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Allmendinger holds off Byron for second Xfinity win at Circuit of The Americas

By
Official Release
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AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #10 Celsius Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 25, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

AUSTIN, Texas – A.J. Allmendinger started on pole position and won the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today on Saturday afternoon on the world-renowned Circuit of The Americas road course.

The 46 laps in between the green and checkered flags, however, were dramatic and full of emotional highs and lows for the veteran Allmendinger, who led 14 laps to start the race and the final 14 laps to close it out. The series’ all-time road course winner earned his 11th road course trophy (and 16th career Xfinity Series trophy) despite having to navigate through the field after falling back to 25th place during mid-race green flag pit stops.

It was a major league road course lesson for the rest of the field as the 41-year-old Californian diced and sliced his way forward in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet to win this race for the second consecutive year. He ultimately took a .853-second victory over relentless Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron in the No. 17 Chevrolet.

“William Byron put his best foot forward, you’ve seen all the Cup races he’s winning,” Allmendinger said of the season’s two-race winner Byron. “I knew it was going to be tough just trying to fight to get back up to the front there. Hate that I had contact with Sheldon [Creed], he got under me, I was trying to stay off him, so I hate that happened but so proud of everyone at Kaulig Racing. The Celsius Chevy was really hooked up and with all the damage we had it didn’t hurt the car.”

“I spent a lot of years not winning anything so I’m going to celebrate every one of them like it’s my last one,” Allmendinger said. “You never know. As much pressure as I put on myself, I’m always going to try to live up to it. The pit crew was awesome and I’m so proud of everyone.”

NASCAR Cup Series rookie Ty Gibbs – the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion – finished third in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota, just ahead of his JGR teammate Sammy Smith and veteran JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier.

The 3.41-mile, 20-turn COTA track is regarded as one of the more challenging stops on the NASCAR schedule and Allmendinger certainly had his work cut out for him on Saturday. He led early, but was shuffled back after winning Stage 1 and gambling on a pit stop later than the other frontrunners.

Forced to lineup for a re-start toward the back of the field – and miscommunication from the team to driver regarding the exact position he should take – left him 25th near the race midpoint. He answered by reeling off one car after another and made his way into the top-10 with 15 laps remaining – making a dramatic push forward on that final restart to go from sixth to first with 14 laps remaining. He took the lead after a spirited battle with Sheldon Creed, who spun out after contact between the two.

Allmendinger then drove off to more than a 1-second gap on the field, but, was doggedly chased by Byron, who will start Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA from the pole position.

“I was getting one final run at him, but obviously they were really good all day, just great at these road courses,” Byron said. “Just a little bit to gain and then made a mistake [navigating the esses].

“It was a great effort, just need to clean it up in the cars … but had a lot of fun racing,” Byron added.

Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric, JR Motorsports teammates Sam Mayer and Josh Berry, Creed and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst rounded out the top-10.

Austin Hill, a three-race winner in 2023 that was leading the championship standings by nearly 50 points coming into Austin, suffered mechanical problems in his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and took a DNF. He still holds a 15-point advantage over Herbst atop the championship, however.

This was a Dash 4 Cash qualifying race with the four top-finishing fulltime NASCAR Xfinity Series competitors now eligible for a $100,000 bonus next week at Richmond (Va.) Raceway; the top finisher among the four will earn the big paycheck and is eligible for another the following race at Martinsville, Va. on April 15.

With their showings on Saturday: Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric and Sam Mayer are the four drivers who race for the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash $100,000 in next week’s Call811 Before You Dig 250 at Richmond Raceway (1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today
Circuit of The Americas
Austin, Texas
Saturday, March 25, 2023

            1. (1)  AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 46.

            2. (9)  William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 46.

            3. (3)  Ty Gibbs(i), Toyota, 46.

            4. (2)  Sammy Smith #, Toyota, 46.

            5. (8)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 46.

            6. (11)  Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 46.

            7. (14)  Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 46.

            8. (15)  Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 46.

            9. (4)  Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 46.

            10. (7)  Riley Herbst, Ford, 46.

            11. (26)  Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 46.

            12. (27)  Chandler Smith #, Chevrolet, 46.

            13. (18)  Miguel Paludo, Chevrolet, 46.

            14. (25)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 46.

            15. (23)  Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 46.

            16. (29)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 46.

            17. (34)  Parker Retzlaff #, Chevrolet, 46.

            18. (20)  Kaz Grala, Toyota, 46.

            19. (22)  Connor Mosack, Toyota, 46.

            20. (32)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 46.

            21. (21)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 46.

            22. (33)  Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 46.

            23. (31)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, 46.

            24. (13)  Aric Almirola(i), Ford, 46.

            25. (36)  Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 46.

            26. (38)  Kyle Sieg, Ford, 46.

            27. (6)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 46.

            28. (24)  Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 46.

            29. (30)  Brad Perez, Chevrolet, 46.

            30. (35)  Joe Graf Jr., Ford, 46.

            31. (5)  Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 46.

            32. (10)  Cole Custer, Ford, 45.

            33. (37)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, Steering, 29.

            34. (28)  Brett Moffitt, Ford, Engine, 27.

            35. (16)  Sage Karam, Chevrolet, Engine, 23.

            36. (19)  Preston Pardus, Chevrolet, Suspension, 16.

            37. (12)  Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Engine, 13.

            38. (17)  Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, Transmission, 7.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 75.263 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 5 Mins, 3 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.853 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 5 for 7 laps.

Lead Changes: 6 among 4 drivers.

Lap Leaders: A. Allmendinger(i) 1-14;S. Creed 15-26;W. Byron(i) 27;S. Creed 28;P. Kligerman 29;S. Creed 30-32;A. Allmendinger(i) 33-46.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): AJ Allmendinger(i) 2 times for 28 laps; Sheldon Creed 3 times for 16 laps; Parker Kligerman 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 10,2,48,19,17,98,7,9,18,1

Stage #2 Top Ten: 2,39,20,08,8,10,17,19,18,27

Top Boss: Allmendinger Overcomes Adversity to Win Pit Boss 250 Presented by USA TODAY

By
Official Release
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A.J. Allmendinger celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY at Circuit of The Americas on Saturday, March 25, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Photo Credit: NASCAR at COTA/Harold Hinson Photography
  • After early dominance, Kaulig Racing driver A.J. Allmendinger charges through the field, holds off William Byron to capture second straight Circuit of The Americas victory.
  • Single-day tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are still available, starting at $70. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.

AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2023) – With a dash of luck and a heaping helping of talent, A.J. Allmendinger cooked up the perfect recipe for success at Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 presented by USA TODAY, returning to Victory Lane at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for the second consecutive year.

Starting on the pole, Allmendinger led every lap in the opening stage before a caution in the middle of green flag pit stops shuffled the Kaulig Racing driver back in the field. The chance at a repeat appeared doomed after Allmendinger was collected in a pileup in the treacherous Turn One during the ensuing restart.

Undeterred, the Los Gatos, Calf. native navigated traffic from 25th position back to the lead to capture his 11th career road course win and the 20th overall victory for Kaulig Racing.

“I wasn’t sure how the race was going to play out with no stage breaks,” Allmendinger said. “I knew we had a really fast car, but it was about trying to get back up there. I knew we had one pit stop to go. When we first got out of the wreck, I was more worried about damage to the car. Once I calmed down and made sure the car was okay, it was just about getting back up there.”

Allmendinger made contact with Sheldon Creed on lap 33 to retake the lead, which he held for the final 14 laps. Closing in on the lead on the final circuit, Byron’s No. 17 machine got loose, giving Allmendinger enough of a cushion to secure the win. Ty Gibbs, Sammy Smith and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top five.

“I just messed the esses up,” Byron said after the race. “I was giving one final run at him. Obviously he’s great at these road courses. I didn’t want to get off and screw up second place, so I slowed way down to keep it on the track. A couple of times I probably had a shot at him, but just needed to be a little better.”

Byron won’t have to wait long for a chance at redemption as both drivers will be among the favorites in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series showdown. Byron will start from the pole, while Allmendinger will start seventh.

Tickets:

Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com. Sunday tickets, which include the Darius Rucker pre-race concert, start at $70 for adults and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

Stewart-Haas Racing: NXS Race Report from COTA

By
Barry Albert
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STEWART-HAAS RACING
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today

Date: March 25, 2023
Event: Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today (Round 6 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas (3.426-mile, 20-turn road course)
Format: 46 laps, broken into three stages (14 laps/16 laps/16 laps)
Race Winner: AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Sheldon Creed of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

SHR Race Finish:

● Riley Herbst (Started 7th / Finished 10th, completed 46 of 46 laps)

● Cole Custer (Started 10th / Finished 32nd, completed 45 of 46 laps)

SHR Points:

● Riley Herbst (2nd with 234 points, 15 out of first)

● Cole Custer (12th with 152 points, 97 out of first)

SHR Notes:

● Herbst earned his sixth straight top-10 of the season and his first top-10 in three career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at COTA.

● Since an eighth-place finish on Oct. 22, 2022 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Herbst has scored nine straight top-10 finishes in the Xfinity Series.

● Herbst is the only Xfinity Series driver to finish in the top-10 in every race so far this season.

● Herbst’s 10th-place finish bettered his previous best finish at COTA – 16th, earned in the inaugural Xfinity Series race at COTA in 2021.

● Herbst finished sixth in Stage 1 to earn five bonus points.

Race Notes:

● AJ Allmendinger won the Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today to score his 16th career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, his first of the season and his second at COTA. His margin over second-place William Byron was .853 of a second.

● There were five caution periods for a total of seven laps.

● Thirty-one of the 38 drivers in the race finished on the lead lap.

● Austin Hill remains the championship leader after COTA with a 15-point advantage over second-place Riley Herbst.

Sound Bites:

“Man, that was a wild ride. I still feel like we struggled today trying to figure out COTA, but there’s improvement. We’re just continuing to build on our program and this team. It’s exciting to see the progress, and I’m proud that we were able to come back up through the field to finish in the top-10. It’s a testament to how this team never gives up. Now, I’m excited to change it up and head to one of my favorite tracks, Richmond.” – Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

“I feel like we started off so strong, and we just got into trouble there. Our No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang was fast, and we ran up near the front during that second stage. I hate it for this team, but that’s road course racing. We’ll learn from this weekend and move on to Richmond, where we’ve had success in the past.” – Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the Richmond 250 on Saturday, April 1 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. The race begins at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Allmendinger dominates for back-to-back Xfinity Series victories at COTA

By
Andrew Kim
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AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 25: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #10 Celsius Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss 250 at Circuit of The Americas on March 25, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images).

AJ Allmendinger was not to be denied in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season after he capped off a dominant run with a victory in the third annual running of the Pit Boss 250 at Circuit of The Americas on Saturday, March 25.

The 41-year-old Allmendinger from Los Gatos, California, led two times for a race-high 28 of 46-scheduled laps, including the final 14, on a day where he commenced by dominating the event’s early stages. Despite falling back towards the midfield after pitting at the start of the second stage, the Californian managed to methodically navigate his way back to the front amid a series of late caution periods. Then under the final stage with 14 laps remaining, Allmendinger made contact with Sheldon Creed to reassume the lead. From there, he fended off a late attack from William Byron to defend his winning title in Austin.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, AJ Allmendinger, the reigning Xfinity winner at COTA of the Americas, secured the pole position for the main event after posting a pole-winning lap at 92.173 mph in 133.184 seconds. Joining him on the front row was rookie Sammy Smith, who posted the second-best qualifying lap at 91.827 mph in 133.686 seconds.

Prior to the event, a host of names that included Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Sage Karam, Alex Labbe, rookie Chandler Smith, Kaz Grala, Bret Moffitt, Anthony Alfredo, Joe Graf Jr., Kyle Weatherman, Brennan Poole and Kyle Sieg dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective cars.

When the green flag waved and the race commenced, the field fanned out through the uphill climb to the first turn as Sammy Smith and Sheldon Creed launched ahead to Allmendinger’s outside with the lead while Ty Gibbs tried to sneak his way beneath Allmendinger’s No. 10 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro. Then entering the series of right and left turns from Turns 2 to 10, Creed cleared Sammy Smith and assumed the lead in his No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro with Allmendinger and Gibbs moving back up to second and third.

After tracking Creed for the following four turns, Allmendinger made his move beneath Creed entering Turn 15 and re-assumed the lead. From there, Allmendinger navigated his way through the final series of turns from Turns 15 to 20 as he returned to the frontstretch and led the first lap. Meanwhile, Aric Almirola plummeted in the leaderboard after spinning his No. 08 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang in Turn 12 while the field remained under green flag conditions.

