UPDATE: AJ Allmendinger has failed post-race inspection and has been disqualified from his third place finish.
Matt Kaulig and his race team Kaulig Racing came to Daytona International Speedway hell-bent on capturing their first-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series victory and they did so in dominating fashion.
Ross Chastain won Stage 1 and led a race-high 49 laps en route to his second-career NXS win.
The Florida native, who comes from a long line of watermelon farmers, was in disbelief that he had just won at his hometown track.
“Oh my gosh. I feel like my career is over every other day,” Chastain exclaimed in victory lane. “The good lord is so good man.”
Justin Haley rebounded from a penalty for forcing others below the yellow line in the opening Stage to finish second. And somehow, AJ Allmendinger — who won Stage 2 — rallied from 12th to finish third over the final handful of laps.
Christopher Bell finished fourth and Austin Cindric came back from being in a crash early in the race to finish fifth.
Stephen Leicht, Brandon Brown, Jeff Green, Gray Gaulding and Jeremy Clements rounded out the top-10 finishers on the crash-marred night.
Tyler Reddick was in the running for the win until contact late in the race with Shane Lee forced him to head to pit road. Reddick would finish 17th, one lap off the pace.
Post-Race Stat Pack:
