JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier won the Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16. He reached Victory Lane for the third time in 2022, and he snapped a 13-year winless streak in the process.
Allgaier’s chariot for the Crayon 200 was the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro. The last time a Chevrolet driver won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway? Kevin Harvick in 2007. There have been 13 drivers that have won at the 1.058-mile track since The Closer led 166 of the 200 laps, but none were in control of a Chevrolet.
Retweet to congratulate Justin Allgaier on his NASCAR Xfinity Series WIN at New Hampshire Motor Speedway!
Allgaier did not have a smooth path to victory. His No. 7 Chevrolet was loose early, and he sustained some damage after contact with Julia Landauer sent the No. 45 spinning and brought out the caution. However, the team continued to work on the entry before Allgaier took the lead from Landon Cassill on Lap 182 and built up a lead of nearly four seconds.
There was a very good chance that a Chevrolet driver would take care of business if Allgaier was unable. The top five featured four Bowties with Allgaier, Cassill, Noah Gragson, and Brandon Brown. The only exception was Trevor Bayne, who finished second in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota GR Supra.
ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on NASCAR newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on NASCAR Newsletter!
Allgaier Broke Another Manufacturer Streak
GettyJustin Allgaier snapped the Toyota streak at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The Chevrolet winless streak is not the only one that Allgaier snapped on July 16. He also ended a run of dominance by Toyota drivers that call Joe Gibbs Racing home.
The past six Xfinity Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have featured a JGR Toyota in Victory Lane. Denny Hamlin won the 2015 race, Kyle Busch went back-to-back in 2016-2017, and Christopher Bell won three straight in 2018-2021. There wasn’t an Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2020.
The past six races were not the only ones that featured a JGR Toyota winning. The organization captured 11 of the 13 races from 2008 to 2021. Tony Stewart kicked off the streak by winning in 2008 while Busch led the way with his six wins.
The only driver to break up the run of dominance by Joe Gibbs Racing actually drove for two different manufacturers. Brad Keselowski won the 2012 race in a Team Penske Dodge before taking a Ford to Victory Lane in 2014.
Allgaier Made a Major Move in the Championship Standings
The trip to New Hampshire Motor Speedway was crucial for Allgaier. He added more playoff points to his total, and he also made a move in the championship standings while other regular-season title contenders had unexpected issues.
Allgaier entered the weekend third in points with 639. He was one point behind Ty Gibbs and 30 behind AJ Allmendinger, who has led the standings since the trip to Richmond Raceway on April 2. However, Allgaier left the Magic Mile second in the points (unofficial) with 683. He is now 12 points up on Gibbs and only 16 back of Allmendinger.
Not clear 😔
The reason for the significant swing is that Gibbs finished 23rd. He secured points in Stages 1 and 2, but multiple mechanical issues dropped him four laps below the leaders. He was unable to rebound, and he only accrued 31 points on the day.
Allmendinger, for comparison, also secured points in Stages 1 and 2. His situation changed during the final stage. He battled with Alex Labbe for the ninth position entering a turn on Lap 143 and then he began to move up the track.
Allmendinger was not clear, and he made contact with the front of Labbe’s Chevrolet, which sent them both into the wall. His No. 16 sustained damage, forcing him to pit multiple times in the final run to the checkered flag. He ultimately ended the day 22nd and three laps down.
READ NEXT: Ty Dillon Announces Major Change for 2023 NASCAR Season
Comments
Justin Allgaier Snaps Streak Dating Back to 2007