Through the second lap, Allmendinger was leading by more than two seconds over Creed followed by Gibbs, Sammy Smith and Austin Hill while John Hunter Nemechek, Parker Kligerman, William Byron, Daniel Hemric and Riley Herbst were running in the top 10. Behind, Jeb Burton was in 11th ahead of Miguel Paludo, Sam Mayer, Carson Hocevar and Connor Mosack while Jeremy Clements, Josh Bilicki, Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier and Alex Labbe occupied the top 20 in front of Josh Berry and Brandon Jones.

By the fifth lap, Allmendinger extended his advantage to more than three seconds over Gibbs while Creed dropped back to third and trailed by more than five seconds. Sammy Smith and Hill were running in the top five in front of Kligerman and Byron while Nemechek fell back to eighth. By then, all 38 starters were scored on the lead lap. With Brad Perez spinning in Turn 8, the event remained under green flag conditions.

Two laps later, the first caution of the event flew when Carson Hocevar, who was making his Xfinity Series debut for SS-Green Light Racing, came to a stop in Turn 1. By then, names like Ryan Sieg and Sage Karam were assessed pass-through penalties for cutting the esses. During the caution period, names like the leader Allmendinger, Kligerman, Herbst, Brandon Jones, Jeremy Clements, Chandler Smith and Kaz Grala remained on the track while the rest of the lead lap competitors pitted, with Berry pitting for repairs to the front nose after receiving damage from hitting Byron at the start of the event.

When the event restarted under green on the ninth lap, Allmendinger jumped ahead with a strong start and pulled away from Kligerman while the field fanned out entering the first turn and the series of right and left turns. Through the series of turns, Allmendinger retained the lead in front of Kligerman as Riley Herbst maintained third in front of Jones with the field jostling for positions.

At the Lap 10 mark and with a series of on-track battles ensuing, Allmendinger was leading by more than a second over Kligerman followed by Herbst, Creed and Jones while Chandler Smith, Clements, Gibbs, Grala and Allgaier were in the top 10, with 35 of 38 starters scored on the lead lap.

At the conclusion of the first stage on Lap 14, Allmendinger captured the stage victory while Creed, Kligerman, Gibbs, Byron, Herbst, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Sammy Smith and Sam Mayer were scored in the top 10. Compared to the first five events on the schedule, the caution flag did not display and the competitors proceeded under green as part of NASCAR’s new rules for this season, which highlighted that no caution periods would be mandated at the conclusion of stage breaks on road course venues that hold Cup Series events.

With the second stage proceeding, green flag pit stops ensued as Chandler Smith pitted followed by Hill. Allmendinger would then surrender the lead near the Lap 15 mark to pit as Creed cycled to the lead. By then, additional names like Herbst, Brandon Jones, Kaz Grala and Kyle Weatherman pitted along with the rest of the field.

On Lap 16, the second caution of the event flew when Preston Pardus came to a stop in Turn 1. By then, Austin Hill, winner of three of the first five-scheduled events, took his car to the garage due to an apparent shifter issue while the front-runners remained on the track.

During the following restart on Lap 19, Creed pulled ahead of Byron and the field to maintain the lead as the field tried to navigate through the first turn. Through Turn 1, carnage ensued as Almirola and Preston Pardus spun with Allmendinger also involved as he wedged Berry into Almirola and slammed the brakes while Almirola spun in front of him. As the event remained under green, Creed retained the lead in front of Allgaier and Byron while Sammy Smith and Cole Custer battled in front of John Hunter Nemechek and Gibbs.

A lap later and with the battles around the track ensuing, the caution returned due to debris in Turns 13 and 14 when Brandon Jones lost and shredded a left-front tire to his No. 9 Menards Chevrolet Camaro. During the caution period, the entire field led by Creed remained on the track for a second time.

On the ensuing restart on Lap 22, Creed battled and maintained the lead over Byron entering the first turn. As the field navigated through the first turn and the 20-turn road course, Allmendinger and Berry made contact through the esses while Herbst spun in Turn 8. Back at the front, Byron made his move to assume the lead from Creed in Turn 19, but Creed fought back with a crossover move as he reassumed the lead entering Turn 20 and back to the frontstretch. Byron, however, managed to draw himself with Creed entering the first turn and pull ahead through the fifth turn as he assumed the lead while Custer tried to close in.

By Lap 27, the caution returned when Brett Moffitt came to a stop in Turn 1. During the caution period, names that included Kligerman, Almirola, Ryan Sieg, Jeb Burton and Berry remained on the track while the rest led by Byron pitted.

As the field restarted under green on Lap 29, Kligerman and Almirola dueled for the lead through the uphill climb to the first turn. Then exiting the first turn, Kligerman briefly fell off the pace Ryan Sieg rocketed past Kligerman and Almirola entering the second turn to assume the lead followed by Creed. In the midst of the battles, Cole Custer spun in Turn 4 with help from Berry and got his No. 00 Haas Ford Mustang stuck in the gravel trap. With the event remaining under green as the battles ensued, the caution then fell with Custer unable to pull his car out of the gravel trap. By then, Mayer spun while running in the middle of the pack in Turn 11. This concluded the second stage break scheduled on Lap 30 as Creed captured the stage victory while Ryan Sieg, Nemechek, Almirola, Berry, Allmendinger, Byron, Ty Gibbs, Sammy Smith and Jeb Burton were scored in the top 10.

During the caution period, names like Ryan Sieg, Kligerman and Custer pitted while the rest led by Creed remained on the track.

With 14 laps remaining, the final stage proceeded under green. At the start, the field fanned out to multiple lanes as Creed battled and fended off Nemechek to retain the lead through the first turn and entering the series of turns. Behind, however, Allmendinger carved his way back into the runner-up spot as he set his sights on Creed for the lead while Nemechek, Byron, Almirola, Berry and Sammy Smith trailed in the top seven.

Then in Turn 15, Allmendinger ignited his charge for the lead on Creed as he tried to bump and move Creed through the following turns. Entering Turn 19, however, Creed and Allmendinger made contact as Creed slipped sideways before spinning. This allowed Allmendinger to move back into the lead followed by a hard-charging Byron and Nemechek through the frontstretch while Creed, who was in contention for his first Xfinity career victory, plummeted in the leaderboard.

During the following lap, the battle for the lead ignited as Byron tried to navigate his way around Allmendinger for the top spot in Turn 1. The latter, however, managed to maintain his ground and keep Byron’s No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro behind through Turn 2 and the following turns while a trio of Joe Gibbs Racing competitors that included Nemechek, Sammy Smith and Ty Gibbs were running in the top five.

