Nemechek Wins Texas Xfinity Race in the Final Laps

FORT WORTH, TX – RIS – Jason Allgaier dominated most of the race until the final run.  Then John Hunter Nemechek showed that he had the speed that would win the race. Nemechek was always at the top of the leaderboard but couldn’t make that momentum to get up and challenge Allgaier, Cole Custer, and others. It certainly was the case in the final ten laps. 

Nemechek led 38 of the 200 laps in Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 300. His second win at the 1.5-mile Fort Worth track was the ninth of his Xfinity Series career, and the victory propelled him to the next round of the Xfinity Series Playoffs.

Fellow playoff contender Parker Kligerman finished second, with his No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet just 1.005 seconds behind at the checkered flag. Sammy Smith drove home in third place, with Chandler Smith fourth and early dominator Justin Allgaier closing out the top five.

Allgaier swept the first two stages, leading 79 of the 90 laps early on and a race-high 133 overall. But his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet pushed high in a contest for the lead with Kligerman with eight laps remaining, clearing the way for Nemechek to scoot ahead and power to the finish.

The race was the second of seven races in the Xfinity Series Playoffs and the middle event in the three-race Round of 12. Allgaier won the opening postseason race last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, advancing by earning an automatic Round of 8 berth.

Several of the 12 playoff-eligible drivers found trouble, with two running into adversity before the first stage was complete. Sam Mayer was the race’s first retiree, drifting up out of the groove and into the Turn 2 retaining wall on just the first lap. He limped his No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to the garage and finished last in the 38-car field. Daniel Hemric also stumbled out of the gate, clipping the frontstretch’s inside grass on Lap 19 and damaging the left front of his No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevy. He slipped off the lead lap by stage’s end and finished 24th after sustaining right-side damage in late-race contact.

Playoff contender Jeb Burton faded at the end of Stage 2 with a vibration that escalated into a broken axle cap and a detached left-rear wheel under caution. He was assessed a two-lap penalty midrace, pulled the car to the garage and finished 31st.

Josh Berry and Austin Hill were involved in a multicar tangle at the start of the final stage, though both continued with damage. Hill, the regular-season champion, rallied to finish seventh, and Berry ended up 27th.

Unofficial Results: Andy's Frozen Custard 300, September 23, 2023 -Texas Motor Speedway

Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Laps, St1, St2, Tms Led, Laps Led, Playoff Pts, Pts, Status

1) 11, John Hunter Nemechek (P), No. 20 Romco Equipment Toyota, 200, 5, 2, 38, 5, 4, 53, Running

2) 7, Parker Kligerman (P), No. 48 Spiked Light Coolers Chevrolet, 200, 7, 1, 1, , 8, 42, Running

3) 15, Sammy Smith # (P), No. 18 Allstate Peterbilt Toyota, 200, 9, , , , 10, 37, Running

4) 9, Chandler Smith # (P), No. 16 Quick Tie Products Inc Chevrolet, 200, 10, , , , 7, 38, Running

5) 1, Justin Allgaier (P), No. 7 Reese's Ice Cream/Sam's Club Chevrolet, 200, 1, 4, 133, 2, 1, 52, Running

6) 3, Cole Custer (P), No. 00 Haas Automation Ford, 200, 3, 3, 28, , 2, 48, Running

7) 5, Austin Hill (P), No. 21 Global Industrial Chevrolet, 200, 2, , , , 3, 47, Running

8) 24, Sheldon Creed (P), No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 29, Running

9) 8, Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Pelonis Chevrolet, 200, 6, , , , 9, 35, Running

10) 22, Brett Moffitt, No. 25 AM Technical Solutions Ford, 200, , , , , , 27, Running

11) 17, Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Sci Aps Ford, 200, , , , , , 26, Running

12) 19, Kyle Sieg, No. 29 Pathway Homes Ford, 200, , , , , , 25, Running

13) 30, Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Limetree/Classic Collision Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 24, Running

14) 33, Anthony Alfredo, No. 78 Andy's Frozen Custard Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 23, Running

15) 12, Kyle Weatherman, No. 91 DriveSmartWarranty.com Chevrolet, 200, , , , , , 22, Running

16) 36, Parker Chase, No. 24 NXTLVL Marine/Ontivity Toyota, 199, , , , , , 21, Running

17) 26, Daniel Dye(i), No. 44 Champion Container Chevrolet, 199, , , , , , 0, Running

