John Hunter Nemechek Uses Pit Strategy to Win Texas Xfinity Playoff Race

NBC Sports

FORT WORTH, TX – RIS – John Hunter Nemechek used a two-tire final pit stop to gain track position and roared back to pass Daniel Hemric to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday.  He was in the No.54 Toyota from Joe Gibbs Racing made famous by Kyle Busch was competing in the series. With 20 laps to go, his march to the front was impressive. 

 Nemechek’s win means four spots remain for the championship race. Two races remain before the Nov. 6 season finale. Nemechek went with the two-tire stop after being penalized for a crew member over the wall too soon on his previous stop, burying him in traffic. Nemechek led a race-high 92 laps.

Hemric, who led 55 laps, finished second to give Joe Gibbs Racing a 1-2 finish. Noah Gragson placed third.  Justin Allgaier finished fourth. Austin Cindric completed the top five.

Nemechek won the first of three races in the round of eight, leaving the eight playoff drivers with two more races in the semifinals, at Kansas and Martinsville, to qualify for the championship finale in Phoenix.

Cindric, who won the first stage, pitted at the end of that first stage and fell back in the field as others had pitted during the stage. Once the field pitted after the second stage, Cindric returned to the field after the final stop, he returned to the top five.  His Team Penske group were on a conservative strategy.  He sits second in the standings, only behind A.J. Allmendinger, who finished one position behind him.

Justin Haley was seventh and Harrison Burton eighth. Brandon Jones, who came in last in points among the playoff qualifiers, took 10th.

The next step to the Xfinity championship is next Saturday at another 1.5-mile track in Kansas Speedway.  Once the results from that race are posted, it’s on to the Martinsville Speedway where only four divers will be eligible for the crown. Anything might happen.

Unofficial Results for the 17th Annual Andy's Frozen Custard 335, October 16, 2021, Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5 Mile Paved

Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Laps, St1, St2, Tms Led, Laps Led, Playoff Pts, Pts, Status
1) 10, John Hunter Nemechek(i), No. 54 Romco Equipment Toyota, 200, , 1, 3, 92, , 0, Running
2) 3, Daniel Hemric (P), No. 18 Craftsman Toyota, 200, , 2, 3, 55, , 44, Running
3) 5, Noah Gragson (P), No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, 200, 2, 9, , , , 45, Running
4) 6, Justin Allgaier (P), No. 7 Hellmann's Sam's Club Chevrolet, 200, 4, 8, , , , 43, Running
5) 2, Austin Cindric (P), No. 22 Snap On Ford, 200, 1, , 1, 34, 1, 42, Running
6) 1, AJ Allmendinger (P), No. 16 Andy's Frozen Custard Chevrolet, 200, 3, 10, 1, 13, , 40, Running
7) 4, Justin Haley (P), No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet, 200, 6, 5, , , , 41, Running
8) 8, Harrison Burton (P), No. 20 DEX Imaging Toyota, 200, 7, , 1, 6, , 33, Running
9) 9, Michael Annett, No. 1 Allstate Peterbilt Group Chevrolet, 200, 5, 7, , , , 38, Running
10) 7, Brandon Jones (P), No. 19 Century AC Supply Toyota, 200, , , , , , 27, Running
11) 13, Jeb Burton, No. 10 Ferguson Chevrolet, 200, , 4, , , , 33, Running
12) 20, Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 200, , 6, , , , 30, Running
13) 11, Sam Mayer #, No. 8 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet, 200, , 3, , , , 32, Running
14) 22, Ryan Sieg, No. 39 CMR Construction and Roofing/A-Game Ford, 200, , , , , , 23, Running
15) 32, Kaz Grala(i), No. 31 Bommarito.com/EasyCare Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 0, Running
16) 26, Brett Moffitt, No. 02 HomeTown Lenders Chevrolet, 200, 9, , , , , 23, Running
17) 39, Bayley Currey(i), No. 15 Fort Worth Screen Printing Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 0, Running
18) 24, Tommy Joe Martins, No. 44 Market Rebellion Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 19, Running
19) 15, Josh Williams, No. 92 WORKPRO Tools Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 18, Running
20) 21, Austin Hill(i), No. 61 Toyota Tsusho Toyota, 199, , , , , , 0, Running
21) 12, Myatt Snider, No. 2 Crosley Furniture Chevrolet, 199, , , , , , 16, Running
22) 30, Ryan Vargas #, No. 6 Swann Communications Chevrolet, 199, , , , , , 15, Running
23) 23, Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 0 ForeverLawn Chevrolet, 199, , , , , , 14, Running
24) 16, Alex Labbe, No. 36 Can-Am Chevrolet, 199, , , , , , 13, Running
25) 25, Kyle Weatherman, No. 47 RAGE Chevrolet, 199, , , , , , 12, Running
26) 38, Joe Graf Jr., No. 07 Market Chevrolet, 198, , , , , , 11, Running
27) 35, Mason Massey, No. 5 Gerber Collision& Glass Toyota, 196, , , , , , 10, Running
28) 28, Spencer Boyd(i), No. 90 MiniDoge Chevrolet, 196, , , , , , 0, Running
29) 14, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Straitline Chevrolet, 196, 8, , , , , 11, Running
30) 37, Joey Gase, No. 52 Donate Life Texas Chevrolet, 195, , , , , , 7, Running
31) 34, Jesse Little, No. 78 Apex Wireless Chevrolet, 195, , , , , , 6, Running
32) 31, Matt Mills, No. 99 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, 193, , , , , , 5, Running
33) 18, Brandon Brown, No. 68 DFKitCar.com Chevrolet, 171, 10, , , , , 5, Accident
34) 36, David Starr, No. 66 Whataburger Toyota, 152, , , , , , 3, Engine
35) 40, CJ McLaughlin, No. 74 SciAps Chevrolet, 145, , , , , , 2, Suspension
36) 19, Landon Cassill, No. 4 Voyager Chevrolet, 108, , , , , , 1, Electrical
37) 27, Tanner Berryhill, No. 23 Eclipse Claims Consulting Chevrolet, 100, , , , , , 1, Accident
38) 29, Dylan Lupton, No. 26 Toyota Racing Toyota, 100, , , , , , 1, Accident
39) 17, Jade Buford #, No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, 81, , , , , , 1, Accident
40) 33, JJ Yeley, No. 17 DFW Security Chevrolet, 37, , , , , , 1, Engine
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 35 Mins, 48 Secs.
Race Length: 200 Laps, 300 Miles

