalty late in the race moved him back in the field. With a series of late-race cautions, however, he was able to rebound to a runner-up finish and remains in the championship lead with two drivers vying for the other two spots.

“I just feel very fortunate,” Allmendinger said. “We had a very fast car, and the whole team did a fantastic job all weekend. We worked all weekend to get this car set up and put us in the best spot to come out on top.”

The top four finishers at Phoenix, led by Allmendinger, all entered the race needing a win to be eligible for the championship race in Phoenix next week. With Allmendinger and Allgaier both in the top two, only one remaining spot in the championship race is still up for grabs.

Behind the two JR Motorsports teammates, Ty Gibbs grabbed a strong third-place finish in his No. 54 car, which was only slightly overshadowed by an early pit-stop snafu during a caution period. This could prove to be pivotal for his championship aspirations, giving him a strong opportunity to capture that final qualifying spot in the next race.

And then came a brilliant fourth-place finish by Daniel Hemric. It seems like a missed opportunity with him still requiring a win to get into the championship finale, but it was actually a stellar performance that had to be appreciated under the circumstances.

The first half of the race saw little to no action in terms of lead changes as Allgaier asserted dominance. However, that wasn’t the case during the second half when we were treated to thrilling battles throughout the field. For example, Landon Cassill and Ryan Sieg managed to secure strong finishes, demonstrating excellent maneuvering skills and racing prowess throughout the late stages.

This Xfinity race turned out to be another highly captivating event. As for what the finale has in store next week? Nobody knows for sure. Will the championship finale see Allmendinger try to claim his second title? Can Gibbs continue his momentum? Can someone else rise from the shadows and steal the trophy? Only time will tell as NASCAR prepares to crown its newest champion next week!

“This is an incredible day,” Allgaier added. “We knew we needed to run well here to try and lock down the Championship next week. We fought hard but those cautions just got in the way. The rest of this race is going to be an amazing ride.”

Stay tuned for more intense NASCAR action as we head towards the finale of the 2023 Xfinity Series Championship next weekend!