Down to the final 10 laps, Allmendinger continued to lead by three-tenths of a second over Byron followed by Sammy Smith, Nemechek and Gibbs while Allgaier, Berry, Almirola, Hemric and Jeb Burton were in the top 10. By then, 31 of 38 starters were scored on the lead lap. Not long after, however, Almirola spun while running in the top 10, but the event remained under green as Allmendinger retained the lead ahead of Byron.

With five laps remaining, Allmendinger extended his advantage to more than a second over Byron while teammates Ty Gibbs and Sammy Smith, both of whom were trailing the lead by more than 10 seconds, battled for third. Behind, Nemechek fell back to fifth in front of a hard-charging Allgaier while Hemric, Berry, Mayer and Jeb Burton occupied the top 10. Meanwhile, Creed rallied his way back to 11th despite trailing the lead by more than 26 seconds.

A lap later, Nemechek got punted by Hemric with four laps remaining, but the event remained under green while Allmendinger maintained a decent advantage over Byron.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Allmendinger remained as the leader by four-tenths of a second over Byron, who kept Allmendinger within his sights and was preparing for a final launch attack on the leader for the victory. By then, Nemechek made an unscheduled pit stop to address a flat left-rear tire. Through Turn 1 and the series of turns from Turns 2 to 10, Byron tried to close, but he briefly stepped out of the gas as Allmendinger placed a reasonable gap between himself and his challenger. Following the long straightaway in between Turns 11 and 12 before entering the final series of turns from Turns 12 to 20, Allmendinger did not miss a beat and managed to keep Byron in his rearview mirror as he cycled back to the frontstretch and claimed the checkered flag by eight-tenths of a second over Byron.

With the victory, Allmendinger, who is scheduled to make five Xfinity starts this season to go along with his full-time Cup Series campaign with Kaulig, became the first repeat winner at Circuit of the Americas in the Xfinity Series as he notched his 16th career win in the series, 11 of which have come on road course events. The victory was also the first of the season and 20th overall in the series for Kaulig Racing as Kaulig’s No. 10 entry returned to Victory Lane since Jeb Burton piloted the car number to a victory at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021.

“Well, William Byron might be one of the best ones in the sport right now,” Allmendinger said on FS1. “We’ve seen all the Cup races he’s winning. I knew it was gonna be tough, just trying to fight to get back up to the front there. [I] Hate we had contact with Sheldon [Creed]. I got under him. I was there, I felt like. He turned, I was trying to stay off him, so I hate that happened. So proud of everybody at Kaulig Racing. The Celsius Chevy was really hooked up. With all the damage we had, it definitely hurt the car. Man, I’m out of breath. I’m too old for this.”

“I spent a lot of years not winning anything,” Allmendinger added. “I’m gonna celebrate every [win] like it’s my last one. You never know. As much pressure that I put on myself, I’m always gonna try to live up to it. We fought hard. This was such a team effort. Pit crew was awesome. Just so proud of everybody. I’m just so lucky to be a part of this Kaulig Racing team.”

Byron, who made his lone Xfinity start of the season in Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 17 “all-star” entry, settled in second place for the third time in his Xfinity career while Ty Gibbs finished third in his first Xfinity start of the season in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 “all-star” entry as Cup Series regulars swept the podium spots.

“I just messed that esses up,” Byron, who will start on pole position for Sunday’s Cup Series event in Austin, said. “I was getting one final run at [Allmendinger]. Obviously, they were really good all day. Just great at these road courses and [I] still have just a little bit to gain and minimize some mistakes. Overall, [I] just got through the esses there. I didn’t want to get off and screw up second place, so I slowed way down to keep it within the track. Thanks to HendrickCars.com, Chevrolet. It was a great effort. Just need to clean it up in these cars. Just need to do a better job there, but I had a lot of fun racing them. Couple times, I probably had a shot and just needed to do a little better job. Part of it and hopefully, we’ll get’em tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, rookie Sammy Smith was the highest-finishing Xfinity regular notching fourth place while Allgaier finished fifth. Both along with sixth-place finisher Daniel Hemric and seventh-place finisher Sam Mayer have qualified for the first round of the Dash 4 Cash initiative that will occur next Saturday at Richmond Raceway.

Berry settled in eighth followed by Creed, who made a miraculous comeback from his late spin, while Herbst completed the top 10 on the track. By then, 31 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.

There were six lead changes for four different leaders. The race featured five cautions for seven laps.

Following the sixth event of the 2023 Xfinity Series season, Austin Hill leads the regular-season standings by 15 over Riley Herbst, 29 over John Hunter Nemechek, 49 over Justin Allgaier and 53 over Chandler Smith.

Results.

1. AJ Allmendinger, 28 laps led, Stage 1 winner

2. William Byron, one lap led

3. Ty Gibbs

4. Sammy Smith

5. Justin Allgaier

6. Daniel Hemric

7. Sam Mayer

8. Josh Berry

9. Sheldon Creed, 16 laps led, Stage 2 winner

10. Riley Herbst

11. Brandon Jones

12. Chandler Smith

13. Miguel Paludo

14. Jeremy Clements

15. Alex Labbe

16. Anthony Alfredo

17. Parker Retzlaff

18. Kaz Grala

19. Connor Mosack

20. Ryan Ellis

21. Jeb Burton

22. Kyle Weatherman

23. Ryan Sieg

24. Aric Almirola

25. Jeffrey Earnhardt

26. Kyle Sieg

27. John Hunter Nemechek

28. Josh Bilicki

29. Brad Perez

30. Joe Graf Jr.

31. Parker Kligerman, one lap led

32. Cole Custer, one lap down

33. Brennan Poole – OUT, Steering

34. Brett Moffitt – OUT, Engine

35. Sage Karam – OUT, Engine

36. Preston Pardus – OUT, Suspension

37. Austin Hill – OUT, Engine

38. Carson Hocevar – OUT, Transmission

Next on the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the series’ lone visit of this season to Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia, where the first of four Dash 4 Cash events will occur. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, April 1, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1.

