JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
NXS RACE – Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 (147 laps / 200.802 miles)
TUNE IN – USA, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 3:30 p.m. (ET)
Sam Mayer
No. 1 – 10X Health Chevrolet
Mayer 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 22
Wins: 2
Top 5s: 7
Top 10s: 10
Laps Led: 125
Avg. Finish: 17.5
Points: 13th
- Sam Mayer heads back to Darlington Raceway for the second time this year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
- The 21-year-old driver will make his seventh start overall at the 1.366-mile oval, where he has previously earned two top-five and three top-10 finishes. His best, fourth came earlier this year in the spring.
- In 42 starts on tracks measuring between one and 1.5 miles in length, the Franklin, Wis. native has earned two victories, 15 top fives and 22 top 10s.
- Mayer’s two victories came at Homestead-Miami Speedway last season, and earlier this year at Texas Motor Speedway.
Sam Mayer
“Darlington is one of my favorite tracks and one that I really enjoy racing at. So I am super pumped to get back there this weekend. We had a top-five finish in the spring so I have no doubt in my mind that Mardy (Lindley, crew chief) and the guys have put together a great package for this track and we will be able to be up front and in contention for the win. The playoffs are just a few short weeks away and I am ready to get this bad luck off our shoulders and go fight for a Championship.”
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 22
Wins: 2
Top 5s: 7
Top 10s: 14
Laps Led: 570
Avg. Finish: 12.5
Points: 1st
- Justin Allgaier returns to Darlington as the most recent winner at “The Track too Tough to Tame,” having scored the victory after leading a race-high 119 laps earlier this season.
- Overall, Allgaier is a three-time winner at “The Lady in Black,” going to Victory Lane in the spring of 2021, 2022 and 2024, respectively.
- In 18 career NXS starts at Darlington, Allgaier has eight top fives and 14 top 10s to accompany the three wins.
- Allgaier’s three victories at Darlington ranks as the most wins for the Illinois native among all tracks that he has competed on in the NXS.
Justin Allgaier
“We are really looking forward to getting back to Darlington this weekend with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. We’ve had some really strong runs these last couple weeks and I know that Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this JR Motorsports team will give me another car capable of that again on Saturday. Hopefully we can keep our car clean all race long and be up front when it counts to try to sweep the season at Darlington. We are ready to go.”
Sammy Smith
No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
Smith 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 22
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 4
Top 10s: 11
Laps Led: 55
Avg. Finish: 16.0
Points: 11th
- Sammy Smith has 22 NXS starts in his young career on tracks up to 1.366 miles in length. Of those, he has tallied one win, five top-fives, 12 top-10s and led 371 laps.
- According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Smith is currently ranked fifth with 893 quality passes in the 2024 season.
- Smith is only 15 points below the playoff cutline going into the weekend with four races remaining in the regular season.
- Pilot Flying J will share the TV panel with Best Logistics Group of Kernersville, NC, located just over two hours north of Darlington.
Sammy Smith
“Last week in Daytona we didn’t finish where our No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet was capable of due to an unfortunate late-race incident. I’m hoping we have some luck on our side this weekend in Darlington and can keep our nose clean, compete up front and secure the victory that this JR Motorsports team deserves.”
Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards / Patriot Lighting Chevrolet
Jones 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 22
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 1
Top 10s: 5
Laps Led: 30
Avg. Finish: 19.8
Points: 14th
- Brandon Jones has made 13 starts in the NXS at “The Lady in Black” and has compiled one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Jones’ win came during the 2020 season after taking the lead with two laps remaining.
- Overall, Jones has made 141 starts on tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length in the NXS and has recorded four wins, 20 top fives and 63 top 10s.
- Patriot Lighting, a company dedicated to providing premium quality, stylish and inviting lights at affordable prices, will make its first appearance on the hood of Jones’ Camaro this weekend. While this will be the company’s only appearance on the hood this season, Patriot Lighting will be featured on the TV panel four times over the 33-race schedule.
Brandon Jones
“This No. 9 team gave me a fast Chevy Camaro our last trip to Darlington and we were able to bring home a top-10, so I hope we can be running up towards the front again this weekend. We have had a rough couple of weeks getting caught up in other people’s situations, but we are going to stay focused and keep working to secure our spot in the playoffs.”
Carson Kvapil
No. 88 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet
Kvapil 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 7
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 3
Top 10s: 4
Laps Led: 63
Avg. Finish: 8.7
Points: 29th
- Carson Kvapil will make his eighth NXS start this weekend at Darlington, and it will mark his second start on the historic 1.336-mile oval. In his first start there in May, Kvapil finished 19th.
- The spring race at Darlington marked Kvapil’s first ride with Clarience Technologies and Saturday’s race will be his sixth with the company.
- Kvapil made a big impression in his last outing at Michigan, leading 25 laps and contending for the victory in the late stages, before being collected in a late-race incident.
- Crew chief Andrew Overstreet has guided the No. 88 team to four top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 10 starts this season with Kvapil, Connor Mosack and Bubba Pollard behind the wheel.
Carson Kvapil
“I’m looking forward to getting back to Darlington for a second time. That’s a tough place to learn, and now that I have one start there under my belt, I have a better handle on what that track throws at you. We had a great race going at Michigan before the crash, and I want to keep that momentum up this weekend.”
JRM Team Updates
JR Motorsports at Darlington Raceway: JR Motorsports has competed at Darlington Raceway a combined 72 times in the NXS since its first trip there in 2006. In those starts at the 1.366-mile oval, the organization has recorded seven wins, 23 top-fives and 45 top-10s, with an average finish of 11.7.
Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Carson Kvapil will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Aug 31 from 12:45 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. ET.
