Race Report: Homestead-Miami

Justin Allgaier and the BRANDT Professional Agriculture team earned a seventh-place finish in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, capping off a very successful year that saw five wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s and the regular-season championship. The Illinois native ended the year seventh in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings.

Allgaier rolled off the grid from the sixth position for the 200-lap race and was up to third on the first lap after getting a good run. Dropping back to sixth on lap 9, he relayed to the team that the BRANDT Camaro was tight through the center and loose on exit. Spotter Eddie D’Hondt reminded him that he had a better car on the long run and as Stage One went on, Allgaier was able to gain two positions to take the green-and-white checkered flag in fourth on lap 45. He radioed under the caution that the tight-handling condition worsened as the run went on. The team called him in for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment.

Taking the green for Stage Two in fifth, Allgaier’s line didn’t get a great start and he dropped back to eighth. He communicated that the No. 7 Chevy was way tighter after the adjustment, but continued to gain positions on the track, ending Stage Two in the sixth position. Under the stage-ending caution, the team made a stop for four tires, fuel and adjustments to try to help free up the BRANDT Camaro.

The driver of the No. 7 Chevy started the final stage in sixth on lap 97, but the same handling issue continued to plague him. He was running in the ninth position when green-flag stops got underway around lap 140. Crew chief Jason Burdett called Allgaier down pit road for four tires, fuel and one last adjustment. When stops cycled through, Allgaier was up to eighth. He reported that the BRANDT Chevy fired off better but was back to tight center and loose off. Still, he fought through the tough-handling condition and drove on to take the checkered flag in seventh.

Allgaier’s JR Motorsports teammate Tyler Reddick won the race and was crowned the NXS champion. He was followed by Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Daniel Hemric and Austin Cindric to round out the top five.

Justin Allgaier, driver No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture team

“We really wanted to be able to race for the win today, but our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevy was just too tight. Still, this was such a great year for this team, five wins and 17 top fives is just crazy. I’m so proud of these guys, they worked their tails off. Hats off to Tyler (Reddick) and the entire No. 9 team. It’s awesome that they were able to bring home another championship for JR Motorsports.”