Justin Allgaier has found victory lane for the second consecutive week in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, claiming the checkered flag at Pocono Raceway. The win marks Allgaier’s fifth of the season.
The win was certainly not in dominant fashion. In fact, with the number of cautions today, it would’ve been hard for any driver to truly dominate the race. However, Allgaier was around the front of the field the entire race, and was able to prevail as one of two dominant cars once the race settled into a green flag run.
“I want to thank William Byron, without that push at the end it would’ve been over.” Allgaier told The CW. “This season has been really special.”
Allgaier battled hard with Sam Mayer on the few long runs of the race, and held the top spot on a number of late race restarts to claim victory.
“At the end of these races, you aren’t not going to take a run, so I won’t blame a teammate for that,” Mayer told The CW post-race. “It would’ve worked out okay if I had some help, just a solo man doing God’s work all by myself.”
Brent Crews came across the line second, with William Byron finishing third. Haas Factory Team teammates Mayer and Sheldon Creed finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Anthony Alfredo, Rajah Caruth, Brandon Jones, Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil rounded out the top-10 finishers.
The opening stage of the race began with very little rhythm. Corey Day went for a spin on the exit of turn 1 on the opening lap, and was clipped by Jesse Love before making hard contact with the inside wall, forcing an early yellow.
The second restart of the race offered only slightly more green flag racing. The field was almost able to make it around for a full lap, but a caution flew for a Ryan Sieg and Nathan Byrd incident at the exit of turn 3.
Finally, on the third attempt of the race, the field settled in for a green flag run. Polesitter Jones gave way to his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Taylor Gray for the lead, with Mayer falling in behind him. The caution flag flew once again near the end of stage one, however, as Natalie Decker lost an engine heading into turn 1.
The extended caution period due to cleanup set up a restart with just a handful of laps to go before the end of the stage. Gray held the lead, winning the stage, but yet another caution flew before the field could work around to officially end the opening 25 lap stint. Zilisch and William Sawalich both found the outside wall in turn 1, forcing the third caution in 25 laps.
Upon the start of stage two, it was a pair of JR Motorsports teammates on the front row, Allgaier and Kvapil. With the field behind them settling into a bit of a rhythm and staying out of trouble, Kvapil was able to take the lead on the restart. Once the field got strung out a bit, Allgaier was able to work himself around Kvapil for the lead, but the caution would fly again shortly after for an incident involving Leland Honeyman Jr. and Patrick Staropoli.
Various different pit strategies set up Parker Retzlaff and Crews on the front row for a restart with five laps to go in stage two. The race stayed green, allowing the two to battle it out for the stage win. Retzlaff initially held the lead, but Crews got around him in the Tunnel Turn with two laps to go, and went on to win the stage.
After two stages that had very little green flag action, stage three began with Mayer and Allgaier battling for the lead on the restart. Mayer made a move to the inside into turn 1, but Allgaier was able to keep the spot after a few laps of close quartered racing.
Mayer never let Allgaier pull away, though, as the race finally settled into its first lengthy green flag run. Two two traded the lead a handful of times as green flag pit stops began, as it was Allgaier that hit pit road first. Mayer was able to stay out in front of Allgaier after the pit stops, but it was Creed who leapfrogged them both after pitting from third place a handful of laps earlier than the others.
Fresher tires, albeit by just a few laps, ended up prevailing though. Mayer and Allgaier both worked around Creed, as yet another caution would fly before the end of the pit cycle, further mixing up the field. Patrick Emerling spun off of the front of Crews to bring out the yellow.
The subsequent restart brought more chaos, as two concurrent incidents came together in turn 2. Sammy Smith lost a tire, hitting the outside wall. Just ahead, Crews, Byron and Gray made contact, sending Gray sideways in front of the field. No significant contact came from anyone involved, or anyone behind, and the field was frozen again for another restart.
The carnage would not end there, however, as a large wreck in the back half of the field developed inside of six laps to go. Jeb Burton was pushed out of the groove in turn 3, sending him around and into the paths of Lavar Scott and Dexter Bean.
On the final restart of the day, Creed made a three-wide move into turn 1, but washed up the track, slowing the momentum of the two bottom lanes. This allowed Allgaier to pull out to a safe lead with less than two laps to go. Byron came close on the white flag, but couldn’t reel Allgaier in for the win.
NASCAR O’Reilly Results at Pocono
Next week, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series joins the rest of the NASCAR industry at the Coronado Naval Base in San Diego, California. The series will be the second of three races held on the inaugural NASCAR weekend on the base, slated to go green Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on The CW.
Josh joined Frontstretch in 2023 and currently covers the ARCA Menards Series. Born and raised in Missouri, Josh has been watching motorsports since 2005. He currently is studying for a Mass Communication degree at Lindenwood University
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