Xfinity Series: Brandon Jones ends 98-race drought with victory in Darlington

Bailey Defoor
22 hours ago
5 min read

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

From the front row to victory lane, Brandon Jones takes his second career victory at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. This ends his 98-race winless streak and secures him into the playoffs.

As it unfolded

Christopher Bell and Jones made it a Joe Gibbs Racing front-row lockout, with Justin Allgaier and Taylor Gray just behind them as they led the field to the green flag.

Immediately, Bells pulls ahead and puts some distance between him and Jones. Gray and Sam Mayer get past Allgaier in the opening lap, too.

Further down the field, Jeb Burton almost sent Harrison Burton into the wall, closing the door on the outside, causing H. Burton to back out.

Mayer and Allgaier got past Gray as the car went a little loose.

On lap 12, Jones continued to battle against Bell for the lead, now within two-tenths of a second.

Allgaier got past Mayer on lap 22. Then, Jones had an incident where the car briefly lost control, opening the door for Allgaier to pass him as well.

The first caution came out just after Allgaier completed the move on Jones on lap 23. Kris Wright took a hard hit into the wall from 24th, causing the caution. Josh Williams pitted with rear-end damage.

Bell lined up on the outside with Allgaier on the inside as they went back to green on lap 29, and

Immediately, Allgaier pulled ahead.

Drivers Kyle Sieg, Brennen Poole, and H. Burton were already up 15 places in four laps since the restart.

On lap 26, H. Burton made it up to second place and was running faster than frontrunner Allgaier.

With six to go in the stage, H. Burton took the lead from Allgaier. K. Sieg and Poole were up to third and fourth, fowling H. Burton through the field in the closing laps of the stage.

With three to go, Bell fell down to tenth. On the same lap, Poole got past K. Sieg for third.

Stage 1 Results:

No. 25- Harrison Burton (AM Racing)
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)
No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)
No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)
No. 91 - Josh Bilicki (DGM Racing)
No. 9 - Ross Chastain (JR Motorsports)
No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

Some of the drivers pit, but Jones made it out of pitroad ahead of Allgaier.

Jones led Allgaier on the restart, but Allgaier took the lead into turn 1. H. Burton and Christain Eckes also got past Jones on the restart.

Ross Chastain also came soaring to second place on lap 61. There was brief contact between Chase Elliott, Connor Zilisch, and J. Burton on the same lap, but no caution was called.

This stage was straight forward, green flag racing without much action.

Stage 2 Results:

No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)
No. 9 - Ross Chastain (JR Motorsports)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 25- Harrison Burton (AM Racing)
No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)
No. 19 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 17 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports)
No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

Many drivers pitted. There was vehicle interference from Jeremy Clements, and J. Burton had a safety violation on pit road.

Allgaier led the field once again with 50 to go, but Chastain went side by side with Allgaier throughout the opening lap. Chastain came out ahead, while Bell got through to third and joined the battle for the lead.

The next caution came out on lap 112 as Gray dropped from 18th. Gray had major damage to the left side of his car because of contact with Daniel Dye as Gray cut in front of him. The contact sent Gray spinning into the inside wall as Dye got by without damage.

Almost the entire field pitted under caution on lap 114. H. Burton came out first, up 14 places on pit road with Jones behind him, up two places. Allgaier had a slow stop as a crew member tripped during the stop.

H. Burton and Jones led the field on lap 117. Immediately, H. Burton fell through the field, dropping to tenth as Jones and Bell benefitted. Zilisch and Sammy Smith also narrowly avoided a collision with H. Burton as he split through the drivers.

Another caution was thrown during the restart as Ryan Ellis got into the side of Garrett Smithly. Smithy spun out briefly.

On lap 123, Jones lined up on the bottom with Bell outside as they went back to green. Jones comes out ahead. Chastain squeezed Bell into the wall, causing Bell to smoke up a bit.

Chastain took the lead outside of Jones on lap 127 after starting the race in 23rd.

The sixth caution came out on lap 128. Anthony Alfredo, Leland Honeyman, K Sieg, and Williams all came together as Honeyman hit the back of H. Burton and spun out of control.

Some drivers pit, including Jones, Bell and Chastain. Jones comes out on top, with Elliott right behind.

Poole, J. Burton, Josh Bilicki and K. Sieg did not pit and let the field to green on lap 135. J. Burton got away with the lead as Jones and Elliott moved up as well.

Jones took the lead while Elliott and Allgaier came up to second and third. With nine laps to go, Jones pulled away with just over a second gap between him and Elliott.

Jones took the checkered flag, his second career victory.

Provisional Results