The NASCAR Xfinity Series headed to Homestead-Miami Speedway for a doubleheader beginning Saturday afternoon with the Hooters 250. While the temperature was 87 degrees, the track temperature hit 95 degrees. The drivers are not used to coming to Homestead this early in the year. Homestead had hosted the final NASCAR race of the season in November. This race was initially scheduled for March, but due to the pandemic, NASCAR rescheduled this event once they got the green light to host the race. NASCAR implemented a competition caution at lap 20.
There were problems from the start for the number 98 car of Chase Briscoe. During the pace laps, debris was falling from his car, and he had to come down to pit road to get the spacer fixed and some other issues. The spacer is a part that holds additional weight to the car. Harrison Burton was the pole sitter and elected to take the outside lane putting Noah Gragson on the inside.
GREEN. GREEN. GREEN. The #Hooters250 at @HomesteadMiami is LIVE on FOX! pic.twitter.com/UWgqWoIDHd — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
Noah Gragson got by Harrison Burton on the first lap to take the lead. Meanwhile, Briscoe’s crew would fix the spacer, and he left pit road six laps down. The first twenty laps, it was a clean race when the competition caution waved at lap 21. Some of the lead lap cars pitted, including Ryan Sieg, who was running ninth. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Weatherman, Timmy Hill, Alex Labbe, Jesse Little, Josh Williams, Bayley Currey, Kody Vanderwal, Brett Moffitt, Stefan Parsons, Stephan Leicht, and Caesar Bacarella also made pit stops. Timmy Hill was penalized for an uncontrolled tire.
Noah Gragson and Ross Chastain led the field back to green with Gragson selecting the outside lane, putting Chastain in the inside. Chastain would get some help from Austin Cindric to get by Gragson for the lead on lap 25. The cars that pitted for fresh tires quickly caught those on older tires, and that was the case for Ryan Sieg as he would take the lead from Chastain on lap 28 after staring in the 20th position on the restart. Smoke was coming out of the 52 car of Kody Vanderwal to bring out the second caution of the race along with the end of stage one that went to Ryan Sieg.
All of the lead lap cars pitted with Noah Gragson winning the race off of pit road with Ross Chastain coming out second. Timmy Hill’s crew would lose another tire, and he would go to the rear of the field. Ryan Sieg, who led the field down pit road, came out sixth. Chase Briscoe, who was six laps down, found himself now three laps down. Gragson and Chastain led the field back to green on lap 46 to start stage two. Behind them were Austin Cindric in third, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. fourth. A lap into the restart, Austin Cindric got by Ross Chastain to take the lead.
Whoooooa hang on there @NoahGragson. Don't want to wreck in front of the boss! pic.twitter.com/gFyBL0mqd4 — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
On lap 58, Brett Moffitt and Vinnie Miller collided while battling for the 19th position to bring out the third caution of the race. Bayley Currey was awarded the free pass. The only cars that pitted under caution were J.J Yeley, Colin Garrett, Timmy Hill, and Caesar Bacarella.
Caution on the track!@Brett_Moffitt gets into @VinnieMiller_ and sends them both into the wall. pic.twitter.com/6kMXUKBkNR — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
Austin Cindric and Ross Chastain led the field back to green on lap 63. Chastain got by Cindric to take the lead. Seven laps later, Chastain was fighting Noah Gragson to maintain the lead. Gragson would eventually get by Chastain for the lead. After getting the lead from Chastain, Gragson went on to win stage two. Chase Briscoe got the free pass and now was only one lap down after starting the race six laps down.
FULL. SEND.@NoahGragson | @HomesteadMiami pic.twitter.com/Pwj6xdtb9a — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
All of the lead lap cars pitted for four tires and fuel. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race off of pit road with Ross Chastain coming out second. Noah Gragson came in as the leader, but he had to back up out of his pit box before leaving pit road. Ryan Sieg was penalized for speeding, and Riley Herbst also served a penalty for too many men over the wall.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ross Chastain led the field back to green to start the final stage on lap 88. Gragson spun his tires and was unable to help Earnhardt Jr. get a push this allowed Chastain to take the lead.
