Justin Allgaier continues to be the man to beat in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
In a crash-filled NFPA 250 at the Martinsville Speedway, it was Allgaier wheeling his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to victory. It marked the 2024 series champion’s third win in the last four O’Reilly Series races.
With another victory, Allgaier continues to pull ahead in the points standings. The driver of the No. 7 now has a 92-point gap over second place Jesse Love.
Justin Allgaier on 2026 start: ‘Better than I could have ever imagined’
It came down to a restart with five laps to go.
Allgaier was able to get away and fend off Corey Day and JR Motorsports teammate Sammy Smith to secure his third win of the 2026 season.
It was Allgaier’s 31st career victory, tying him with Jack Ingram for sixth on the all-time wins list.
Day finished second, followed by Smith in third, Sheldon Creed in fourth, and Lee Pulliam in fifth.
Pulliam impressed in his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut, leading 40 laps in the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.
Austin Hill placed sixth, followed by Dean Thompson in seventh, Ross Chastain eighth, Ryan Sieg ninth, and Brent Crews rounded out the top 10.
In his post-race interview with The CW, Allgaier expressed his enthusiasm on how the 2026 campaign has started for him and his No. 7 team.
“We have fired off 2026 better than I could have ever imagined. So proud of the racecars we’ve brought to the racetrack. … Just so proud of this team. … You get later on in your career and you never know if you’ll win another one. To do it the way we’ve done it this year is pretty special,” Allgaier said.
Martinsville O’Reilly Series race plagued by cautions
The NFPA 250 saw 14 caution flags for 153 laps.
One of the more notable cautions came on a restart with 17 laps to go. Pulliam, who restarted on the front row, failed to get going as the field took the green.
Chaos ensued behind Pulliam as a multi-car crash unfolded. The incident took out the likes of Carson Kvapil, Jeb Burton, and Austin Green, while many others suffered damage.
The race ended under caution after a spin-out from Rajah Caruth. The driver of the No. 88 wound up finishing 25th after the incident.
Justin Allgaier extends points lead with Martinsville win
On top of it being his third win of the season, it was a quality points day for Allgaier.
The JR Motorsports won the opening stage and backed it up with the victory in the end. After seven races, the California native finds himself atop the points standings with a 92-point gap over second place.
Jesse Love, the defending series champion, sits in second. Sheldon Creed is currently third in the points standings (-116), followed by Austin Hill in fourth (-122), and Carson Kvapil fifth (-139).
Next week is an off weekend for the Cup Series, but that is not the case for the O’Reilly Series. On Saturday, April 4, the circuit heads to the Rockingham Speedway.
The North Carolina Education Lottery 250 Presented by Black’s Tire is scheduled for 250 laps and is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Justin Allgaier Wins Martinsville, Continues NASCAR O’Reilly Series Dominance