Fourteen years in the making, Justin Allgaier is on the verge of capturing a NASCAR Xfinity Series title.
After placing third in the final standings last season, Allgaier will again face circuit champion Cole Custer in next Saturday’s Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway, along with AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill.
Allgaier has been here before.
The 38-year-old driver has competed in the final four in five of the last six seasons. Allgaier, who has two career wins at Phoenix, seeks his first circuit title. In the spring race, the JR Motorsports pilot led 52 laps and drove out to a near-three-second advantage before the No. 7 Chevrolet endured a left-rear tire failure with five rotations remaining.
Buoyed by a P5 last Saturday at Martinsville, Allgaier qualified for the final four based on points.
“I mean, I left there fully dejected, knowing that we had the dominant car, and we walked out of there with a wrecked pile of junk and didn’t get to win the race,” Allgaier said, per NASCAR.com. “So to be able to leave here with a shot at it, knowing what we’re taking back next week, I have no doubt in my mind we’re going to have a great piece, and we’ll see what we can do.”
Emerging from a late-season slump, Allgaier posted three strong Round of 8 efforts. He also placed P3 at Las Vegas and P8 at Homestead-Miami.
“I mean, you look at the way the first two races in the first round started, to be honest with you, I thought we were going to be sitting on the couch, not even be here to Martinsville,” Allgaier said. “To turn all of that around, to put ourselves in contention for not only a top four in the points but a championship, I mean, that’s what you eat, sleep and breathe for.”
Justin Allgaier on the frustrations with Cole Custer during the race on a day where Allgaier just needed a top-nine finish there at the end. pic.twitter.com/XGwwNmq1qT
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 2, 2024
NASCAR National Series Weekend Schedule
Here is a list of NASCAR national series events this weekend at Phoenix Raceway (All Times ET):
Tuesday
- 2 p.m.: Champ 4 Live Stream
Thursday
- 7 p.m.: Truck Series practice
- 8 p.m.: ARCA Series West practice
- 9:20 p.m.: ARCA Series West qualifying
Friday
- 1:30 p.m.: ARCA Series West Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 race
- 4:05 p.m.: Truck Series qualifying
- 5:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series practice
- 6:05 p.m.: Cup Series practice
- 8 p.m.: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race
Saturday
- 4 p.m.: Xfinity Series qualifying
- 5:05 p.m.: Cup Series qualifying
- 7 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race
Sunday
- 3 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
One race left to decide it all. #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/8ZAxhfLxfo
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 2, 2024
NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race Entry List
Entry, Driver, Team, Car No.
- 1, Cole Custer, Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 00 Ford
- 2, Sam Mayer, JR Motorsports, No. 1 Chevrolet
- 3, Jesse Love, Richard Childress Racing, No. 2 Chevrolet
- 4, Anthony Alfredo, Our Motorsports, No. 5 Chevrolet
- 5, Patrick Emerling, SS GreenLight Racing, No. 07 Chevrolet
- 6, Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports, No. 7 Chevrolet
- 7, Sammy Smith, JR Motorsports, No. 8 Chevrolet
- 8, Brandon Jones, JR Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
- 9, Daniel Dye, Kaulig Racing, No. 10 Chevrolet
- 10, Josh Williams, Kaulig Racing, No. 11 Chevrolet
- 11, Greg van Alst, SS GreenLight Racing, No. 14 Chevrolet
- 12, Dylan Lupton, AM Racing, No. 15 Ford
- 13, AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing, No. 16 Chevrolet
- 14, Sheldon Creed, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 18 Toyota
- 15, William Sawalich, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
- 16, Aric Almirola, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
- 17, Austin Hill, Richard Childress Racing, No. 21 Chevrolet
- 18, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Sam Hunt Racing, No. 26 Toyota
- 19, Jeb Burton, Jordan Anderson Racing, No. 27 Chevrolet
- 20, Ryan Sieg, RSS Racing, No. 28 Ford
- 21, Blaine Perkins, RSS Racing, No. 29 Ford
- 22, Parker Retzlaff, Jordan Anderson Racing, No. 31 Chevrolet
- 23, Joey Gase, Joey Gase Racing, No. 35 Toyota
- 24, Matt DiBenedetto, RSS Racing, No. 38 Ford
- 25, Kyle Sieg, RSS Racing, No. 39 Ford
- 26, Leland Honeyman Jr., Young’s Motorsports, No. 42 Chevrolet
- 27, Ryan Ellis, Alpha Prime Racing, No. 43 Chevrolet
- 28, Brennan Poole, Alpha Prime, No. 44 Chevrolet
- 29, Stefan Parsons, Alpha Prime, No. 45 Chevrolet
- 30, Parker Kligerman, Big Machine Racing, No. 48 Chevrolet
- 31, Jeremy Clements, Jeremy Clements Racing, No. 51 Chevrolet
- 32, TBA, Joey Gase Motorsports, No. 53 Ford
- 33, Chandler Smith, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 81 Toyota
- 34, Connor Mosack, JR Motorsports, No. 88 Chevrolet
- 35, Josh Bilicki, DGM Racing, No. 91 Chevrolet
- 36, Dawson Cram, DGM Racing, No. 92 Chevrolet
- 37, Shane van Gisbergen, Kaulig Racing, No. 97 Chevrolet
- 38, Riley Herbst, Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 98 Ford
Stage 1 ✅
Stage 2 ✅
Checkered flag ✅Have yourself a night, @Aric_Almirola! 👏 pic.twitter.com/7nxieOfksm
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 2, 2024