Toyota Gazoo Racing North America NHRA Phoenix Post-Qualifying Report — 3.26.23

By
Official Release
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DOUG KALITTA CLAIMS NUMBER ONE QUALIFIER AT ARIZONA NATIONALS
Kalitta and Alexis DeJoria Both Win Inaugural Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge

CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 26, 2023) – Doug Kalitta drove his Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel dragster to the number one qualifier position with his pass Friday afternoon at 3.679 seconds. The time held through Saturday’s two qualifying sessions for Kalitta’s 51st career number one qualifier. In addition to the number one qualifier position, the Mac Tools team also claimed the inaugural Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge giving the team a $10,000 bonus.

Alexis DeJoria drove her GR Supra Funny Car to the number two qualifier position with her final pass on Saturday with a time of 3.914 seconds and also won the $10,000 bonus for the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap
NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series
Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park
Race 2 of 21

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Doug KalittaMac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster1st (3.679)R. Passey
Steve TorrenceCapco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster6th (3.724)K. Baldwin
Justin AshleyPhillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster7th (3.724)T. Schumacher
Shawn LangdonDHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster8th (3.729)A. Brown
Antron BrownMatco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster9th (3.739)S. Langdon

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS

NameCarQualifying PositionFirst Round Opponent
Bob Tasca IIIFord Motorcraft Funny Car1st (3.874)BYE
Alexis DeJoriaBandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car2nd (3.914)J. Todd
Ron CappsNAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car6th (4.028)A. Laughlin
J.R. ToddDHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car15th (5.332)A. DeJoria

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA QUOTES

DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Qualifying Result: 1st

What does it mean to win the inaugural Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and how bad did your team need this win?

“It was awesome that the Mission folks put up this event and it’s been fun all day. We’re just happy to go some rounds and definitely get the win light to come on. Hats off to Allen (Johnson, crew chief) and all my guys on this Mac Tools Toyota car. We’re happy and we’ll just roll into tomorrow and see if we can keep it going.”

When will we see another Wally in your hand and how is the momentum of the race team?

“We’re working on it. I couldn’t be more excited about what’s going on. Just have to be patient apparently because I’ve been trying to get another Wally, but we’re sneaking up on it for sure. Hopefully tomorrow.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

FC Qualifying Result: 2nd

How does this win in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge mean to your and your team?

“Just coming back to this race track after not being here for a while. I had my very first win here in Nitro Funny Car back in 2014 so it just has all these good feelings, good vibes for me. Today, that first round against Matt Hagan, we made it past him and we ran pretty good. It was a hellacious ride at the top end, but my guys are just so badass and they’re the reason that we’re in this position in the first place. I sucked in Gainesville on my reaction times and they gave me a great GR Supra and I’m just really, really blessed right now. I’ve got a great team and a great car. Ran a 3.91 and it’s been a tough weekend trying to get down the track for everybody. Thank you to Mission Foods, I’m so excited, thank you guys! I get to give this $10,000 to my guys today and that’s the best gift ever.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Toyota Racing – NXS COTA Post-Race Report – 03.25.23

By
Official Release
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GIBBS STRONG IN XFINITY SERIES RETURN
Sammy Smith top finishing Xfinity Series regular

AUSTIN (March 25, 2023) – Ty Gibbs made it three straight top-three finishes for the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra as the reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion finished third today in Austin. His teammate, Sammy Smith, crossed the line in fourth – his second top-five finish of the season to lead all Xfinity Series drivers. With the result, the Iowa-native qualifies for the first Dash 4 Cash event in Richmond.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Circuit of the Americas
Race 6 of 33 – 151.86 miles, 46 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, AJ Allmendinger*
2nd, William Bryon*
3rd, TY GIBBS
4th, SAMMY SMITH
5th, Justin Allgaier*
18th, KAZ GRALA
19th, CONNOR MOSACK
27th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

TY GIBBS, No. 19 Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 3rd

How was your race?

We had a really fast Monster Energy Toyota GR Supra. It was about as fast as Xfinity 10G. We were just a little bit too loose all day. It was an okay finish – we will take it. I’m happy to be back racing in Xfinity Series – it’s a fun time. Hopefully we can go get them tomorrow.”

SAMMY SMITH, No. 18 Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

Fourth-place; how do you describe a day like this?

“it was a good day. I feel like we have lot of room for improvement – car-wise and driver-wise. But it was a good day for our Pilot Flying J Toyota GR Supra. Thanks to Pilot Flying J, TMC, Allstate Peterbuilt Group, Golden Harvest, Renda Group, Toyota, JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) – everybody that helps get us here and gives us fast racecars.”

You get to race for $100,000 next week. How cool is that?

“Yeah, that’s cool! I feel good about Richmond next week, but today we fought a little bit of car balance. I’ve got to clean some things up and work a little bit on the car. Thanks to Pilot Flying J, Toyota, TMC, Allstate Peterbuilt Group, Golden Harvest, Renda Group, JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) – everybody that brings fast racecars. We had a good showing today, just have to continue to work on our road course stuff!”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Smith Scorches Competition at COTA, Wins at XPEL 225

By
Official Release
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Zane Smith watches as his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports truck is engulfed in flames in Victory Lane after winning the XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas on Saturday, March 25, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Photo Credit: NASCAR at COTA/Harold Hinson Photography
  • Zane Smith earns back-to-back wins in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at COTA, truck catches on fire in Victory Lane after celebratory burnout.
  • Single-day tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are still available, starting at $70. Kids 12 and under get in for just $10. Further details can be found at NASCARatCOTA.com.

AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2023) – After scorching the competition en route to a win at the XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Zane Smith brought his fiery performance to Victory Lane, setting his truck ablaze in a memorable celebration that redefined “burnout.”

After short pitting and racing his way to the lead for the final 15 laps, Smith powered his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports machine to a 5.451-second victory over Kyle Busch.

“Obviously that pit call was everything. It’s a true testament to this team behind me,” Smith said. “Besides Victory Lane, today was pretty smooth for the most part.

“I feel like I didn’t leave a mark on it all race long. It didn’t catch on fire when I was in the truck, but I got out and there was white smoke, then all of a sudden there was black smoke all around. I’m probably in trouble after this one. I don’t know how many more burnouts I’m going to be able to do.”

The win marked back-to-back triumphs for Smith in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at COTA. His Front Row Motorsports team is undefeated at the Austin, Texas circuit, with Todd Gilliland earning the win at the inaugural event in 2021.

While most of the field pitted before the final stage, Busch opted to stay out and take tires later in the race.

“You want the freshest tires at the end,” Busch said of his team’s decision. “We were playing the long game, but unfortunately the long game didn’t work. They got lucky today and got the win.”

