Justin Allgaier Wins 1st Xfinity Title As Riley Herbst Scores Phoenix Victory

One of the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ longest-tenured active drivers earned the first championship of his career after a motivated drive in the closing laps at Phoenix Raceway.

The drive of a champion. pic.twitter.com/JJNVSPV39J

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 10, 2024

38-year-old Justin Allgaier won the 2024 Xfinity title after battling back from one lap down late, suffering through multiple penalties and starting at the rear in a backup car to take his first title in 14 full-time NXS seasons.

An emotional Allgaier won the first ever championship for the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team. This title was JRM’s first for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s organization since Tyler Reddick won the title in the No. 9 in 2019. Allgaier gave up the lead to Riley Herbst on the final lap but the runner-up spot was more than good enough to best the other Championship 4 drivers eligible.

“I’ll be honest with you, I thought I’d have different emotions up here,” Allgaier told The CW, losing his voice in victory lane and talking often through tears. “I thought I’d be ready to be done. It makes me fired up to come back next year and try to go win it again. … The final four this year, we had such a great year, and we battled each other. … I wanted to win the race and the championship, but man, I’ll take the championship all day running second.”

A frenzied finish … and Allgaier is champion!! #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/34zKWRTan3

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 10, 2024

“He’s worked so hard,” Earnhardt added. “He’s gave so much to our team. He’s done so much for us. If there’s an image in the dictionary of a model race car driver, it’s him. He’s been incredible for our partners. Anyone that’s worked with him on the partner side loves him. He goes above and beyond there, and he drives hard, sometimes too hard. I’d rather have a driver like that going forward all the time, pushing as hard as he can. … I’ve badly wanted him to get this championship, because he is a champion. He deserves it.”

Meanwhile, Herbst captured the race win in Stewart-Haas Racing’s final Xfinity race. It was his third win in the Xfinity Series and second of the season, one in which he was in a class all his own. While the title contenders battled behind him, Herbst led a race-high 167 of 200 laps, often ahead by 4-5 seconds.

“I’m just so proud of all these guys, everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Herbst said. “It was a really, really tough week last week. We had a lot of emotional people at the shop. This place was home for me for four years. It’s built me to what I am now, and that’s a winning race car driver in the Xfinity Series. Thank you to every man and woman at Stewart-Haas Racing. I love you so much.”

Aric Almirola finished one spot short of winning Joe Gibbs Racing the owner’s championship, coming home third by less than six tenths of a second. JRM’s Connor Zilisch and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith completed the top five. Smith was emotional when revealing to Frontstretch his 2025 plans remain unclear.

Jesse Love, Sheldon Creed, Cole Custer, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill rounded out the top 10.

Two of the Championship 4 contenders — Allgaier, who was involved in a multi-car crash yesterday in practice, and Allmendinger, for an unapproved adjustment to his brakes — had to start at the rear to start the race.

While Allmendinger only moved into the top 20 in stage one, Allgaier, with a backup car, was able to drive into the top 10, finishing sixth ahead of Custer. Hill finished stage one ahead of all of the other title contenders, running fourth.

As stage two began, Custer took the lead briefly from his teammate and stage one winner Herbst as multiple cautions flew throughout the stage. Allgaier and Custer also got ahead of Hill.

After the final caution of stage two following a spin by Chandler Smith, three of the four Championship 4 drivers pitted. Allmendinger, the lowest-running of the quartet, stayed out to benefit from better tires for the final stage.

On the final eight-lap run in stage two, Allgaier and Herbst raced aggressively. Herbst almost spun into the dogleg and caught back up to Allgaier, delivering contact to the No. 7’s left rear tire. Allgaier nursed the car for the final two laps of the stage, saving the tire and changing to a fresh set for the final stage.

The struggles continued for Allgaier, though as he was dinged for a restart violation to start stage three — and, to add insult to injury, he was too fast on pit road while serving the penalty.

PENALTY: The No. 7 has been issued a restart violation and must serve a pass-through. #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/VF2MLBjwzS

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 10, 2024

SHR duo Herbst and Custer commanded the front two spots, leaving Allgaier a lap down and seemingly out of contention for good. But all of a sudden, as pit stops were cycling, Anthony Alfredo pounded the outside wall to bring the caution out. Alfredo was multiple laps down after right-rear-hooking the No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet of Stefan Parsons.

Allgaier benefited by staying out, making it back onto the lead lap and giving him one more shot at getting to the front with fresh tires, along with Hill.

A caution for @anthonyalfredo allows @J_Allgaier to get back on the lead lap.

The No. 7 is still in this fight. 👀 #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/Yyhe36OLyH

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 10, 2024

The ensuing restart led to high drama, intense racing as Allgaier sliced through the field and closed in on Custer. Custer got stuck in traffic trying to pass Love for second in the closing laps, allowing Allgaier to close in on the No. 00 Ford. In between Custer and Allgaier were JRM teammates Mayer and Zilisch. As the laps wound down, within 10 to go Allgaier finally got past both his teammates and made the pass on Custer for third.

From there, the No. 7 team appeared in the driver’s seat for their first title. But Custer stayed on the bumper of Allgaier after the pass, and with three laps to go, Leland Honeyman spun out to bring a caution that set up overtime for the championship.

Hill called for two right scuff tires on final pit stops, giving him track position over both Allgaier and Custer. On the restart, Hill blocked Custer from passing to the outside, but Allgaier shot through the middle lane between the two and up to second before a caution for Parker Retzlaff reset the field.

Ultimately, Allgaier was passed for the lead on the final restart by Herbst but was able to remain ahead of his fellow championship contenders for the victory.

Phoenix Xfinity Results

The Xfinity Series now takes a three-month break before returning for the 2025 season on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway. Television coverage will be provided by The CW.