XFINITY Series Talladega Superspeedway

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Results

Ag-Pro 300

Saturday, April 20th, 2024

Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, AL

  • 28 Chevrolet
  • 5 Toyota
  • 7 Ford

  • Ag-Pro 300
  • Pole Winner: Austin Hill
  • Age: 29
  • Team : No 21 - Bennett Transportation Chevrolet
  • Owner: Richard Childress
  • Crew Chief: Andy Street
  • Austin Hill won the Pole Award for the Ag-Pro 300 with a lap of 52723 seconds, 181629 mph
  • This is his fifth pole in 90 NASCAR Xfinity Series races
  • This is his first pole and fifth top-10 start in 2024
  • This is his third pole in five races at Talladega Superspeedway
  • Jesse Love (second) posted his sixth top-10 start of 2024 and his first in one race at Talladega Superspeedway
  • Parker Kligerman (third) posted his third top-10 start at Talladega Superspeedway It is his fifth in nine races this season
  • Jesse Love (second) was the fastest qualifying rookie

  • Saturday, April 20th, 2024
  • NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain
Love scores first career win in thrilling overtime finish at Talladega

Jesse Love earned his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory Saturday in a typically wild double overtime finish in the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway – crossing the line by a slight .141-seconds ahead of Riley Herbst.

In many ways, it was victorious redemption for the 19-year old Californian, who earlier this season was leading the race in overtime at Atlanta only to run out of fuel before the checkered flag. Love’s win in the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet makes him only the seventh driver to score his maiden win at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway.

“Just a great group of guys [on my team] and it’s been such a journey to get to this point,’’ a grinning Love said before thanking a litany of people that helped him in his young career to date.

“I had PTSD flashbacks from Atlanta,’’ Love acknowledged, adding “I love Talladega. I love the speedway and I love the fans.”

Love certainly earned this first win – starting on the outside of the front row next to his veteran RCR teammate Austin Hill, winning his fourth stage of the season (Stage 1) and leading 28 of the 124 laps. He ran top-five for most of the afternoon and when he needed to go on that final restart, he went. Jumping to the lead at the overtime green flag and holding off the field when it mattered most.

His RCR teammate Hill, the polesitter, led a race-best 42 laps and was out front with two laps remaining in regulation when he was hit from behind by Parker Kligerman. The incident sent Hill’s car into the wall and ultimately collected nine cars, including many that had been running toward the front much of the afternoon – putting the race in overtime.

On the ensuing overtime restart, Kligerman was eliminated in a four-car crash at the front as various cars started running out of gas in the field. Love lined up on the front row for the final restart among eight drivers racing for their career first wins.

Herbst’s runner-up finish in the Stewart-Haas Racing Ford was his best showing of the year. Our Motorsports’ Anthony Alfredo finished third, followed by Young’s Motorsports rookie Leland Honeyman and Alpha Prime Racing’s Brennan Poole. Alfredo tied his career best mark and Honeyman had a career best finish.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Sheldon Creed, Alpha Prime Racing’s Caesar Bacarella, Viking Motorsports’ Matt DiBenedetto, 2023 Talladega winner, Jordan Anderson Racing’s Jeb Burton and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer rounded out the top 10.

There were 34 lead changes among 16 drivers in a typically Talladega afternoon.

Ryan Sieg, who lost to Sam Mayer last week at Texas Motor Speedway in a photo finish – by .002-seconds – won the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus.

An 11-car accident on Lap 65 proved critical to several race frontrunners as well as Dash 4 Cash eligible drivers.

Herbst hit Justin Allgaier’s No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevy with only two laps left in the opening stage – both vying for a top 10 and some early stage points. It eliminated Allgaier from contention. Mayer was eliminated in a later multi-car crash and that left an intriguing battle between Sieg, who had to make a green flag late race pit stop because of a flat tire and A.J. Allmendinger, whose car was damaged in a crash.

Sieg and Allmendinger lined up 19th and 20th – respectively – on the second overtime re-start and Sieg was able to pull away, finishing 17th with Allmendinger 19th.