Ben Rhodes was poised for a third-place finish before a parts failure on the final corner relegated him to 10th. Ty Majeski ultimately crossed the finish line in third, with Tyler Ankrum and Ross Chastain rounding out the top five.

Tickets:

Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com. Sunday tickets, which include the Darius Rucker pre-race concert, start at $70 for adults and just $10 for kids 12 and under. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

GMS Racing NCTS Race Recap: Circuit Of The Americas

By
Official Release
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Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST

START: 8TH

FINISH: 12TH

POINTS: 5TH

Post-Race Quote: “A little bit of a frustrating day, we had higher expectations leaving the track here yesterday at COTA. I feel like we had a potential to be in the top-five speed wise with our Champion Power Equipment Chevy. Little by little, we slowed down a bit. It went from being able to attack the braking zones, but we lacked a little bit of forward drive, and the driver was giving up a little bit in one segment. Overall, just kind of tried to make the most of it. The strategy ended up not working out for us. We kind of gave up the stage points and track position. Overall, we were good enough to come from 21st on the restart to finish 12th. We probably had a 10th place truck, so we are definitely looking for more at our next road course outing. A little disappointing, but proud of everyone’s effort at GMS Racing.”

Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet Silverado RST

START: 20TH

FINISH: 13TH

POINTS: 20TH

Post-Race Quote: “It was a decent day with our Wendell Scott Foundation Chevrolet. I really set us behind with exceeding the track limits there in the esses early on and kind of got it back. I thought I had flat spotted the tires after that. We lost some track position, but it kind of ended up working out at the end. It would have been so much cooler if I didn’t kind of put us behind the eight ball with tires. Nonetheless, we were finally able to be good and put together a day here in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. We will go to Texas and continue on this five-week stretch with our GMS Racing team.”

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Dell Children’s Medical Center / Nyle Maxwell Supercenter Chevrolet Silverado RST

START: 36TH

FINISH: 18TH

POINTS: 19TH

Post-Race Quote: “It was good to pass all those trucks with the limited amount of practice that we had due to our issues we had. I was just trying to get a feel for the racetrack there in the beginning and get to work on our truck a little bit. We fought the handling just a little bit, but overall we had an okay day. To pass 18 trucks after starting last is nothing to hang our heads on. Thank you to Nyle Maxwell Supercenter, Dell Children’s Medical Center, Helm, and everyone at GMS Racing for their support this weekend.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series operating the No. 23, No. 24, and No. 43 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs for drivers Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, and Daniel Dye. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, a team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes – NCTS COTA Post-Race Quotes

By
Official Release
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AUSTIN, TX. | March 25, 2023 – Zane Smith was victorious in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ return to Circuit of The Americas. The win is Smith’s ninth in the series and his second-straight at the road course. Ford has won three consecutive times at Circuit of The Americas in the Craftsman Truck Series (Todd Gilliland, 2021; Smith, 2022-2023).

Ford Finishing Results:

1st – Zane Smith

3rd – Ty Majeski

10th – Ben Rhodes

15th – Kaden Honeycutt

16th – Hailie Deegan

22nd – Logan Bearden

26th – Mason Filippi

33rd – Matt Crafton

ZANE SMITH, No. 38 Speedco/Peak Ford F-150 (Finished 1st) – WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE CLOSING LAPS WITH KYLE BUSCH MAKING A PUSH? “Yeah, it was definitely nerve-racking there, but I knew once he was in that traffic, I needed to somewhat charge there but have enough at the end of the run. While he was trying to get through traffic, I was just trying to put down lap times and get a gap going. Fortunately, we worked up to about six-and-a-half seconds. I knew I was going to have to make a big mistake for him to get into striking distance. He is so strong under braking, and COTA is just all massive braking zones. That was my biggest worry, but I always enjoy racing him and it was fun this weekend racing with Ross [Chastain]. I’ve learned so much racing those guys, so hopefully in the near future, I can race with them every weekend.”

TIRES PROVED TO BE MORE OF A FACTOR THIS YEAR. HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT TO MANAGE DEGRADATION? “Really difficult, especially I feel like every year it gets bumpier and bumpier, and these bumps are knocking us sideways left and right. That’s the biggest thing. A lot of this track has new pavement and old pavement. It’s so easy to lock up fronts and try to find that drive-off. Fortunately, we found it when it mattered, and I’m just so happy to be here.”

TY MAJESKI, No. 98 Cincinnati/Curb Records Ford F-150 (Finished 3rd) – HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR FINISH? “It was a good, solid day for us. Anytime you can come here with the Cup guys at a road course, it’s tough. So, I had good top-five speed all day. Not sure if we had a third-place truck, but probably around there. Just a solid day. Joe (Shear Jr.) made a great pit call. We were able to jump a lot of guys on pit road there right before that caution came out. It was great timing and a good call by Joe. We had some shaky pit stops, we got behind on track position, and that got us back in the game. Overall, solid day for us. Got to be close to the points lead? A good day. Just have to keep top-fiving them and getting stage points into the summer months.”

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Farm Paint Ford F-150 (Finished 10th) – WHAT HAPPENED LATE IN THE RACE? “Driveshaft just came right out of it going into Turn 19 on the last lap. Thankful it happened there, or we may not have even finished. But, still a bummer. I felt it kind of coming apart with two [laps] to go, and I wasn’t sure at that point what it was. But, one to go I started feeling some pretty noticeable issues, so I coasted as much as I could, and gave up as much time as I could to Ty Majeski behind me. I thought I was managing the gap OK, but then I come out of Turn 18, the carousel, and I believe – how I recall it – as I loaded up pretty hard and hit the chip, that’s right when it broke. But I have to go back and watch the camera. It kind of caught me off guard and took my attention elsewhere.”

WAS THERE A CONCERN YOU WOULDN’T EVEN BE ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK? “Yeah, I was really worried actually. Watching the big hill come up to me and getting slower and slower, I didn’t think I was going to make it. I’m just watching trucks fly past. That was just an absolute heartbreaker, really. I know everybody on our team, we set ourselves up for a good finish with the pit-stops because we knew we didn’t have the short run speed that the other trucks did. But the truck held on for pace really well at the end. The bummer is I think we only got nine on stage points, and we gave up those stage points to try to get a good finish. It just completely bites us and turns into a bad points day overall.”