Average Speed: 115.533 MPH
Margin of Victory: 1.316 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 22, 9, 16, 7, 1, 11, 20, 51, 02, 68
Stage 2 Top 10: 54, 18, 8, 10, 11, 98, 1, 7, 9, 16

Comments: John Hunter Nemechek won the Andy's Frozen Custard 335 at Texas Motor Speedway, his second NASCAR Xfinity Series victory.

Failed to Qualify: (1) 13 Timmy Hill(i).

Cautions: 10 for 54 laps;
Laps: 22-25 (Competition Caution [5]);
27-30 (No.4 Stalled Turn 4 [90]);
41-44 (No.17 Stalled Turn 4 [78]);
47-51 (Stage 1 Conclusion [52]);
56-61 (Debris on track [74]);
65-68 (No.39 Spin Turn 2 [74]);
92-97 (Stage 2 Conclusion [36]);
101-108 (No.23, 26, 48 Incident Turn 2 [07]);
143-149 (No.74 Spin Frontstretch [92]);
174-179 (No.68 Incident Backstretch [39]).

Lead Changes: 8 among 5 drivers;
A. Allmendinger (P) 1-13;
A. Cindric (P) 14-47;
D. Hemric (P) 48-71;
J. Nemechek(i) 72;
D. Hemric (P) 73;
J. Nemechek(i) 74-144;
D. Hemric (P) 145-174;
H. Burton (P) 175-180;
J. Nemechek(i) 181-200.

Mobil 1 Driver of the Race:  John H. Nemechek, No.54
Sunoco Rookie of the Race:  Sam Mayer, No. 8

Unofficial Points:

Pos)     Driver  Car      Starts  GL        Points  Ldr       Nxt      Race Wins       Stage Wins      Playoff Pts

1)         AJ Allmendinger (P)    16        30        0          3090    0          0          5          10        50
2)         Austin Cindric (P)        22        30        0          3086    -4         4          5          10        44
3)         Justin Allgaier (P)        7          30        0          3064    -26       22        2          3          21
4)         Noah Gragson (P)       9          30        0          3062    -28       2          2          3          17
5)         Daniel Hemric (P)        18        30        0          3060    -30       2          0          9          16
6)         Justin Haley (P)           11        29        0          3056    -34       4          1          5          15
7)         Harrison Burton (P)     20        30        0          3041    -49       15        0          2          8
8)         Brandon Jones (P)       19        30        0          3030    -60       11        0          1          3
9)         Jeb Burton      10        30        0          2115    -975     915      1          1          9
10)       Myatt Snider   2          30        0          2091    -999     24        1          0          5
11)       Riley Herbst    98        30        1          2067    -1023   24        0          0          1
12)       Jeremy Clements        51        30        -1         2057    -1033   10        0          0          0
13)       Ty Gibbs                      16        0          589      -2501   1468    3          3          0
14)       Ryan Sieg        39        30        1          580      -2510   9          0          0          0
15)       Brandon Brown           68        30        -1         579      -2511   1          1          0          5
16)       Michael Annett           1          23        0          572      -2518   7          0          0          0
17)       Josh Berry                   21        0          525      -2565   47        2          1          0
18)       Josh Williams  92        29        0          489      -2601   36        0          0          0
19)       Tommy Joe Martins    44        30        0          469      -2621   20        0          0          0
20)       Alex Labbe      36        30        0          462      -2628   7          0          0          0
21)       Landon Cassill 4          30        0          422      -2668   40        0          0          0
22)       Brett Moffitt   02        28        1          416      -2674   6          0          1          0
23)       Jade Buford #  48        29        -1         410      -2680   6          0          0          0
24)       Kyle Weatherman       47        27        0          311      -2779   99        0          0          0
25)       Jeffrey Earnhardt        0          26        0          300      -2790   11        0          0          0