Sam Mayer won his seventh career NASCAR Xfinity Series race, coming at Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in overtime after passing Parker Kligerman in turn 7 on Saturday, Oct. 12.
With a fast car, Mayer battled a shifting issue in the closing laps and was able to take a walkoff win that locked himself into the Round of 8 of the Xfinity playoffs.
Mayer took his third win of the 2024 season by 1.474 seconds.
“To come out to Charlotte Motor Speedway and go back-to-back, to do it at home is something special,” Mayer said to The CW. “This [No.] 1 car was fast today, but we certainly had to work for it there. I was loose into [turn] 6, and I knew that it was my only shot if I got a good angle into that corner. He blocked the bottom which was good for me. It gave me a better angle up off the corner.”
Kligerman, who initially nearly had the race won before the caution flew inches before he took the white flag, faded to sixth.
“The laps leading up to that were some of the best I’ve driven in my entire career,” Kligerman said. “I just knew I had to be perfect, and I was. I love this game, and I really wanted this. I wanted to keep going in the playoffs, but it wasn’t meant to be. That’s just a call, and that’s sports.”
AJ Allmendinger raced his way into the playoffs after racing in the top five all day. This race was the first of Allmendinger’s career in which he did not win at the ROVAL. Kaulig Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen finished third but was the first driver eliminated from the playoffs, finishing two points behind Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love.
Austin Hill crossed the line fourth for RCR, and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith completed the top five.
Kligerman, Justin Allgaier, Josh Bilicki, Aric Almirola and Sammy Smith rounded out the top 10.
Mayer was able to pass polesitter van Gisbergen at the start of the race, but he launched too soon on the start, earning himself a start violation and a trip down pit road. Mayer had to work his way back through the field through the caution-free stage one.
Van Gisbergen inherited the lead back momentarily, but he didn’t have the most comfortable setup in his No. 97 Chevrolet, losing the lead to his teammate Allmendinger. Additionally, he missed the backstretch chicane and had to stop and go to avoid a penalty, moving the New Zealander back to sixth.
With cars deciding to pit, van Gisbergen was able to make it back to second behind Allmendinger, and Mayer pitted from the top 10 before the end of the stage to fight for the win.
Mayer got by Bilicki to take the lead in stage two and showed that he had the strongest car throughout the stage.
Then came a multi-car crash involving two playoff drivers. Riley Herbst and Sheldon Creed, who battled a shifting issue after a spin that sent him to the back of the field, were caught up in the wreck, and eventually, both cars had to go behind the wall.
Mayer took the lead once more in stage three from Connor Mosack, but after a wreck by Thomas Annunziata in turn 1, strategy split between the leaders as van Gisbergen stayed out on old tires and most of the leaders pit.
Van Gisbergen was no match for the new tires, as Kligerman, who ran in the top 10 for most of the day, was able to get by the No. 97. Mayer followed Kligerman by van Gisbergen and began to close in on the No. 48.
Suddenly, Mayer began to have shifting problems, losing momentum twice on the oval turns 1 and 2, being pressured behind by Allmendinger and letting Kligerman pull away.
Before taking the white flag, Leland Honeyman, with damage on his left front, barreled underneath the tire barrier in turn 3. The caution was activated moments before Kligerman took the white.
Xfinity Charlotte ROVAL Results
The Round of 8 for the Xfinity Series will kick off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET with broadcasting provided by The CW.
Wyatt Watson has followed motorsports closely since 2007. He joined Frontstretch as a journalist in February 2023 after serving in the United States Navy for five years as an Electronic Technician Navigation working on submarines. Wyatt is one of Frontstretch's primary IndyCar correspondents, providing exclusive video content on site. He hosts Frontstretch's Through the Gears podcast and occasionally The Pit Straight.You can find Wyatt's written work in columns such as Friday Faceoff and 2-Headed Monsteras well as exclusive IndyCar features. Wyatt also contributes to Frontstretch's social media team, posting unique and engaging content for Frontstretch.
Wyatt Watson can be found on X @WyattWRacing