“This is huge for our team,’’ Sieg said. “It was a rough one. I thought I threw it away, but were lucky enough to get the caution at the end and come back and beat the 16. So it all worked out and is pretty extraordinary for our small team.”

Not only does he win the Dash 4 Cash paycheck, but Sieg will compete against Love, Herbst and Alfredo next week at Dover, Del. for the final race of the incentive program.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith, who finished 25th, still holds a 14-point lead over Custer atop the championship standings.

  • Drivers Entered: 40 (2 drivers will not make the race)
  • Laps Scheduled: 113
  • Laps Actual: 124 - NASCAR OVERTIME!
  • Margin of Victory: 0.141 Seconds
  • Time of Race: 2 Hours 30 Minutes 42 Seconds
  • Average Speed: 131.323
  • Cautions: 6 for 28 laps
  • Lead Changes: 34
  • Green Flag Passes: 7,110 (74.1 passes per green flag lap)

  • Ag-Pro 300
  • Race Winner: Jesse Love
  • Age: 19
  • Team : No 2 - WAT Chevrolet
  • Owner: Richard Childress
  • Crew Chief: Danny Stockman, Jr
  • Jesse Love won the Ag-Pro 300, his first victory in nine Xfinity Series races
  • This is his first victory and sixth top-10 finish in 2024
  • This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in one race at Talladega Superspeedway
  • Riley Herbst (second) posted his third top-10 finish in eight races at Talladega Superspeedway It is his third top-10 finish in 2024
  • Anthony Alfredo (third) posted his third top-10 finish in six races at Talladega Superspeedway
  • Jesse Love (first) was the highest finishing rookie
  • Chandler Smith leads the point standings by 14 points over Cole Custer
Jesse Love gestures a hand heart to fans
Talladega, Alabama - April 20, 2024 : Jesse Love, driver of the #2 WAT Chevrolet, gestures a hand heart to fans after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
James GilbertGetty Images
Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway results
FIN ST # DRIVER MAKE TOT PTS FIN PTS STG PTS PO PTS LAPS LED X LED S1 S2 STATUS
19 14 16 AJ Allmendinger Chevrolet 32 18 14 0 124 0 0 5 3 Running
24 19 66 David Starr Chevrolet 13 13 0 0 123 1 1 0 0 Running
34 6 20 Ryan Truex Toyota 8 3 5 0 65 1 1 6 0 Accident
38 16 7 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 1 1 0 0 24 0 0 0 0 Accident
29 3 48 Parker Kligerman Chevrolet 21 8 13 0 117 10 4 2 7 Accident
18 17 35 Joey Gase Chevrolet 19 19 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
9 35 27 Jeb Burton Chevrolet 30 28 2 0 124 0 0 0 9 Running
8 28 38 Matt DiBenedetto Ford 29 29 0 0 124 1 1 0 0 Running
37 34 26 Jeffrey Earnhardt Toyota 1 1 0 0 46 0 0 0 0 Engine
26 37 43 Ryan Ellis Chevrolet 11 11 0 0 123 0 0 0 0 Running
17 24 39 Ryan Sieg Ford 27 20 7 0 124 7 2 0 4 Running
27 20 91 Kyle Weatherman Chevrolet 10 10 0 0 120 0 0 0 0 DVP
5 27 44 Brennan Poole Chevrolet 32 32 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
10 4 00 Cole Custer Ford 29 27 2 0 124 4 2 10 10 Running
16 36 92 Josh Bilicki Chevrolet 21 21 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
14 1 21 Austin Hill Chevrolet 42 23 18 1 124 41 7 3 1 Running
33 23 9 Brandon Jones Chevrolet 13 4 9 0 65 4 1 8 5 Accident
7 29 45 Caesar Bacarella Chevrolet 30 30 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
35 22 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet 2 2 0 0 65 0 0 0 0 Accident
20 9 11 Josh Williams Chevrolet 17 17 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
2 8 98 Riley Herbst Ford 40 35 5 0 124 13 3 9 8 Running
11 38 14 Mason Massey Chevrolet 0 0 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
3 11 5 Anthony Alfredo Chevrolet 34 34 0 0 124 6 1 0 0 Running
32 12 07 Patrick Emerling Chevrolet 5 5 0 0 111 0 0 0 0 Accident
6 10 18 Sheldon Creed Toyota 31 31 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
31 32 32 Jordan Anderson Chevrolet 6 6 0 0 111 1 1 0 0 Accident
23 26 29 Blaine Perkins Ford 14 14 0 0 123 0 0 0 0 Running
13 25 28 Kyle Sieg Ford 24 24 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
36 15 1 Sam Mayer Chevrolet 1 1 0 0 65 0 0 0 0 Accident
28 30 4 Dawson Cram Chevrolet 9 9 0 0 120 0 0 0 0 Running
25 7 81 Chandler Smith Toyota 24 12 12 0 123 3 2 4 6 Running
12 31 15 Hailie Deegan Ford 25 25 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
15 13 19 Taylor Gray Toyota 0 0 0 0 124 1 1 0 0 Running
30 21 31 Parker Retzlaff Chevrolet 7 7 0 0 113 0 0 0 0 Ignition
21 5 8 Sammy Smith Chevrolet 16 16 0 0 124 2 2 0 0 Running
4 33 42 Leland Honeyman Jr Chevrolet 33 33 0 0 124 0 0 0 0 Running
1 2 2 Jesse Love Chevrolet 65 40 19 6 124 28 5 1 2 Running
22 18 97 Shane van Gisbergen Chevrolet 19 15 4 0 124 1 1 7 0 Running

