Dale Earnhardt Jr. claims fifth NASCAR Xfinity title in a backup car as Justin Allgaier reigns supreme
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won his fifth Xfinity Series title, as Justin Allgaier dominated the Phoenix Raceway in a backup car. The legendary NASCAR figure had two Xfinity championships as a driver (1998 and 99) and three as JR Motorsports' owner. Allgaier's Championship 4 triumph has added a fifth trophy for the NASCAR Hall of Famer.
Junior's JRM clinched its first NXS title with Chase Elliott in 2014, followed by William Byron in 2017, and Tyler Reddick in 2018. However, since then, the Mooresville-based outfit couldn't rake in any championship but made multiple trips to the Championship 4 race. Despite unwavering efforts, Allgaier wrapped his 2022 and 2023 seasons in P3 and P2, respectively.
The odds of claiming his career-first Xfinity title were low as the #7 Chevy driver competed in a backup car following a heavy crash during the practice run, beginning the 213-lap battle in 37th place. Nonetheless, the JRM driver quickly rose to the top, finishing Stage in sixth and settling in tenth in the second stage.
However, things went sideways in the final stage, with Allgaier receiving a restart violation and the following speeding on his pass-through. But Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s driver got his big break. He stayed out while others pitted, and on Lap 155, Anthony Alfredo's crash prompted a yellow, allowing the Xfinity champion to pit under caution.
From there, Justin Allgaier mastered the overtime restarts and finished second. Even though Riley Herbst's late move robbed Allgaier of a win, the latter bested all Championship 4 drivers to bag the title.
It's worth mentioning that Allgaier remained unfazed in his title pursuit despite multiple contacts in the final dash.
Cup Series driver Michael McDowell heaps praise of 'deserving' Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s driver
While Dale Earnhardt Jr. would undoubtedly be thrilled by his driver and team's Xfinity Series title, Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell was impressed by Justin Allgaier's triumph. Shortly after the #7 Chevy posted its first NXS title, the two-time Cup Series race winner shared a congratulatory message.
He wrote (via X):
"There is nobody more deserving than @J_Allgaier. He is everything great about this sport and more importantly he is one of the best humans on the planet. He has always been a faithful Husband, Father, Teammate and Friend. I am so proud of him. God is good!" McDowell wrote.
Dale Earnahrdt Jr. spoke highly of the 2024 Xfinity Series champion, revealing that he 'badly' wanted Allgaier to win. He said (via PRN).
"He's just done so much for us. If there's an image in the dictionary of a model racecar driver, it's him (Allgaier) ... We've had a lot of fun over the years but I've badly, badly wanted one for him," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said.
While Allgaier won the title, defending champion Cole Custer ranked second, AJ Allmendinger in third, and Austin Hill in fourth.