Kentucky II Race Report
JR Motorsports Race Report |
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July 10th, 2020 | |
Race 15 of 33: | Alsco 300 at Kentucky Speedway |
Track Specs: | 1.5-mile tri-oval / 200 laps |
Weather: | Partly cloudy, 75 degrees |
Race Winner: | Austin Cindric |
Allgaier's Finish: | 5th |
Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 BRANDT “Thank You Farmers” Chevrolet, earned a hard-fought fifth-place finish in Friday night’s Alsco 300 at Kentucky Speedway. The 34-year-old driver was caught a lap down early in the race after having to pit for a flat tire and battled back for his third top-five effort of the season after getting back on the lead lap for the final restart of the night with 13 laps remaining.
Stage One Finish: 30th
The Illinois native had to start at the rear of the field after moving to a backup car for the 200-lap race and drove up to 16th before the first caution of the evening came out on lap 3. Under the yellow, Allgaier reported that a brake rotor had struck the windshield of the No. 7 Camaro, but there didn’t seem to be damage to the car. After the lap 16 restart, it didn’t take Allgaier long to relay that he thought he had a tire going down. Pitting under the green flag for fresh tires, he got back out on the track one lap down. Crew chief Jason Burdett confirmed that there was in fact a right-rear tire flat on the BRANDT Camaro.
Allgaier was trying hard to be in position for the free pass, but the leader began lapping additional cars just prior to the lap 20 competition caution, so the JR Motorsports driver remained a lap down. Restarting in 33rd on lap 26, the driver of the BRANDT Camaro advanced his position to 30th before the green-and-white checkered flag waved to end Stage One on lap 45.
Stage Two Finish: 16th
The team called Allgaier to pit road for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment for the BRANDT Camaro under the stage-ending caution and he lined up 26th for the start of Stage Two. Once again the team began their strategy of being the first car one lap down in an effort to get back on the lead lap. Allgaier had a fast Camaro and was running the same lap times as the leader. As more cars started going a lap down, Allgaier did all he could to track them down and pass them. By lap 86 he was up to 19th and advanced three more spots before the end of the stage on lap 90, but unfortunately was not in position to receive the free pass.
Final Stage:
Allgaier received four fresh tires and fuel during the stage break. A fast pit stop allowed Allgaier to line up 14th for the start of the final stage, putting him in prime position for the free pass if a quick caution were to come out. Instead a long green-flag run ensued and Allgaier was in 13th when scheduled green-flag pit stops began. Burdett had Allgaier stay out as long as possible in the hopes of a caution, but alas the team had to call him to pit road for four tires and fuel with 44 laps to go. Once stops cycled through, Allgaier was again scored in 13th, still one lap down.
The team caught a break when a caution flag came out with 22 laps to go. When the lead lap cars opted to come to pit road, Burdett called for Allgaier to stay out and take the wave around to get his lap back. Restarting just outside of the top 10 with 13 laps to go, Allgaier battled hard in the closing laps to bring the BRANDT Camaro home with a fifth-place finish. The result was his third top five of the season and seventh top 10.
Justin Allgaier, driver No. 7 BRANDT “Thank You Farmers” Chevrolet
“I am so proud of this team. They did a really nice job getting this BRANDT “Thank You Farmers” Camaro prepared. We never gave up tonight. To come back and get a top-five finish after being a lap down for most of the night is incredible. We had a fast car and that has me looking forward to these next two mile-and-a-half tracks we have coming up.”
No. 7 BRANDT “Thank You Farmers” Camaro |
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Start | 20th |
Finish | 5th |
Laps Completed (Led) | 200 of 200 |
Points (Bonus) | 32 |
Point Standings (from leader) | 7th (-152) |
Status | Running |