Race Infractions

Penalties imposed prior to or during the race.

Driver Infraction Penalty Lap Lap Assessed Flag
Sheldon Creed Pre-Race to the Rear Unapproved Adjustments Tail End 0 0 White
Jeb Burton Pre-Race to the Rear Unapproved Adjustments Tail End 0 0 White
Taylor Gray Pre-Race to the Rear Unapproved Adjustments Tail End 0 0 White
Josh Bilicki Going above the blend line exiting the pits Tail End 27 30 Yellow
Kyle Weatherman Safety violation Tail End 27 30 Yellow
Kyle Sieg Speeding on pit road Tail End 27 30 Yellow
Matt DiBenedetto Speeding on pit road Tail End 28 30 Yellow
Matt DiBenedetto Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 29 30 Yellow
Justin Allgaier Tire violation Tail End 52 55 Yellow
Josh Williams Unspecified Vehicle Interference Tail End 52 55 Yellow
Anthony Alfredo Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 54 55 Yellow
Caesar Bacarella Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 54 55 Yellow
Ryan Truex Pitting before pit road is open Garage Tail End 66 0 Yellow
Kyle Weatherman Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 66 72 Yellow
AJ Allmendinger Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 66 72 Yellow
Matt DiBenedetto Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 66 72 Yellow
Sam Mayer Pitting before pit road is open Garage Tail End 66 0 Yellow
Kyle Weatherman Speeding on pit road Tail End 66 72 Yellow
Sammy Smith Speeding on pit road Tail End 68 72 Yellow
Taylor Gray Removing equipment from assigned pit area Tail End 68 72 Yellow
Parker Retzlaff Crewmember(s) over the wall too soon Tail End 68 72 Yellow
Hailie Deegan Tire violation Tail End 69 72 Yellow
Brennan Poole Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 71 72 Yellow
Sheldon Creed Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 71 72 Yellow
Leland Honeyman Jr Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 71 72 Yellow
Caesar Bacarella Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 77 78 Yellow
Ryan Ellis Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 77 78 Yellow
Jeb Burton Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 111 117 Yellow
Austin Hill Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 112 117 Yellow
Kyle Weatherman Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 112 117 Yellow
Chandler Smith Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 112 117 Yellow
Jordan Anderson Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 112 117 Yellow
Taylor Gray Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 112 117 Yellow
Matt DiBenedetto Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 112 117 Yellow
Anthony Alfredo Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 113 117 Yellow
Parker Retzlaff Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 113 117 Yellow
Shane van Gisbergen Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 117 121 Yellow
Josh Williams Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 118 121 Yellow
Kyle Weatherman Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 118 121 Yellow
Sammy Smith Pitting before pit road is open Tail End 120 121 Yellow