Written by Sean McKean
After an overtime restart that snubbed Parker Kligerman from a certain victory, it was Sam Mayer who took victory at the Charlotte Roval. It was the JR Motorsports driver’s second win in a row at the track and third win of the season
As it unfolded
Shane van Gisbergen started on pole, but Sam Mayer got the jump to take the lead. Mayer, however, was deemed to have jumped the start, which resulted in a pass-through penalty. Van Gisbergen now led.
The first incident of the race also occurred when Mayer served his pass-through. Kyle Sieg went for a spin on the exit of Turn 2 and continued with little damage.
By Lap 5, AJ Allmendinger then took the lead from his Kaulig teammate ahead. Allmendinger set the pace, so much so that Van Gisbergen locked up into the backstretch chicane. He fell to tenth.
Issues plagued another playoff driver on Lap 16. Whilst battling with teammate Austin Hill, Jesse Love dove too deep into the Turn 7 braking zone, running into Sheldon Creed and spinning the JGR driver. Creed fell from fourth to 15th.
Before stage’s end, Chandler Smith, Mayer, and Parker Kligerman were some takers into the pits.
AJ Allmendinger won the stage with a hefty gap followed by Van Gisbergen – who drove back through the field after his chicane mishap – and Justin Allgaier.
Stage 1 Results:
No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger [Playoffs]
No. 97 - Shane van Gisbergen [Playoffs]
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier [Playoffs]
No. 21 - Austin Hill [Playoffs]
No. 2 - Jesse Love [Playoffs]
No. 18 - Sheldon Creed [Playoffs]
No. 88 - Connor Mosack
No. 98 - Riley Herbst [Playoffs]
No. 19 - Josh Bilicki
No. 81 - Chandler Smith [Playoffs]
Josh Bilicki led the field to the green on Lap 25, fending off teammate Chandler Smith behind. Further in the pack, Alex Labbe went for a spin off the nose of Ed Jones in the chicane. Labbe continued without damage.
The first non-stage caution came out on Lap 27 for debris in Turn 2.
Josh Bilicki kept his lead on the Lap 30 restart, but the caution came back out on the same lap, as Matt DiBenedetto spun into the Turn 6 tyre barrier with help from Jeremy Clements. DiBenedetto continued with mild damage.
Bilicki led once more, but Sam Mayer made the move around the outside to take the lead.
At the end of the lap, a 12-car stack-up occurred in the final corner. Riley Herbst crowded Anthony Alfredo to the kerb, sending the SHR driver into a spin that many cars couldn’t avoid. Herbst and Sheldon Creed were amongst the playoff cars to get major damage. Drivers to retire from the incident included Brennan Poole, Josh Williams, and Ed Jones.
Most drivers took to the pits under this caution. Justin Allgaier was the only playoff driver to stay out.
Allgaier got a great jump to maintain his lead. He led Lap 38 under green, but one lap later, the yellow flag came back out. Following their involvement in the pile-up, Creed’s engine expired and Herbst’s driveline failed.
These two cars limping around the track forced race control’s hand, ending the stage under caution. Allgaier finished in first ahead of Connor Mosack and Sam Mayer.
Stage 2 Results:
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier [Playoffs]
No. 88 - Connor Mosack
No. 1 - Sam Mayer [Playoffs]
No. 20 - Aric Almirola
No. 42 - Leland Honeyman Jr.
No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger [Playoffs]
No. 97 - Shane van Gisbergen [Playoffs]
No. 81 - Chandler Smith [Playoffs]
No. 07 - Sage Karam
No. 19 - Josh Bilicki
The final stage began with Connor Mosack leading the way and his first lap of the day. But, he was quickly swallowed up by teammate Mayer.
Mayer led uncontested until Lap 53 when the caution came out. Going into Turn 1, Thomas Annunziata experienced a brake failure, sending him straight into the tyre barrier. He climbed out of the crash unharmed.
Most playoff drivers took to the pits; however, Shane van Gisbergen stayed out to maintain track position on the ensuing restart.
Van Gisbergen led the way, but only three laps later, Parker Kligerman – on fresh tyres – took the lead. However, right behind him was a fast Sam Mayer, who closed in lap after lap alongside AJ Allmendinger.
With three laps remaining, a mis-shift by Mayer originally solidified the win for Kligerman, but a massive crash by Leland Honeyman Jr – who buried his full car under the tyre barrier in Turn 3 – brought out the caution right before the No. 48 driver could take the white flag.
On the overtime restart, Kligerman led, but Sam Mayer made the crossover in Turn 7 to take the lead, and eventually the win – which locked him into the Round of 8.
The battle at the cut line was tight, though. Heading into the final lap, Shane van Gisbergen in third and Jesse Love at the tail-end of the field were tied on points. The Kiwi driver couldn’t make up any positions whilst Love gained four, resulting in the elimination of the Kaulig driver on the very last lap.
Provisional Results:
No. 1 - Sam Mayer (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs]
No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 97 - Shane van Gisbergen (Kaulig Racing) [ELIMINATED]
No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 81 - Chandler Smith (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 48 - Parker Kligerman (Big Machine Racing) [ELIMINATED]
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs]
No. 19 - Josh Bilicki (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 20 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs]
No. 9 - Brandon Jones (JR Motorsports)
No. 31 - Parker Retzlaff (Jordan Anderson Racing)
No. 00 - Cole Custer (Stewart-Haas Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 91 - Alex Labbe (DGM Racing)
No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)
No. 5 - Anthony Alfredo (Our Motorsports)
No. 28 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)
No. 88 - Connor Mosack (JR Motorsports)
No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]
No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing)
No. 50 - Preston Pardus (Pardus Racing Inc.)
No. 38 - Matt DiBenedetto (RSS Racing)
No. 39 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)
No. 92 - Dawson Cram (DGM Racing)
No. 14 - Nathan Byrd (SS-Greenlight Racing)
No. 45 - Brad Perez (Alpha Prime Racing)
No. 15 - Dylan Lupton (AM Racing) +1 lap
No. 42 - Leland Honeyman Jr (Young’s Motorsports) [DNF]
No. 07 - Sage Karam (SS-Greenlight Racing) [DNF]
No. 32 - Austin Green (Jordan Anderson Racing) [DNF]
No. 43 - Ryan Ellis (Alpha Prime Racing) [DNF]
No. 98 - Riley Herbst (Stewart-Haas Racing) [ELIMINATED] [DNF]
No. 29 - Blaine Perkins (RSS Racing) [DNF]
No. 35 - Thomas Annunziata (Joey Gase Racing) [DNF]
No. 18 - Sheldon Creed (Joe Gibbs Racing) [ELIMINATED] [DNF]
No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing) [DNF]
No. 26 - Ed Jones (Sam Hunt Racing) [DNF]
No. 44 - Brennan Poole (Alpha Prime Racing) [DNF]
The new playoff grid after the Round of 12 is as follows:
Provisional Playoff Grid:
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier: +18
No. 00 - Cole Custer: +11
No. 21 - Austin Hill: +9
No. 81 - Chandler Smith: +8
Playoff Cut Line
No. 1 - Sam Mayer: -8
No. 2 - Jesse Love: -12
No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger: -18
No. 8 - Sammy Smith: -19
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