Justin Allgaier has endured multiple heartbreaking losses over the course of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, but he closed the deal at Darlington on Saturday for his first victory of the year.
When the smoke clears, it’s all @J_Allgaier. pic.twitter.com/WWcPVwR9j7
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) May 11, 2024
Allgaier led 119 laps in Saturday's race, sweeping the stages and earning the maximum amount of points (60) that can be earned in a NASCAR race. After starting seventh, it didn't take long for Allgaier to find the front and stay there.
On a restart with 16 laps to go, it was Allgaier who got the jump in the move that ultimately won the race. Austin Hill finished second, while polesitter Cole Custer, who led for 21 circuits on Saturday, finished third. Sam Mayer and Aric Almirola rounded out the top five.
A resilient effort from the No. 00.
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) May 11, 2024
After adversity on pit road early in the race, @ColeCuster (P3) brings home his ninth consecutive top-10 finish. That’s the longest active streak in the #XfinitySeries. pic.twitter.com/Ax6HUcZrI8
As they always have at Darlington, tires and tire failures played a big part in deciding the race. Cup Series star William Byron finished 11th in Saturday's race after scraping the wall early in the going, while Hailie Deegan finished 36th after her left-rear tire came apart.
Plenty of eyes were on Allgaier's JRM teammate, Carson Kvapil, who finished fourth and second in his first two Xfinity Series starts. However, Darlington once more proved that it's a track that belongs to the veterans, as Kvapil could only muster up a 19th-place finish. Taylor Gray, who finished eighth in Friday's Truck Series race, finished 18th in Saturday's event.
The Xfinity Series takes one week off before going to Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25. The green flag will drop at 1 p.m. ET and will air on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
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