MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Nov. 1, 2024) – For the three JR Motorsports drivers still in contention for the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway will determine who will have a chance to earn the team’s fourth NXS championship.
The racy little .526-mile paperclip has seen a pair of victories in the penultimate race by its drivers, clinching a chance at the championship in both 2021 and 2023.
Justin Allgaier’s last-lap, last-gasp victory a year ago punched his ticket to the championship race, as he pulled off a “Hail Hellmann’s” stunner in a wild final dash. Noah Gragson did the same in 2021 to earn a coveted title shot for the No. 9 Bass Pro Shops crew.
Coming into the season’s penultimate event, only Allgaier is above the cut line to make the Championship 4, having 35 points in hand. Sam Mayer is 47 points in arrears and needs a win or some help to advance, as does Sammy Smith (95 points under the fourth and final position). Smith has to win to make it in.
For Allgaier, his 35-point advantage ranks third in the Playoff standings. As large a lead as 35 points might sound, it’s not a sure thing.
“We’re in unique situation because we have a lot of room above the cut line, but when I look at it, we’re only seven points above (fourth-place) Cole Custer,” Allgaier said. “When you look at the ability of any of the four who are outside the top four, it’s apparent that it could happen, might happen. We need to be aware of the cut line but the other cars that we are around in case the cut line changes quickly.”
As to winning last year to earn his sixth final-race appearance in eight seasons, Allgaier was optimistic about his team’s chances on Saturday.
“It’s a great track for us, we’ve had a lot of success there, and I’m really proud of the effort this team has put in,” Allgaier said. “We’ve had some rough patches this year and we’ve learned how to get our house back in order. For us, Martinsville is no different, it’s just a little bit crazier. It has the makings for a lot of drama and that’s why it is where it is in the Playoffs.
“We still have a great shot at winning the race, too. We have a lot of ways to get to Phoenix and we just have to execute. If we do that, I know we’re going to be in great shape.”
