Race Results 

Race 1 of 33: Beef. It's Whats For Dinner 300 at Daytona International Speedway
Track Specs: 2.5-mile D-shaped oval / 120 laps                     
Race Winner: Austin Hill

Gragson's Finish: 3rd

Allgaier's Finish: 5th

Berry's Finish: 16th

Mayer's Finish: 30th 

Noah Gragson

Noah Gragson opened the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with a solid third-place finish in the Beef. It's What's for Dinner 300 at Daytona International Speedway. The 23-year-old driver of the Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber®/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet for JR Motorsports had a chance at the victory on the final lap when a massive crash on the backstretch brought out the yellow flag. Despite crossing under the checkered flag in second, a review by NASCAR officials placed Gragson in third position based on when the caution flag waved. Gragson, who had to overcome a pit penalty early in the event, raced at the front all night and led 12 of the 120 laps. His performance in the opener puts him sixth in series points after one race, 11 behind the leader.

Race Rundown

• After starting 14^th, Gragson moved up into the top 10 after one lap and into the top five just four laps later. 
• Gragson pitted under the first caution at lap 15 for two tires and fuel, but one tire was uncontrolled, resulting in a penalty that sent him to the rear of the field for the restart. He rallied back to finish fifth in Stage One, earning six bonus points.
• Gragson started fourth for Stage Two and quickly moved up to the lead at lap 49. On the final lap, Gragson was trapped on the high line without any drafting partners, resulting in a 14^th-place finish at stage-end.
• On his pit stop at the end of Stage Two, Gragson took two tires and fuel to gain nine positions and re-enter the top five.
• Running in the top 10 at the start of the final stage, Gragson ducked onto pit road under green-flag conditions for fuel to the end, confident in his ability to return to the front.
• After the leading cars pitted under caution, Gragson moved to second in the order at lap 87. He would remain in the top five for the rest of the race.
• Gragson battled with Austin Hill, AJ Allmendinger and several others in the closing laps, leading lap 118. On the final lap, Gragson was in the midst of the battle for the lead when the caution flag waved to end the race. He would ultimately be scored with a third-place finish.

Noah Gragson, driver No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet team

"I had a really good Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Luke Lambert and the rest of these guys gave me a great car. We had speed from the beginning, even when we had a penalty. It was a really wild race, really racy all night long. I just came up a little bit short at the end. Big thanks to Johnny Morris, all the guys at Black Rifle Coffee and TrueTimber."

Justin Allgaier

Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, found himself in contention for the victory in the closing laps of Saturday evening's NASCAR Xfinity Series season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. Leading a charge on the inside line, Allgaier drafted into the top five as the field took the white flag. However, Allgaier's forward progress was halted as a multi-car incident occurred behind the race leaders, forcing NASCAR to display the caution flag, ending the race under yellow. In the end, Allgaier was scored with a strong fifth-place finish to kick off the 2022 season.

Race Rundown

• Allgaier lined up for the 120-lap event from the 17^th position following Saturday morning's qualifying session.
• Allgaier wasted little time moving forward in the opening laps, drafting into the top 10 just before the first caution of the day came out on lap 13. 
• Once back under way, Allgaier continued to climb forward, racing into the top five before taking the green-and-white checkered on lap 30 in the seventh position. The stage-ending result earned the driver of the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet four stage points to begin the day.
• Pitting for four tires and adjustments following Stage One, Allgaier took the green flag for Stage Two in 15^th on lap 36.  
• The Illinois native again worked the draft to his advantage during the caution-free second stage, improving 11 positions over the final two laps to take the green-and-white checkered flag in fifth on lap 60 and earn an additional six stage points on the evening.
• Allgaier took the green flag for the start of the third and final stage from the 26^th position after crew chief Jason Burdett made a strategy call to have Allgaier top off on fuel prior to the green.
• The driver of the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet charged back forward following the restart, moving up to 12^th before hitting pit road during the lone round of green-flag pit stops on lap 76.
• Following the stop, Allgaier was scored in the 20^th position before two quick cautions brought the field back together.
• On the ensuing restart following the lap-91 caution period, Allgaier pressed forward, utilizing the middle lane to draft up back into the top 10 before diving to the bottom to race into second until the momentum shifted and the top lane prevailed once again.
• Sliding back to seventh without drafting help, Allgaier continuously fought to pull the inside line back even with the front runners, working his way back into the top five with just two laps remaining.
• Looking to continue his forward progress, Allgaier jumped to the middle lane after the field took the white flag, but a multi-car incident on the final lap halted the driver of the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet's forward progress.
• In the end, Allgaier was scored with a fifth-place finish.

