With all of the carnage that plagued Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Nashville Superspeedway, it’s quite fitting that the winner of the race had significant right-rear damage upon taking the checkered flag.
Making his third start of the year, AJ Allmendinger was able to rebound from his involvement in an accident at the start of the second stage to score his second victory of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and the 17th of his career.
The Los Gatos, California native, who competes on a full-time basis in the NASCAR Cup Series for Kaulig Racing, was able to capitalize on the long-run strength in his No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro to put himself in position to compete for the victory.
With just 20 laps remaining in Saturday’s 250-mile contest, Allmendinger was able to blast by Parker Kligerman, who was on an alternate strategy, to make the final of 17 lead changes in the event.
That wouldn’t be the final challenge for the 41-year-old driver, though, as a caution would fly with six laps remaining for a spin by Chad Chastain, setting up a NASCAR Overtime restart, which would later turn into a double NASCAR Overtime.
On the race’s final restart, Allmendinger would blast away from the pack, as they battled for the runner-up spot behind him, pulling to an incredible 1.323-second advantage by the end of the two-lap run.
Riley Herbst, who much like Allmendinger had shown immense long-run pace in his Stewart-Haas Racing entry, would come home in the second position, taking advantage of a fresh chapter with new crew chief Davin Restivo.
Sam Mayer, who pitted for two fresh tires prior to the NASCAR Overtime restarts, was able to climb through the pack to finish in third, while Austin Hill and Josh Berry completed the race’s top-five finishers.
Hill, driving the No. 21 for Richard Childress Racing, was somehow able to recover for a top-five result, despite getting significant damage in a multi-car accident within the first 10 laps of the event, which also damaged Jeb Burton.
John Hunter Nemechek would come home in sixth place, while Zane Smith, making his first Xfinity Series start since 2021, came home in seventh. Daniel Hemric and Cole Custer, who spent the majority of the afternoon inside the top five came home eighth and ninth.
Parker Retzlaff, driving the No. 31 for Jordan Anderson Racing, picked up his fourth top-10 finish on the season at the 1.33-mile facility, coming home in 10th place, after getting a right-side door full of Justin Allgaier on the final lap.
Coming to the checkered flag, a multi-car accident broke out just around the 10th position, which involved Blaine Perkins, Justin Allgaier, Parker Kligerman, Anthony Alfredo, and Brett Moffitt.
Chandler Smith, who led a race-high 74 laps in Saturday’s event at Nashville, led a banner afternoon for Kaulig Racing, but was turned around on a late-race restart when running inside the top-five. Smith would rebound for 12th.
Ty Gibbs captured the win in the opening stage of the event, leading 28 laps, and looked to have the best car in the field for Saturday’s race, but sustained major damage to his No. 19 Toyota GR Supra in a crash that also eliminated Carson Hocevar.
Sammy Smith, Connor Mosack, Stefan Parsons, and several other drivers also collected critical damage to their vehicles in the early portion of the event, as the event featured a whopping eight cautions in the first half of the race.
Leaving Nashville, John Hunter Nemechek continues to hold the lead in the regular-season point standings by nine points over Austin Hill, who will maintain his second-place spot in points.
Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, and Josh Berry rounded out the top-five in standings. Chandler Smith, Sheldon Creed, Sam Mayer, Riley Herbst, and Daniel Hemric complete the top-10 heading to the inaugural Chicago Street Race.
Tennessee Lottery 250 – Race Results:
Race Results: 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville
