The NASCAR Xfinity Series made its way to Talladega Superspeedway for the Unhinged 300 Saturday afternoon. A pair of Chevrolets were on the front row as Justin Haley was the pole sitter, and next to him was Michael Annett. Before the race began, NASCAR implemented a competition caution at lap 12. Several drivers were sent to the rear of the field, including Jeb Burton and AJ Allmendinger for inspection failures, Mason Massey for unapproved adjustments, and Tim Viens substituted for Joe Nemechek. In the race, the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 was up for grabs between Ross Chastain, AJ Allmendinger, Brandon Jones, and Chase Briscoe. The driver who had the highest finish wins $100,000.
GREEN FLAG! 🔥 The @NASCAR_Xfinity Series from @TalladegaSuperS is live on FS1 and the FOX Sports app. #UNHINGED300 pic.twitter.com/4MP3fDFw5Y — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 20, 2020
On the third lap, Ryan Sieg got into the wall from the second position and fell off the pace. Michael Annett went for the lead on the fifth lap and got it. Troubles continued for Ryan Sieg as he had to take his car to pit road for another flat tire. Annett continued to lead until the competition caution came out on the 12th lap. Under the caution, the top drivers stayed out, including Annett and Haley, while others pitted.
On the restart at lap 15, Ross Chastain went around both Michael Annett and Justin Haley to grab the lead only for Haley to take it back a lap later, and Chastain dropped to the 7th place. Haley led the last ten laps to go on to win stage one.
Four-wide on the high banks of @TalladegaSuperS. 😍 Does it get any better? #XfinitySeries pic.twitter.com/NqOQDpFEVs — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 20, 2020
Some of the lead lap cars pitted, including Harrison Burton, Justin Allgaier, AJ Allmendinger, and Myatt Snider. Josh Williams won the race off of pit road. Most of the cars on pit road took two-tires. Burton and Allgaier led the field back to green to start stage two on lap 30.
Two laps in, Ross Chastain, went for the lead with help from Anthony Alfredo. His lead was short-lived as Alfredo would go into the lead a lap later. Chase Briscoe, who was competing for the Dash 4 Cash, took the lead away from Alfredo on lap 38. Briscoe remained in the lead and went on to win stage two.
Jesse Little got the free pass, and some of the lead lap cars pitted except for AJ Allmendinger, Myatt Snider, Mason Massey, Jeremy Clements, and Tim Viens. Those cars would eventually come in a lap later, and the new leader was Austin Cindric.
Something seems… off… 🧐#XfinitySeries | @TalladegaSuperS pic.twitter.com/SOMBJI3v9I — NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 20, 2020
Austin Cindric and Noah Gragson led the field back to the green to start the final stage on lap 57. Cindric was up against four JR Motorsports cars. Two laps later, Gragson got the lead, and the JR Motorsports cars were running one through four. There was a close call on lap 76 when Tim Viens got into the wall with a flat tire in between turns three and four and almost caused the big one. Luckily, no one else was involved, and the race stayed green. A lap later, Brett Moffitt would spin Riley Herbst on the front stretch, collecting Chase Briscoe to bring out the fourth caution of the day. Some of the lead lap cars pitted under caution. Noah Gragson won the race off of pit road taking fuel only while teammate Justin Allgaier took two tires and fuel.
Chastain and Allmendinger led the field back to the restart on lap 81 with the Kaulig Racing cars in positions one through three and JR Motorsports cars four through seven. Fifteen laps into the restart, the big one happened as the single lane got stacked up, causing Kody Vanderwal to get loose who hit Harrison Burton. Others involved in the wreak were Colin Garrett, Jeb Burton, Josh Williams, and Caesar Bacarella. The red flag was displayed on lap 97 and lasted ten minutes.
BIG TROUBLE at @TalladegaSuperS. 💥 At least five cars involved with the laps winding down. pic.twitter.com/W4t8IJwYB6 — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 20, 2020
Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger led the field back to green with 15 laps to go. Jeb Burton bumped AJ Allmendinger out of the way. Austin Cindric went into the lead getting by Chastain. A lap later, Jeb Burton got the lead from Cindric. Burton’s lead did not last long as Cindric fought him to get it back in the closing laps.
Burton would get the lead back a couple of laps later when Ross Chastain blocked Noah Gragson. Gragson got spun by Gray Gaulding behind him, causing a huge wreck involving Brandon Jones, Jeff Green, Tommy Joe Martins, Michael Annett, Brandon Brown, Timmy Hill, Myatt Snider, Chad Finchum, and Robby Lyons II.
There it is! 😳 A big wreck collects multiple cars coming through the tri-oval. pic.twitter.com/1obE0PjJUt — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 20, 2020
The Red flag would be displayed again for cleanup. The red flag lasted six minutes when the caution flag was finally waved. Nobody came to pit road. Jeb Burton and Justin Haley led the field back to green with five laps to go on lap on lap 111.
Burton and Haley were running side-by-side as the white flag was displayed. On the last lap, Ross Chastain pushed Justin Haley to the front. Haley got a huge lead going into the final turn and would win the Unhinged 300. There was another wreck in the front stretch involving Brandon Jones, Robby Lyons II, and Caesar Bacarella. Ross Chastain would win the Dash 4 Cash worth $100,000 coming in second place.
Retweet to congratulate @Justin_Haley_ on his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series WIN! pic.twitter.com/aaJgxl6LZx — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 21, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Jeb Burton third, Austin Cindric fourth, Brett Moffitt fifth, Anthony Alfredo sixth, AJ Allmendinger seventh, Gray Gaulding eighth, Alex Labbe ninth, and Noah Gragson tenth. There were 22 lead changes from 12 drivers and seven cautions. The Xfinity Series will head to Pocono Raceway for the Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro and Sons next Sunday at 12:30 pm on FS1.
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