IS THERE SOME POSITIVE? “My team’s had great speed, and that’s the way that we need to take this. That’s the absolute attitude that we need to have. It’s very easy to focus on the negative… I tend to do that myself actually. The good news is that our crew chief, Jared, who has done a great job leading the team and keeping everybody happy. Making sure that we’re all in the right frame of mind. I think that’s one of his strong suits. He’ll find the silver lining. He already told me, ‘Good thing it busted out in the last corner.’ I said, ‘I’m just mad it busted at all.’ He is just happy as can be that the truck ran good the whole race and it happened at the proper timing to still get 10th. He has a good attitude. I’ll work on mine a little bit.”

Zane Smith capitalizes on pit strategy for second consecutive Truck victory at COTA

By
Andrew Kim
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AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 25: Zane Smith, driver of the #38 Speedco/Peak Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas on March 25, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images).

Zane Smith executed a well-timed pit strategy followed by a late caution period to cycle to the lead and motor away in the final stage to win the third annual running of the XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday, March 25.

The reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Smith from Huntington Beach, California, led two times for a race-high 16 of 42-scheduled laps as he spent the majority of the event running towards the front and jostling for the lead with a host of front-runners, among which included Kyle Busch.

The key moment for Smith occurred at the conclusion of the second stage, which was won by Busch, when the Californian pitted under green for four fresh tires and fuel. Once the caution flew immediately afterward due to Parker Kligerman’s mechanical issue, a host of names led by Busch pitted and surrendered track position, which enabled Smith to cycle to the lead.

Then during a 13-lap dash to the finish, Smith was able to retain the lead and capture the victory from Busch who was trying to cycle his way back to the front from starting 16th but ran out of time as he was unable to narrow the deficit.  

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Ross Chastain secured the pole position for the main event after posting a pole-winning lap at 91.877 mph in 133.613 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Kyle Busch, who posted the second-best qualifying lap at 91.490 mph in 134.178 seconds.

Prior to the event, names that included Daniel Dye, Kris Wright, Matt Crafton, Parker Kligerman, Matt DiBenedetto, Kaden Honeycutt, Taylor Gray, Bret Holmes, Colin Garrett, Chase Purdy and Spencer Boyd (driver change) dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective entries.

When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Chastain jumped ahead with an early advantage approaching the uphill climb towards the first turn as the field fanned out. As the field approached a series of left and right-hand turns from Turns 2 to 9, Chastain remained ahead of Kyle Busch with Christian Eckes and Ty Majeski battling for third. With rookie Bret Holmes spinning behind in the field, the event remained under green flag conditions as the leaders approached Turns 10 and 11 before entering a long straightaway to Turn 12.

Towards the rear of the field, however, early troubles ignited for open-wheel competitor Ed Jones, who fell off the pace in Turn 8 with a flat left-rear tire and a potential broken rear suspension to his No. 20 Little Caesars Chevrolet Silverado RST. As the event remained under green, Chastain navigated his way through the next round of left and right-hand turns from Turns 12 to 19 before entering the final turn in Turn 20 and returning to the frontstretch as he led the first lap in front of Kyle Busch, Eckes, Majeski and Zane Smith. Not long after, the first caution of the event flew when Ed Jones pulled his truck off the course in Turn 13 with a flat tire and retired. During the caution period, names like Kris Wright, Colin Garrett, Jake Garcia, Spencer Boyd, Holmes and Jones pitted while the rest led by Chastain remained on the track.

When the event proceeded under green on the third lap in Austin, the field fanned out as wide as five lanes entering the first turn with Eckes igniting his charge for the lead, which he succeeded over Chastain and Kyle Busch. Following Turns 2 to 10, however, Chastain drew his No. 41 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado RST beneath Eckes’ No. 19 NAPA Chevrolet Silverado RST in Turn 11 as both engaged for the lead while Zane Smith, Kyle Busch and Hocevar battled for third. Then entering Turn 12, Chastain cleared Eckes to reassume the lead as the field behind continued to jostle for positions.

Through the first five scheduled laps, Chastain was leading by more than a second over Eckes followed by Zane Smith, Kyle Busch and Carson Hocevar while Majeski, Kaz Grala, rookie Nick Sanchez, Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum were in the top 10. By then, Tanner Gray was in 11th ahead of Ben Rhodes, Grant Enfinger, Logan Bearden and Lawless Alan while Matt DiBenedetto, Matt Crafton, Hailie Deegan, Parker Kligerman and Stewart Friesen occupied the top 20. Meanwhile, rookie Rajah Caruth was assessed a pass-through penalty for cutting the course.

Not long after, Deegan pitted under green as scheduled while running in the top 20 while driver Dale Quarterley was penalized for cutting the corner. Back at the front, Chastain continued to lead by more than a second over Eckes as Zane Smith, Kyle Busch and Hocevar were in the top five.

Then on the seventh lap, the caution returned when Hocevar, who was running towards the top 10, got loose due to brake pressure issues and spun as he got his No. 42 Worldwide Express Chevrolet Silverado RST stuck in the gravel trap in Turn 11. Hocevar’s incident occurred as Kris Wright also spun toward the midfield. During the caution period, a host of names led by Zane Smith, Busch and Chastain pitted while the rest led by Eckes remained on the track. During the caution period, Logan Bearden was penalized for speeding on pit road.

During the following restart on the 10th lap, the field fanned out entering the first turn as Eckes pulled ahead with the lead while Sanchez and Majeski battled for second. Entering the second turn, contact from Majeski got Sanchez loose as he lost a handful of spots while Eckes pulled away through the first round of left and right turns. Behind, trouble ignited for Crafton as he spun in Turn 4 and got his No. 88 Menards Ford F-150 stuck in the gravel trap. With the event proceeding under green, Eckes retained the lead in front of Majeski while Grala moved up to third in front of teammate Heim, Tyler Ankrum and Ben Rhodes.

At the conclusion of the first stage on Lap 12, Eckes, winner of last weekend’s event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, captured his third stage victory of the 2023 Truck season with Majeski, Corey Heim, Grala, Kyle Busch, Chastain, Tyler Ankrum, Zane Smith, Rhodes and Matt DiBenedetto scored in the top 10. Compared to the first three events on the schedule, the caution flag did not display and the competitors proceeded under green as part of NASCAR’s new rules for this season, which highlighted that no caution periods would be mandated at the conclusion of stage breaks on road course venues that hold Cup Series events.

