Pocono marks another disappointment for Justin Allgaier

Justin Allgaier has been a frequent visitor to the Heartbreak Hotel during the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. 

The veteran driver finished second to Cole Custer at Pocono on Saturday after losing the lead with four laps to go. While Allgaier initially got around Custer on the race's final restart, the No. 00 Ford used a run off of turn one to make the winning pass. 

For Allgaier, the runner-up finish at the "Tricky Triangle" is just the latest in a long line of heartbreaking losses. While his Darlington victory proves he's capable of getting the job done, he could easily have three or four other wins to his name. 

Including Darlington, Allgaier has led at least 30 laps in a race seven times in 2024. He did so for the first time at Phoenix on March 9, leading 52 laps and having his first win of the season seemingly in the bag. 

However, with five laps to go, Allgaier's left-rear tire unraveled, sending the No. 7 Camaro hard into the turn-one wall and ending his race. 

At Texas, Allgaier led 117 laps before falling behind on the race's final restart. At Dover, Allgaier led 39 laps before his once-promising day fell apart in the last quarter of the race. 

A self-inflicted mistake at Charlotte resulted in a wrecked car for Allgaier, while a stellar performance at Portland was shunted aside by Shane van Gisbergen, once again relegating Allgaier to the runner-up position. 

Saturday's solid effort at Pocono shows that Allgaier is still a top-five driver in the Xfinity Series field, but when it comes down to crunch time, the veteran must show that he's capable of winning when it matters most. 

For a driver still searching for his first NASCAR championship — a la Denny Hamlin — winning when the lights are brightest is what the playoffs come down to. It's high time for Allgaier to get in the practice of closing out races, or Phoenix may once again come and go without Allgaier holding a trophy.