Justin Allgaier, driver No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet team

"I was doing all I could at the end to get back to the front with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. I can't thank Jason (Burdett, crew chief) and everyone on this JR Motorsports team enough for all of their hard work this weekend. We had a lot of speed all day today and it feels good to be able to come away with a solid result in the end. This is a great way to start off the year and I can't wait to get to Fontana."

Josh Berry

Josh Berry, driver of the No. 8 Harrison's USA Chevrolet, narrowly escaped two multi-car incidents during Saturday evening's NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Daytona International Speedway to score a resilient 16^th-place finish. Berry, who ran inside the top 10 for much of the night, earned three valuable stage points at the conclusion of Stage Two and drove up to as high as the third position prior to being involved in a last lap incident, ultimately crossing the finish line under yellow in the 16^th position.

Race Rundown

• Berry and the No. 8 team raced up to as high as third in the opening stage after qualifying in the seventh position Saturday morning. 
• Berry earned three stage points at the conclusion of Stage Two with an eighth-place finish.
• Narrowly escaping a multi-car incident in the final stage, Berry utilized pit road to avoid the carnage and rejoined in the 18^th position.
• The No. 8 Harrison's USA Chevrolet utilized the bottom of the race track to work his way into the top 10 before a multi-car incident on the last lap saw Berry scurry through the grass entering turn three, ultimately crossing the line under yellow in the 16^th position.
• With the result, Berry sits 15^th in the Driver's Standings exiting the 2.5-mile oval at Daytona.

Josh Berry, driver No. 8 Harrison's USA Chevrolet team

"We had a really good Harrison's USA Chevrolet today, but the end of the race just didn't work out in our favor. I was trying to work each lane to move forward but we just couldn't escape the big one on the backstretch. We will regroup and head to Fontana next week."

Sam Mayer

Sam Mayer and the No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team's promising evening at Daytona International Speedway concluded with a 30^th-place finish in Saturday's Beef. It's What's for Dinner 300. Mayer worked from one end of the pack to the other, recovering from an early spin and racing as high as third to end Stage Two. But during a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 74, Mayer was hit from behind by the No. 98 of Riley Herbst. The sudden contact sent Mayer spinning and initiated a series of events that ultimately sent the team to the garage for repairs and handed them the uncharacteristic finish.

Race Rundown

• Mayer started the race in 34^th and climbed inside the top 20 by lap 8.
• The No. 1 team was caught in the aftermath of the race's first caution but received no damage and took the opportunity to come to pit road.
• The Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions group rebounded immediately once back to green-flag racing and Mayer finished Stage 1 in the 10^th position.
• Mayer restarted Stage Two in fifth but dropped to 19^th as the field settled into a single-file racing. With drafting help finally coming in the closing laps of Stage Two, Mayer drove through the field to a third-place finish.
• During the stage-ending caution, the team pitted for four tires, fuel and a quick fix for a broken hood flap from the earlier spin.
• The No. 1 Chevrolet took restart for the final stage in 24^th. Trying to strategically pit with his JRM teammates on lap 74, Mayer got hit from behind by the No. 98 of Riley Herbst and spun getting onto pit road, causing significant damage to the rear of Mayer's machine.
• The team came to pit road to replace the rear bumper cover, but once back up to speed the cover broke loose. Mayer went to the garage for extensive repairs and returned to the track to finish 30^th.

Sam Mayer, driver No. 1 Accelerate Proffesional Talent Solutions Chevrolet team

"It was a frustrating day for our No. 1 team. That's that nature of racing at Daytona though, it's usually feast or famine. Still, I learned a lot out there today. All things I can stockpile for the next time we come here.

"Just want to give a big thanks to the folks at Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions and to Taylor (Moyer, crew chief) and this entire team for their hard work this weekend."