Aric Almirola Takes Xfinity Series Victory At Daytona

Another restrictor-plate race, another controversial finish. And another bizarre Xfinity Series victory for Aric Almirola.

Almirola collected his second-career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory after being declared the winner in Friday night’s Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway after a wild, three-lap overtime finish that ended under caution with Almirola scored just ahead of Justin Allgaier after a video review by NASCAR.

Tucker, GA’s Ryan Sieg was credited with third, followed by Joey Logano and Brendan Gaughan.

Almirola’s victory was the second at Daytona for the Tampa, Florida native, who scored his first Sprint Cup victory in the July race at the track back in 2014.

“I’m so glad to be back in victory lane here at Daytona,” Almirola said. “This is such a special place for me. I won my first Cup race here two years ago, and for me, this is my first Xfinity win.

“I was an emotional last few laps. I thought I had a shot to win but wasn’t sure I would get it done. It is a huge night for me to get back to victory lane in the Xfinity Series. I didn’t feel like I truly won in the Xfinity Series before but tonight was my night. Now I can truly say I have truly won in every series in NASCAR.”

The victory in Friday night’s race marked the second time Almirola had won in an odd set of circumstances – his first win coming in 2007 at Milwaukee where he was credited with the victory after turning over the wheel to Denny Hamlin just 59 laps into the race.

“I know I have a win, but there’s always been an asterisk next to it,” said Almirola. “I hated the fact that I got credit for that. When they called me the winner, I didn’t want any of the credit. (Crew chief) Dave Rogers actually got the trophy. They tried to give me the trophy, but I didn’t want it. I didn’t think I deserved to win the race, because I wasn’t in the car when the race was over.

“But tonight I was. Tonight we went to victory lane, and I’m here, and I was in the car—so this is my first Xfinity win.”

Friday night’s outcome was very similar to the previous Xfinity Series restrictor-plate race earlier this season at Talladega, where Elliott Sadler was declared the winner after a delayed caution forced NASCAR to go to video to figure out the winner – only this time, it seemed like nearly 10 minutes before the word came down from NASCAR.

“It felt like about two and a half days,” said Almirola. “I was just trying to keep my emotions in check. I was ready to be really, really excited or really, really mad. I was waiting to figure out which one I was going to be.”

Almirola led just two laps in Friday’s event – one at lap 87, and the final one – which was scheduled for 100 laps but was pushed into overtime following a crash in turn three with two laps to go.

David Ragan started up front for the green-white-checkered finish with Almirola restarting second on the outside. Allgaier and Erik Jones made up the second row.

By the time the field came off the backstretch on the first overtime lap, the first six cars were stacked up three-wide in two car tandems – Ragan and Jones on the bottom, Almirola and Allgaier in the middle, and Ryan Sieg and Joey Logano up top.

As they came into the short chute off turn four, Ragan left Jones and pulled up in front of Almirola, then shifted high in front of Sieg. The move cost Ragan momentum, and the tandem of Almirola and Allgaier powered by on the inside. Sieg then dropped in behind them, hanging Ragan out to dry.

As Ragan fell back, the field stacked up behind him on the back straight and finally Jeff Green got into the back of Ragan and turned him into the inside wall, triggering a massive pileup.

With the wreck still underway on the backstretch, NASCAR held the caution flag, hoping to end the race under green, but finally threw the yellow as the leaders entered the front straight, forcing NASCAR to rely on video to determine who was out front at the time the caution was displayed.

Although replays showed both drivers in a virtual dead heat when the caution lights were first illuminated, NASCAR announced Almirola as the winner.

For Allgaier, who is riding a 58-race winless streak, it was the second time he’s been on the losing end of a restrictor-plate race, after finished second at earlier this year at Talladega.

“I guess it depends on what replay you look at,” said Allgaier. “We definitely had the momentum on the backstretch, we kind of stalled out in the middle of (turns) three and four, and then felt like we had it coming back again toward the start-finish line, but….When you lose ‘em by that little bit, it’s definitely frustrating.

“But when you’re disappointed with second, it’s still a good day.”

Ragan had led 15 of the final 16 laps in his first Xfinity Series start since finishing third in this same race a year ago. Ragan had been called up to fill in as driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for Matt Tifft, who underwent successful surgery to remove a brain tumor on Friday.

