Saturday, April 20th, 2024
Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, AL
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.
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 |
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 |