The NASCAR Xfinity Series visited Richmond Raceway Friday night for a doubleheader weekend beginning with Race One in the Go Bowling 250 with two races remaining in the regular season. Ross Chastain won the pole by a metric qualifying system with Brandon Jones qualifying second to make up the front row. The “Choose Cone Rule” was in effect for this race. Teams were only allowed five sets of tires for tonight’s race, four for tomorrow’s race. Two drivers were starting the race in the back of the field Matt Mills (unapproved adjustments) and Joey Gase (driver change).
Friday nights 🤝 short track racing We're green in the #GoBowling250 at @RichmondRaceway on NBCSN and streaming at https://t.co/593lUVrknA! pic.twitter.com/nqw68qVqWb — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 11, 2020
Ross Chastain selected the inside lane while Brandon Jones went to the outside to start the race. On the fifteenth lap, Colby Howard’s car stopped at turn four to bring out the first caution of the night. During the caution, Kyle Weatherman, Bayley Currey, Kody Vanderwal, Jeremey Clements, and Joey Gase went to pit road. Chastain chose the inside lane while Harrison Burton went to the outside for the restart on lap 19. Nine laps into the restart, Justin Haley used the inside lane to get by Harrison Burton for second place. He would use the inside lane again to take over the lead from his teammate Ross Chastain six laps later.
Just before the competition caution, @Justin_Haley_ got by his @KauligRacing teammate for the lead. Here's what it looked like from @RossChastain's seat. pic.twitter.com/mqLfdr1cpE — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 11, 2020
The competition caution would come out at lap 42. During the caution, most of the field went to pit road while Harrison Burton, Brandon Jones, Riley Herbst, Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch, and four others stayed out. Burton would choose the inside lane, and Brandon Jones went to the outside for the restart on lap 46. On the same lap, Ross Chastain tried to make a pass from the outside lane making it four-wide but would check up before Justin Haley got into him. While that was going on, Myatt Snider would make contact with the No. 08 car of Joe Graf Jr. and spun at the backstretch, hitting the inside wall to bring out the third caution.
FOUR-WIDE at the front of the pack leads to trouble at the back! 😮 📺: NBCSN | 📲: https://t.co/593lUVrknA pic.twitter.com/3Hp1c9ihoX — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 11, 2020
None of the leaders went to pit road during the caution. Burton would choose the inside lane while Brandon Jones selected the outside for the restart with 23 laps to go in stage one. A lap into the restart, Chase Briscoe would take the lead away from Burton. His lead did not last long as Austin Cindric would pass him on lap 60 to take the lead. Cindric would lead the last ten laps to win stage one.
That's @AustinCindric's 10th stage win of 2020!@NASCAR_Xfinity // @Team_Penske pic.twitter.com/VCwsjf0oZd — #NASCARPlayoffs on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 11, 2020
During the caution, Austin Cindric brought the field down to pit road as everyone took four tires with Cindric coming out first and Chase Briscoe second. Cindric would choose the inside lane, and Chase Briscoe went to the outside as stage two was underway on lap 84. Twenty laps into stage two, Justin Haley was running in the sixth position after his crew fixed the nose of the car during the caution. On lap 125, Justin Allgaier used the outside lane in between turns three and four to take the lead away from Cindric.
Taking the road less traveled … @J_Allgaier goes around the outside to the point!#GoBowling250 | @RichmondRaceway pic.twitter.com/dzMdnn5tby — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 12, 2020
Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe, who restarted second, lost ten positions sitting in 12th place. Justin Haley continued to move up the field on lap 147, taking the third position away from Kyle Busch. Upfront, Justin Allgaier led the last 26 laps to win stage two, his ninth stage win of the season.
STAGE WINNER: @J_Allgaier adds a big #NASCARPlayoffs point by taking Stage Two at @RichmondRaceway! Tune into the final stage on NBCSN or stream at https://t.co/593lUVrknA! pic.twitter.com/sfBfZpU1vk — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 12, 2020
During the caution, Allgaier led the field down to pit road for four tires, and he came out first while Ross Chastain was out second. Ryan Sieg was caught speeding and had to restart at the back of the field. Allgaier would choose the inside lane with Ross Chastain selecting the outside to start the final stage on lap 158. Allgaier led an additional sixteen laps before Justin Haley went to the inside lane at turn one to take the lead on lap 174.
An exchanging of spots for the Justin's. @Justin_Haley_ gets by @J_Allgaier for the @RichmondRaceway lead! pic.twitter.com/ZF4S1hwHjj — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 12, 2020
Allgaier did not give up as he stayed patient behind Haley. He would race side-by-side with him for four laps before taking the lead back on lap 222. With the laps winding down, Allgaier had put Chase Briscoe and Riley Herbst a lap down with both drivers running eleventh and tenth. Allgaier would lead the last 29 laps to win the race by .604 second over Justin Haley. This was Allgaier’s second win of the season, first of his career at Richmond Raceway, and the 50th win for JR Motorsports.
Juuuuuuust enough to get to the end. Retweet to congratulate @J_Allgaier on his victory at @RichmondRaceway! pic.twitter.com/0j2GFjFpLs — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 12, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Kyle Busch third, Austin Cindric fourth, Ross Chastain fifth, Brett Moffitt sixth, Michael Annett seventh, Noah Gragson eighth, Kaz Grala ninth, and Riley Herbst tenth, one lap down. There were five cautions for 31 laps and ten lead changes. Drivers were running conservative throughout the race with some suffering damage as the drivers have to use these cars again for tomorrow’s race.
The playoff point standings right now with two races to go in the regular season are: Chase Briscoe first (6 wins), Austin Cindric second (5 wins), Justin Allgaier third (2 wins), Noah Gragson fourth (2 wins), Brandon Jones fifth (3 wins), Justin Haley sixth (2 wins), Harrison Burton seventh (2 wins) have locked themselves in the playoffs on wins. Ross Chastain eighth, and Michael Annett ninth, have qualified for the playoffs based on points. The remaining drivers in the playoffs right now are Riley Herbst tenth, Ryan Sieg eleventh, and Brandon Brown twelfth. Drivers who are on the outside looking in are Jeremey Clements thirteenth, Myatt Snider fourteenth, Josh Williams fifteenth, and Jesse Little sixteenth.
The Xfinity Series will complete the doubleheader weekend tomorrow afternoon in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 250 at 2 pm on NBCSN.
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