NASCAR kicked off Saturday with two races at Atlanta Motor Speedway as the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series were up first for the Vet Tix Camping World 200, followed by the Xfinity Series EchoPark 250.
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Vet Tix Camping World 200:
Rookie driver Christian Eckes was the pole-sitter, and Tyler Ankrum made up the front row. NASCAR placed a competition caution on lap 15. There were a couple of Cup Series drivers in the field Kyle Busch raced his truck in the number 51 Cessna Toyota while Chase Elliott drove the number 24 Chevrolet for GMS Racing.
In stage one, there were a couple of cautions; both were by the number 28 car driven by Bryan Dauzat on lap two hitting the inside wall and again on lap 12 off of turn two. A single spectator was spotted at the race, as the cameras caught a fox speeding across the track and entering an opening in the infield fence. Kyle Busch would take stage one.
There's a fox on the track at @amsupdates! pic.twitter.com/LYDEZXykZP — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) June 6, 2020
Stage two had its share of incidents. When the drivers headed to pit road for a regular stop, Matt Crafton made contact with John Hunter Nemechek and suffered significant damage. A few trucks had jammed on their brakes, getting to their pits and Crafton hit the back of Nemechek.
.@Matt_Crafton's truck is heavily damaged on pit road following this contact with @JHNemechek. pic.twitter.com/P83LABki2H — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) June 6, 2020
Zane Smith and Chase Elliott led the field back to the green flag on lap 38. Both Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch led in the stage. There was one caution, and that was for a spin in turn four by Austin Wayne Self. Grant Enfinger made the most in the stage when he went four wide to close in on Kyle Busch for the lead. Busch took care of business, and he would win stage two.
FOUR-WIDE RACING AT ATLANTA! @GrantEnfinger makes a huge move in the #VetTixCampingWorld200! pic.twitter.com/9lSpCaIW7m — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) June 6, 2020
In the final stage, some of the lead lap trucks stayed out while Kyle Busch, Johnny Sauter, Todd Gilliland, and Ben Rhodes pitted. Grant Enfinger and Derek Kraus led the field back to green. During the final stage, Kyle Busch was in trouble after he hit the turn four wall trying avoid a slowing truck ahead of him. He then paid a visit to pit road but was caught speeding as he exited. He would go a lap down when he had a drive-through penalty.
Trouble for @KyleBusch … twice! The No. 51 makes contact with the wall and is later penalized for speeding on pit road. #VetTixCampingWorld200 pic.twitter.com/v4j0M3qtoX — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) June 6, 2020
As Busch struggled, Austin Hill took the lead and was cruising to victory until a late caution came when Chase Elliott spun his truck in the backstretch sending the race to overtime. Hill could not hold on to the lead as Grant Enfinger made an outside pass not only to take the lead but would go on to win the race.
ENFINGER GETS IT DONE! @GrantEnfinger powers past @_AustinHill on the final lap to win at @amsupdates! #VetTixCampingWorld200 pic.twitter.com/y5S3cNjXTU — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) June 6, 2020
There were six cautions throughout the race with fourteen lead changes. Kyle Busch led the most laps, but with his troubles, he would finish 22nd. The top ten finishers were Grant Enfinger, Austin Hill second, Christian Eckes third, Todd Gilliland fourth, Zane Smith fifth, Ross Chastain sixth, Derek Kraus seventh, Brett Moffitt eighth, Ben Rhodes ninth, and Stewart Friesen tenth. Chase Elliott ended up finishing 21st, one spot ahead of Kyle Busch.
NASCAR Xfinity EchoPark 250:
A pair of Chevys were on the front row as pole-sitter Noah Gragson, and Daniel Hemric led the field to the green flag. Noah Gragson had a lot on the line as he was part of the Xfinity Series Dash for Cash, where the driver who has the best finish wins a $100,000 bonus. Gragson led the first five laps before Austin Cindric got by him on the high side of turn three to take the lead.
NEW LEADER: @AustinCindric moves past @NoahGragson for the top spot early in Stage 1. FOX | https://t.co/qkbTgR5OxE pic.twitter.com/WaIctYRm42 — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 6, 2020
There was only one caution in stage one, and that was for a spin in the backstretch from Tommy Joe Martins number 44 car. Cindric led 51 laps and would go on to win stage one.
STAGE WINNER: @AustinCindric pulls away late to win the opening stage of the #EchoPark250 at @amsupdates. pic.twitter.com/XIFHGPnSdu — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 6, 2020
After all of the lead cars pitted, Austin Cindric and Ross Chastain led the field back to the green flag to start stage two. Cindric was in control of stage two and didn’t have many challengers to fight him for the lead as he would win stage two easily. There was only one caution in stage two, and that was a spin by Riley Herbst. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe continued to lead in the Dash for Cash.
STAGE WINNER: @AustinCindric sweeps the first two stages in the #EchoPark250 at @amsupdates. See if the @Team_Penske driver can close the deal on FOX or https://t.co/qkbTgR5OxE! pic.twitter.com/ZkuxgI8FIQ — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 6, 2020
All of the lead lap cars pitted for four tires, Justin Haley was caught speeding down pit road. Justin Allgaier and Riley Herbst were on the front row to take the green flag to start the final stage. Within two laps, Chase Briscoe got by both Allgaier and Herbst for the lead. Another battle going on was when Brett Moffitt made a pass, making it four-wide trying to get by Harrison Burton, Michael Annett, and Brandon Brown.
FOUR. WIDE. RACING. 📺: FOX | @amsupdates pic.twitter.com/upwVxvdlAy — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 6, 2020
Josh Williams brought out the fifth caution of the race when his car spun at turn four. Michael Annett and Ronnie Bassett Jr. stayed out while the rest of the lead lap cars pitted. Annett and Briscoe led the field back to green. Briscoe quickly got by Annett for the lead. The sixth and final caution came out after Vinny Miller’s car spun.
All of the lead lap cars pitted, and there were some major developments on pit road. Austin Cindric was out of tires, so his crew had to put on used tires. Cindric was then blocked in his box by Jessie Little. Cindric, along with Chase Briscoe and Justin Allgaier, were all caught speeding and had to restart in the rear of the field. The new leader was now AJ Allmendinger. He and Noah Gragson led the field back to green with 27 laps to go.
This changes everything! Leader @ChaseBriscoe5, @AustinCindric and @J_Allgaier are all caught speeding on pit road and will restart at the rear with 34 to go. pic.twitter.com/eXLyZdyZ0J — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 6, 2020
Allmendinger had a cushion of a lead over Noah Gragson. Gragson was gaining traction at first but would lose ground as the laps winded down. AJ Allmendinger would go on to win the race, and Noah Gragson would win the Dash for Cash.
Listen to @AJDinger celebrate! The No. 16 for @KauligRacing is going to Victory Lane at @amsupdates! pic.twitter.com/V2tAoIOBaZ — NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) June 6, 2020
There were ten lead changes and six cautions in the race. The top ten finishers were AJ Allmendinger, Noah Gragson second, Justin Haley third, Daniel Hemric fourth, Harrison Burton fifth, Justin Allgaier sixth, Ross Chastain seventh, Brandon Jones eighth, Chase Briscoe ninth, and Anthony Alfredo tenth.
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