Xfinity Series: Aric Almirola wins playoff opener in Kansas

Written by Bailey Defoor, Edited by Sean McKean

Credit - Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Following a battle with regular season champion Cole Custer, Aric Almirola took his second win this season after only leading 16 laps throughout the race. The podium rounded off with playoff contenders Cole Custer and Chandler Smith with and rookie Connor Zilisch and Sheldon Creed rounding out the top five.

Almirola won Stage 1, and even though he was not eligible for playoffs, he held off Chandler Smith and Custer, who were right on his tail.

Sam Mayer won Stage 2, earning an extra playoff point for the championship. On the same lap, Riley Herbst was tapped into a spin and gained no points for the stage. 

Justin Allgaier also lost control and crashed into the inside wall, taking him out of the race around the halfway mark. 

Stage 3 ended with Almirola's late move against Custer and Smith to take the lead.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 20 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)

2. No. 00 - Cole Custer (Stewart-Haas Racing) [Playoffs]

3. No. 81 - Chandler Smith (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

4. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

5. No. 18 - Sheldon Creed (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

6. No. 9 - Brandon Jones (JR Motorsports)

7. No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 97 - Shane van Gisbergen (Kaulig Racing) [Playoffs]

9. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]

10. No. 98 - Riley Herbst (Stewart-Haas Racing) [Playoffs]

11. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)

12. No. 48 - Parker Kligerman (Big Machine Racing) [Playoffs]

13. No. 1 - Sam Mayer (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs]

14. No. 38 - Matt DiBenedetto (RSS Racing)

15. No. 5 - Anthony Alfredo (Our Motorsports)

16. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)

17. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing) [Playoffs]

18. No. 44 - Brennan Poole (Alpha Prime Racing) +1 lap

19. No. 43 - Ryan Ellis (Alpha Prime Racing) +1 lap

20. No. 14 - JJ Yeley (SS-Greenlight Racing) +1 lap

21. No. 31 - Parker Retzlaff (Jordan Anderson Racing) +1 lap

22. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs] +1 lap

23. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing) +2 laps

24. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing) +2 laps

25. No. 42 - Leland Honeyman (Young's Motorsports) +2 laps

26. No. 91 - Kyle Weatherman (DGM Racing) +3 laps

27. No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing) +3 laps

28. No. 29 - Blaine Perkins (RSS Racing) +3 laps

29. No. 74 - Ryan Vargas (Mike Harmon Racing) +4 laps

30. No. 07 - Patrick Emerling (SS-Greenlight Racing) +4 laps

31. No. 26 - Corey Heim (Sam Hunt Racing) +5 laps

32. No. 35 - Joey Gase (Joey Gase Motorsports) +6 laps

33. No. 15 - Logan Bearden (AM Racing) +10 laps

34. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing) +11 laps

35. No. 92 - Dawson Cram (DGM Racing) [DNF]

36. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs] [DNF]

37. No. 45 - Brad Perez (Alpha Prime Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 19 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing) [DNF]

Provisional Playoff Standings:

1. No. 00 - Cole Custer: +41

2. No. 81 - Chandler Smith: +36

3. No. 21 - Austin Hill: +26

4. No. 1 - Sam Mayer: +13

5. No. 18 - Sheldon Creed: +10

6. No. 97 - Shane van Gisbergen: +8

7. No. 2 - Jesse Love: +3

8. No. 98 - Riley Herbst: +1

Playoff Cut Line

1. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier: -1

2. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger: -13

3. No. 48 - Parker Kligerman: -15

4. No. 8 - Sammy Smith: -23