Austin Hill celebrates in victory lane after winning his second consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night. Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images
After Sam Mayer spun on the roof of his Chevrolet on the backstretch at Daytona International Speedway, trailing a shower of sparks, Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier and John Hunter Nemechek sat in their cars and waited.
And after what must have seemed an eternity to the drivers, NASCAR reviewed video of the final lap of overtime and declared Winston, Georgia’s Hill the winner of his second straight season opener at the World Center of Racing.
Hill led a race-high 38 laps in Saturday’s event and was narrowly ahead of surging John Hunter Nemechek when the sanctioning body called the caution for Mayer’s spectacular accident on lap 125 — five circuits beyond the scheduled distance.
“As soon as the caution lights came on, I thought I had it, but it was so close,” Hill said. “To get back-to-back here at Daytona, it’s really special. That’s three wins for me now, two in the Xfinity, one in the truck here. We came from the back two different times.
“I hope everyone enjoyed it. It was such a blast. I had so much fun. We won at Daytona! Let’s go!”
Hill’s first thought, however, was for Mayer. Contact between Hill’s No. 21 Camaro and Mayer’s No. 1 Chevrolet sent Mayer spinning and then flipping upside down until his car hit the infield grass and landed upright.
Mayer was treated and released from the infield care center.
“When I saw the 1 (Mayer) and the 7 (Allgaier) get together, I just went to go squeeze them, and the 1 came down, he started getting loose, and then you can’t lift — it’s last lap,” Hill said. “I hope Sam is OK, man. That was a heck of a flip there.”
Allgaier, who was credited with a third-place finish, had another close call in the race that has eluded him.
“I’ve been short my whole life, so I guess it’s just fitting,” quipped the 5-foot-6-inch driver. “But really proud of everybody at JR Motorsports. Our Chevy Camaros tonight were absolutely blazing fast.
“Obviously, I’m glad Sam is OK. He had a heck of a run there at the end.”
Rookie Parker Retzlaff finished a career-best fourth, followed by Myatt Snider. Riley Herbst, Joe Graf Jr., Tucker, Georgia’s Ryan Sieg, Cole Custer and Justin Haley completed the top 10.
Hill won the first stage, but only through Allgaier’s benevolence. On the final lap of the stage, Hill steered down the track to block Allgaier’s Chevrolet. Allgaier backed out of the throttle to give Hill room, as the rear bumper of Hill’s Camaro slid uncomfortably close to the nose of Allgaier’s car.
“If I don’t lift, I wreck the whole field,” Allgaier said on his radio. “It’s stupid racing.”
“Justin really cut me a break,” Hill acknowledged. “I really appreciate that from him.”
Allgaier must have gotten some karmic benefit from his magnanimity. When Parker Kligerman turned Sheldon Creed’s Chevrolet while bump-drafting near the entrance to turn 1 on lap 40, Allgaier’s Chevrolet spun sideways onto the apron behind the initial wreck.
After a tape job to the left rear of his car, Allgaier returned to the track, started at the rear of the field and quickly charged back into the lead on lap 54. Allgaier went on to win the second stage, with Mayer close behind him.
“To go to the back and have that spin and just battle our way through, it’s crazy how fast our car was tonight and how good we were in traffic,” Allgaier said.
Unfortunately for the veteran driver, speed, maneuverability and good karma could carry him only so far.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, FL
Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 – February 18, 2023
1. (1) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 125.
2. (7) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 125.
3. (5) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 125.
4. (16) Parker Retzlaff #, Chevrolet, 125.
5. (13) Myatt Snider, Toyota, 125.
6. (9) Riley Herbst, Ford, 125.
7. (29) Joe Graf, Jr., Ford, 125.
8. (22) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 125.
9. (3) Cole Custer, Ford, 125.
10. (19) Justin Haley(i), Chevrolet, 125.
11. (20) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 125.
12. (8) Chandler Smith #, Chevrolet, 125.
13. (17) Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 125.
14. (11) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 125.
15. (25) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 125.
16. (34) Parker Chase, Toyota, 125.
17. (38) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 125.
18. (36) Joey Gase, Ford, 125.
19. (15) Sammy Smith #, Toyota, 125.
20. (23) Gray Gaulding, Chevrolet, 125.
21. (26) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 125.
22. (28) David Starr, Chevrolet, 125.
23. (2) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 125.
24. (10) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 125.
25. (12) Jade Buford, Chevrolet, 125.
26. (18) Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 125.
27. (14) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, Accident, 124.
28. (24) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 124.
29. (32) Brett Moffitt, Ford, 124.
30. (37) Jesse Iwuji, Chevrolet, Electrical, 110.
31. (31) C.J. McLaughlin, Ford, Accident, 87.
32. (33) Kaz Grala, Toyota, Engine, 82.
33. (21) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, Engine, 81.
34. (4) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, Accident, 41.
35. (35) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, Accident, 41.
36. (6) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, Accident, 20.
37. (27) Blaine Perkins #, Chevrolet, Accident, 19.
38. (30) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, Engine, 8.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 132.524 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 21 Mins, 30 Secs. Margin of Victory: Under Caution.
Caution Flags: 8 for 32 laps.
Lead Changes: 25 among 11 drivers.
Lap Leaders: C. Custer 1;J. Allgaier 2-5;J. Nemechek 6;J. Allgaier 7;J. Nemechek 8-12;J. Allgaier 13-14;J. Nemechek 15;J. Allgaier 16-25;J. Haley(i) 26;A. Hill 27-32;S. Creed 33-37;S. Mayer 38-45;P. Kligerman 46;S. Mayer 47-49;A. Hill 50-53;J. Allgaier 54-55;S. Mayer 56-58;J. Allgaier 59-74;J. Nemechek 75;G. Gaulding 76;D. Starr 77-78;J. Berry 79-95;A. Hill 96-123;J. Allgaier 124;A. Hill 125.
Leaders Summary: (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led) Austin Hill 4 times for 39 laps; Justin Allgaier 7 times for 36 laps; Josh Berry 1 time for 17 laps; Sam Mayer 3 times for 14 laps; John Hunter Nemechek 4 times for 8 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 5 laps; David Starr 1 time for 2 laps; Gray Gaulding 1 time for 1 lap; Justin Haley(i) 1 time for 1 lap; Cole Custer 1 time for 1 lap; Parker Kligerman 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 21,16,7,10,27,2,8,48,20,19
Stage #2 Top Ten: 7,1,21,9,25,8,98,20,00,27
Playoff Standings: 1. Austin Hill – 58 (1 Win); 2. Justin Allgaier – 52; 3. John Hunter Nemechek – 40; 4. Riley Herbst – 35; 5. Chandler Smith – 34; 6. Parker Retzlaff – 33; 7. Myatt Snider – 33; 8. Jeb Burton – 33; 9. Joe Graf, Jr. – 30; 10. Cole Custer – 30; 11. Brandon Jones – 30; 12. Ryan Sieg – 29.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
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