Race Report: Las Vegas

JR Motorsports Race Report

March 2nd, 2019
Race 3 of 33: Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Track Specs: 1.5-mile tri-oval / 200 laps
Weather: Mostly cloudy; 68 degrees
Race Winner: Kyle Busch
Allgaier's Finish: 31st

Justin Allgaier was racing well inside the top 10 during Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when a mechanical issue forced the driver of the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevy to the garage, ending the team’s day early. The Illinois native was scored with a 31st-place finish.

After qualifying was canceled for the second week in a row due to rain, Allgaier rolled off the grid in the seventh spot. At the drop of the green flag, he wasted little time advancing his position, making his way to third by the end of the first lap. He continued to battle within the top five and on lap 15, he radioed to the team that the BRANDT Chevy was getting tight. As the stage went on, the condition worsened, but he fought through it to finish Stage One in the seventh position on lap 45.

Under the stage-ending caution, Allgaier came to pit road for four tires, fuel and multiple adjustments to try to help with the tight-handling condition. He took the green for the second stage in the ninth spot and slid back a couple positions, but then started to work his way back forward. By lap 64, Allgaier was up to fifth. With the stage getting near its end, the JR Motorsports driver relayed to crew chief Jason Burdett that the No. 7 was tight on corner exit and in the center of the turns. When the green-and-white checkered flag waved to end Stage Two on lap 90, Allgaier was in the sixth position.

Burdett called Allgaier to pit road under the caution for four tires, fuel and more adjustments. Starting the final stage in 10th, Allgaier made his way to fifth within four circuits. On lap 109, he radioed that the BRANDT Chevy remained tight. Still, he continued to battle for position until a few laps later when he reported that the BRANDT Camaro might have lost a cylinder. He remained on track, but after completing 119 laps, he went to the garage unable to continue. Allgaier was scored with a 31st-place finish.

Kyle Busch won the race and was followed by John Hunter Nemechek and Noah Gragson, with Austin Dillon and Michael Annett rounding out the top five.

Allgaier currently sits seventh in the NXS point standings, 43 points behind leader Christopher Bell.

Justin Allgaier, driver No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture team

“Unfortunately, I’m not sure exactly what happened. I think something broke inside the engine. It’s just a shame because everybody at the Hendrick Engine Shop works really hard. We have very, very few issues. I know those guys will be right on top of finding out what happened. I hate it for everybody at BRANDT Professional Agriculture. We had a big group of people here. I thought we had a solid top-five car at the end there, we just don’t have anything to show for it.”

BRANDT Professional Agriculture Camaro

Start 7th
Finish 31st
Laps Completed (Led) 119 of 213
Points (Bonus) 15
Point Standings (from leader) 7th (-43)
Status Engine

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