18) 14, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 First Pacific Funding Chevrolet, 199, , , , , , 19, Running

19) 38, Layne Riggs, No. 11 Infinity Communications Group Chevrolet, 198, , , , , , 0, Running

20) 23, Josh Williams, No. 92 Alloy Employer/Call811.com Chevrolet, 198, , , , , , 17, Running

21) 25, Dawson Cram, No. 74 CHK Racing Chevrolet, 198, , , , , , 16, Running

22) 32, David Starr, No. 07 Irwin Steel LLC Chevrolet, 197, , , , , , 15, Running

23) 20, Sage Karam, No. 66 Coble Enterprises Ford, 197, , , , , , 14, Running

24) 13, Daniel Hemric (P), No. 10 Poppy Bank Chevrolet, 195, , , , , , 13, Accident

25) 37, CJ McLaughlin, No. 28 Sci Aps Ford, 195, , , , , , 12, Running

26) 27, Joey Gase, No. 35 Donate Life Texas Toyota, 194, , , , , , 11, Running

27) 4, Josh Berry (P), No. 8 Jarrett Logistics Systems Chevrolet, 193, 8, , , , 6, 18, Running

28) 31, JJ Yeley, No. 08 MPV Express Ford, 183, , , , , , 9, Accident

29) 16, Kaz Grala, No. 26 Ruedebusch Toyota, 183, , , , , , 8, Accident

30) 18, Parker Retzlaff #, No. 31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet, 108, , , , , , 7, Accident

31) 28, Jeb Burton (P), No. 27 Alsco Uniforms Chevrolet, 108, , , , , , 6, Suspension

32) 34, Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 45 EZ Mart/ForeverLawn Chevrolet, 106, , , , , , 5, Accident

33) 2, Trevor Bayne (P), No. 19 Interstate Batteries Toyota, 97, 4, , , , 5, 17, Accident

34) 21, Brennan Poole, No. 6 GJ Boring RW3 Services Chevrolet, 55, , , , , , 3, Accident

35) 29, Patrick Emerling, No. 53 Space Beans Chevrolet, 24, , , , , , 2, Suspension

36) 35, Joe Graf Jr., No. 38 Tarpon River Brewing/Honey Love Ford, 11, , , , , , 1, DVP

37) 10, Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 2, , , , , , 1, Accident

38) 6, Sam Mayer (P), No. 1 pAccelerate Pros Talent Chevrolet, 0, , , , , , 1, Accident
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series , (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Race Length: 200 Laps - 300. Miles
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 47 Mins, 59 Secs.
Average Speed: 107.153 MPH
Margin of Victory: 1.005 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 7, 21, 00, 19, 20, 9, 48, 8, 18, 16
Stage 2 Top 10: 7, 00, 21, 20, 19, 8, 16, 48, 9, 18

Comments: John Hunter Nemechek won the 19th running of the Andy's Frozen Custard at Texas Motor Speedway, his ninth victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Prior to the start, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field under penalty for the reasons indicated: Nos. 11, 16, 25, 38 (unapproved adjustments).

Failed to Qualify: (2) 4 Garrett Smithley, 02 Blaine Perkins #.

Cautions: 12 for 65 laps;
Laps: 3-7 (Debris Turns 1 & 2 [None]);
12-16 (#53, 11, 38 Incident Frontstretch [None]);
47-52 (Stage 1 Conclusion [2]);
57-63 (#35, 6, 39 Incident Frontstretch [24]);
66-69 (#45 Incident Backstretch [28]);
92-97 (Stage 2 Conclusion [28]);
99-104 (#8, 91, 19, 21 Incident Turn 4 [44]);
109-114 (Debris Backstretch [43]);
120-124 (#74 Spin Turn 4 [78]);
161-165 (#44 Spin Turn 2 [None]);
180-183 (Debris Backstretch [25]);
185-190 (#26, 08 Incident Turn 3 [91]).

Lead Changes: 9 among 4 drivers;
J. Allgaier (P) 1-52;
C. Custer (P) 53-63;
J. Allgaier (P) 64-97;
C. Custer (P) 98-104;
J. Allgaier (P) 105-114;
C. Custer (P) 115-124;
J. Nemechek (P) 125-155;
J. Allgaier (P) 156-192;
P. Kligerman (P) 193;
J. Nemechek (P) 194-200.