Sam Mayer puts himself back into championship conversation with win at Iowa

After a frustrating start to the 2024 season, it appears that Sam Mayer and the No. 1 team are officially back in championship form. 

In 2023, Mayer had his breakthrough season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, winning four races and notching an appearance in the Championship Four. While he came up short of the ultimate prize, the 20-year-old proved why he was such a sought-after prospect. 

You won't find Mayer near the top of the list when discussing NASCAR's top prospects, but perhaps it's time to start putting more respect on his name. In his post-race press conference on Saturday, Mayer said it "makes him so mad" to not be in the conversation for a Cup Series seat, though this may be more due to a logjam on the prospect ladder than disrespect on the part of scouts. 

Regardless of why Mayer's name is seldom mentioned in Cup Series shops, Mayer's comments were backed up by a performance on Saturday in which he led 47 laps and twice showed off his clutch gene. After passing Riley Herbst for the race lead with six laps to go, he held off Herbst again in NASCAR overtime before cruising to his second win of the season. 

In April, a victory by way of photo finish was thought to have saved Mayer's season, which got off to an agonizingly slow start. After just one top-ten 10 in the first six races of the season, Mayer has finished top-five in seven of the last nine races — a mark that could be even better if not for an early spin at Portland off the bumper Shane van Gisbergen. 

Down as low as 31st in points after the season-opener at Daytona, Mayer has risen from 20th to 10th in the Xfinity Series regular-season standings over the last nine races. And with two wins to his credit, he has started to rack up the all-important playoff points that will aid him in his quest for the Xfinity Series championship. 

The win also solidifies Mayer as a legitimate championship threat for the second straight season, serving as a reminder that when the No. 1 team shows up with a fast car, it's capable of dusting the competition if it feels like it. 

With 11 races remaining in the Xfinity Series regular season, Mayer has plenty of chances to add on to his playoff point total before the postseason begins. Whether or not he wins again before the playoffs start, he should be viewed as a viable threat when the Xfinity Series playoffs begin in Kansas on Sept. 28.