The @JRMotorsports cars can't get going on the restart and the field stacks up behind them.@RossChastain leads on FOX and https://t.co/qkbTgQOd94! pic.twitter.com/OLnVC7mUXF — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
Within five laps, Austin Cindric made his way up the field to pass Chastain to take the lead on lap 93. Chastain was not going to make it easy for Cindric as he got the lead back a lap later. As both drivers fought hard for the lead, they allowed Dale Earnhardt Jr. to close in on them. These two were in a battle for the lead, and on lap 100, Cindric got the lead back and would now have to fight Earnhardt Jr. for the lead. Cindric would keep Earnhardt Jr. in his rearview mirror to maintain the lead.
.@DaleJr is putting on a show at @HomesteadMiami! 📺: FOX 📱:https://t.co/qkbTgQOd94 pic.twitter.com/jyYhSgkVL3 — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
Noah Gragson joined in on the fight for the lead after being in sixth on lap 99. He was able to get by Earnhardt Jr., Cindric, and Chastain for the lead on lap 108.
Can anybody stop these @NoahGragson slide jobs? He muscles his way to the lead once again! pic.twitter.com/vmolprNcyC — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
J.J Yeley came down to pit road, giving up the 9th position with right-side damage to his car and headed for the garage. Scheduled green flag pit stops began at lap 121 with Austin Cindric pitting from the second position, four seconds behind the leader Gragson. Justin Haley also pitted from the seventh position. However, an uncontrolled tire cost Haley with a drive-through penalty. Noah Gragson pitted a lap later with Earnhardt Jr. following him, Chastain also pitted from the fifth position, but an uncontrolled tire took him out of contention.
Ryan Sieg took over the lead, and Chase Briscoe had worked his way to fourth place. Both drivers were hoping for a caution flag to come out. They both had older tires, Gragson was able to catch Briscoe and Sieg to get the lead back. While leading the race, Gragson was trying to avoid Myatt Snider, who made contact with the turn three wall. However, he would also tap the wall. Ryan Sieg pitted on lap 138 while Chase Briscoe pitted on lap 150.
Using the cushion to perfection.@NoahGragson | #Hooters250 pic.twitter.com/fZU6CKSrD3 — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
J.J Yeley came back out on to the track in the 32nd position after spending time in the garage fixing the right-side damage. At this point in the race, Gragson stretched his lead to ten seconds. Ryan Sieg spun on lap 161 to bring out the caution flag. At that point, Gragson’s lead was twelve seconds.
CAUTION: A 12+ second lead for @NoahGragson evaporates in an instant! pic.twitter.com/kaN9T282bA — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
All of the lead lap cars pitted for four tires and fuel with Gragson winning the race off of pit road, Harrison Burton second, Dale Earnhardt Jr. third, and Brandon Jones fourth, but he was caught speeding. When they come back to take the green, there would only be two laps left.
Noah Gragson elected the inside lane putting Harrison Burton on the outside. Gragson had his boss Earnhardt Jr. behind him in the third position. On the restart, Burton and Gragson both make contact fighting for the lead allowing Austin Cindric to join them in the fight. All three cars battled three-wide on the last lap with Burton coming out on top and winning the Hooters 250.
🤯🤯🤯🤯 Those last two laps! RETWEET to congratulate @HBurtonRacing! pic.twitter.com/DrBRyau6SA — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 13, 2020
Austin Cindric finished second, Noah Gragson third, Anthony Alfredo fourth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. fifth, Michael Annett sixth, Chase Briscoe seventh, a great finish for how his day started, Brandon Jones eighth, Ross Chastain ninth, and Riley Herbst wrap up the top ten. There were seventeen lead changes by seven drivers and five cautions throughout the race.
The Xfinity Series will race again tomorrow afternoon to finish the doubleheader at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will start at noon, and it will be on FS1.
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