“It was a crazy finish. Speedway racing produces crazy finishes and I didn’t really want to see that last caution come out. I felt like we were in control enough,” said Ragan of the final restart. “I was kind of a sitting duck up there. I felt like my teammate Erik Jones, he did a great job on that white flag lap and we just got separated.

“I saw that the 98 (Almirola) and the 7 (Allgaier) had a decent run and thought I could block the very top, but you only have so much room and that’s just a product of speedway racing.”

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, FL
Subway Firecracker 250 – July 1, 2016

1. (23) Aric Almirola(i), Ford, 103.
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3. (30) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 103.
4. (4) Joey Logano(i), Ford, 103.
5. (17) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 103.
6. (14) Ryan Reed, Ford, 103.
7. (18) Jeff Green, Toyota, 103.
8. (27) Spencer Gallagher(i), Chevrolet, 103.
9. (15) Chase Elliott(i), Chevrolet, 103.
10. (3) Erik Jones #, Toyota, 103.
11. (24) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 103.
12. (26) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 103.
13. (39) Garrett Smithley #, Chevrolet, 103.
14. (11) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 103.
15. (37) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 103.
16. (32) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 103.
17. (19) J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 103.
18. (9) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 103.
19. (34) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 103.
20. (6) Darrell Wallace, Jr., Ford, 103.
21. (1) David Ragan(i), Toyota, 103.
22. (16) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 103.
23. (12) Benny Gordon, Toyota, 102.
24. (31) Bobby Gerhart, Chevrolet, 102.
25. (35) Scott Lagasse, Jr., Ford, 100.
26. (8) Brennan Poole #, Chevrolet, Accident, 97.
27. (33) David Starr, Chevrolet, Accident, 96.
28. (2) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 96.
29. (13) Brandon Jones #, Chevrolet, 82.
30. (10) Corey LaJoie, Toyota, Oil Leak, 73.
31. (20) Mark Thompson, Toyota, Engine, 57.
32. (5) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, Accident, 48.
33. (22) Mario Gosselin, Chevrolet, Oil Leak, 47.
34. (28) Ryan Preece #, Chevrolet, Engine, 42.
35. (29) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 28.
36. (25) Joe Nemechek(i), Toyota, Accident, 14.
37. (21) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, Accident, 14.
38. (38) Alex Guenette, Chevrolet, Accident, 9.
39. (36) Ray Black, Jr. #, Chevrolet, Accident, 8.
40. (40) B.J. McLeod #, Ford, Engine, 1.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 121.192 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 07 Mins, 29 Secs. Margin of Victory: Caution.

Caution Flags: 8 for 33 laps.

Lead Changes: 19 among 12 drivers.

Lap Leaders: D. Ragan(i) 1-3; A. Dillon(i) 4-13; J. Logano(i) 14; E. Sadler 15-17; M. Thompson 18; M. Shepherd 19; T. Dillon 20-22; J. Logano(i) 23-44; R. Chastain 45-46; B. Gaughan 47; J. Logano(i) 48-68; J. Allgaier 69-71; E. Sadler 72; J. Logano(i) 73; E. Sadler 74-80; J. Logano(i) 81; C. Elliott(i) 82-86; A. Almirola(i) 87; D. Ragan(i) 88-102; A. Almirola(i) 103;.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): J. Logano(i) 5 times for 46 laps; D. Ragan(i) 2 times for 18 laps; E. Sadler 3 times for 11 laps; A. Dillon(i) 1 time for 10 laps; C. Elliott(i) 1 time for 5 laps; J. Allgaier 1 time for 3 laps; T. Dillon 1 time for 3 laps; R. Chastain 1 time for 2 laps; A. Almirola(i) 2 times for 2 laps; M. Shepherd 1 time for 1 lap; B. Gaughan 1 time for 1 lap; M. Thompson 1 time for 1 lap.

Top 10 in Points: D. Suarez – 499; E. Sadler – 493; T. Dillon – 483; J. Allgaier – 462; B. Gaughan – 449; E. Jones # – 442; B. Jones # – 429; B. Poole # – 422; D. Wallace Jr. – 394; R. Reed – 366.