As the event remained under green with the start of the second stage, a host of names that included Chastain, Kyle Busch and Zane Smith pitted under green. Eckes would pit under green during the following lap as Majeski assumed the lead. During the 14th lap, Kyle Busch, who managed to pass Chastain following the pit stops, overtook Majeski to assume the lead while Chastain followed through for second. Not long after, Colby Howard was penalized for cutting the course while Heim and DiBenedetto pitted under green.

As the event surpassed the Lap 20 mark, names that included Sanchez, Eckes, Majeski, Rhodes and Grala pitted under green, with Eckes dealing with a potential mechanical issue to his truck and knocking himself out of contention for a second consecutive win. By then, Chastain was leading ahead of Kyle Busch. Chastain would then pit on Lap 22 in light of a fuel pressure issue for the Floridian while Busch cycled his No. 51 Zariz Transport Chevrolet Silverado RST into the lead.

When the second stage concluded on Lap 26 and the event surpassed its halfway mark, Kyle Busch captured the stage victory. Zane Smith, who pitted to cap off the second stage, was scored second followed by Lawless Alan, Stewart Friesen, Parker Kligerman, Hailie Deegan, Chastain, Kaden Honeycutt, Rhodes and Nick Sanchez. Not long after, the caution returned when Kligerman, who was off the pace through the frontstretch, came to a stop towards the frontstretch’s uphill venue with smoke billowing out of his No. 75 Food Country USA Chevrolet Silverado RST. By then, names like Chase Purdy, Majeski, Tanner Gray and Ankrum had also pitted along with Zane Smith. In the midst of the pit stops and prior to Kligerman’s issues, Hailie Deegan and Kaden Honeycutt made contact entering Turn 19, which resulted in both spinning off the track.

During the caution period, some led by Kyle Busch, who opted to remain on the track during the second stage’s conclusion instead of pitting per crew chief Brian Pattie’s orders, pitted while the rest that included Zane Smith, Rhodes, Taylor Gray, Grala, Rajah Caruth, Majeski, Tanner Gray, Ankrum and Chase Purdy remained on the track.

With 13 laps remaining, the event restarted under green as Zane Smith and Rhodes occupied the front row. At the start, Zane Smith maintained the lead in front of Rhodes as the field fanned out and scrambled for late positions. As the field continued to navigate through the series of turns, Logan Bearden spun in Turn 15, but the field remained under green while Kyle Busch commenced his charge to the front on fresh tires.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Zane Smith was leading by more than three seconds over Rhodes while third-place Kyle Busch, who continued to his charge to the front, was trailing by more than six seconds. Majeski and Grala were in the top five while Caruth, Taylor Gray, Ankrum, Tanner Gray and Heim occupied the top 10 with 29 of 36 starters scored on the lead lap.

Four laps later, Kyle Busch overtook Rhodes for the runner-up spot. Busch, however, found himself trailing the leader Zane Smith by more than six seconds. As the laps continued to dwindle and the battles around the circuit continued, Busch could only get the gap between himself and Zane Smith down to four and five seconds, but he could not get closer to Smith’s No. 38 Speedco Ford F-150 as the Californian continued to lead.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Zane Smith remained as the leader by more than five seconds over Kyle Busch and by more than seven seconds over third-place Rhodes. With clean air in front of him and a clear advantage with no challenges lurking behind, Smith was able to navigate his way through the 20-turn circuit for a final time before cycling back to the frontstretch and claiming his second consecutive checkered flag in Austin.

With the victory, Smith became the first repeat winner of this year’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season and notched his ninth series career victory. Smith’s win also marked the third consecutive victory for Front Row Motorsports No. 38 entry, which remains the only team to win every Truck event at Circuit of the Americas.

“Besides catching on fire in Victory Lane, that’s a first for me,” Smith, whose truck caught on fire while performing his burnout on the frontstretch, said on FS1. “Man, that’s a bummer right there, but man, just a shoutout to everyone at Team [Front Row Motorsports], [crew chief] Chris Lawson for that amazing strategy right there. That worked out for us good with that caution, advancing us in front of [Chastain]. Shoutout to my pit crew, man. They’ve been awesome all this year. It’s been so awesome having them and then, the strategy, putting Kyle [Busch] back there and us starting on the front row was just so perfect. The Speedco F-150 was fast there when it mattered. I just enjoy so much coming to all the road courses, especially here. It’s so cool [that Front Row Motorsports] is undefeated here. Just a true testament to this team. That was probably the most hectic Victory Lane celebration I’ve ever had.”

Kyle Busch, who was seeking the 100th Truck career victory for his organization, settled in second place and five seconds behind Smith while Majeski, Ankrum and Chastain finished in the top five.

“We were playing the long game and unfortunately, the long game didn’t work,” Busch said. “[Smith] got lucky today and beat us.”

Heim, Sanchez, Tanner Gray and Grala finished sixth through ninth while Rhodes, who had a drive shaft issue and had fallen off the pace approaching the finish line, ended up in 10th.

There were nine lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured three cautions for five laps. In total, 28 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.

Following the fourth event of the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series season, Zane Smith leads the regular-season standings by two points over Ty Majeski, 18 over Ben Rhodes, 20 over Christian Eckes, 37 over Grant Enfinger and 38 over Matt Crafton.

Results.

1. Zane Smith, 16 laps led

2. Kyle Busch, 12 laps led, Stage 2 winner

3. Ty Majeski, one lap led

4. Tyler Ankrum

5. Ross Chastain, 10 laps led

6. Corey Heim

7. Nick Sanchez

8. Tanner Gray

9. Kaz Grala

10. Ben Rhodes

11. Taylor Gray

12. Grant Enfinger

13. Rajah Caruth

14. Stewart Friesen

15. Kaden Honeycutt

16. Hailie Deegan

17. Lawless Alan

18. Daniel Dye

19. Jake Garcia

20. Colin Garrett

21. Kris Wright

22. Logan Bearden

23. Bret Holmes

24. Colby Howard

25. Timmy Hill

26. Mason Filippi

27. Chase Purdy

28. Dale Quarterley

29. Matt DiBenedetto, one lap down

30. Christian Eckes – OUT, Suspension, three laps led, Stage 1 winner

31. Parker Kligerman – OUT, Electrical

32. Spencer Boyd – OUT, Electrical

33. Matt Crafton – OUT, Accident

34. Carson Hocevar – OUT, Axle

35. Dean Thompson – OUT, Accident

36. Ed Jones – OUT, Suspension

Next on the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is another Texas event as the series will travel north from Austin to Fort Worth to compete at Texas Motor Speedway. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, April 1, at 4:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

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