Drive for the Cure 250 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
JR Motorsports Race Report
Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022
Race 29 of 33: Drive for the Cure 250 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
Track Specs: 2.28-mile road course / 67 laps
Race Winner: AJ Allmendinger
Allgaier’s Finish: 5th
Point’s position: 4th (-23)
Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, advanced into the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs on Saturday afternoon following a strong fifth-place finish at the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With today’s top-five result, Allgaier now enters next weekend’s NXS event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the fourth seed, 11 points above the cutline with three races remaining in the Round of 8.
Race Rundown
- Allgaier took the green flag for the 67-lap event in the fifth position following a solid qualifying effort on Saturday morning.
- Racing into third on the opening lap, Allgaier held steady inside the top three until contact with the No. 10 as the duo entered Turn 3 knocked the JR Motorsports driver sideways with just three laps remaining in Stage One.
- Despite going for a slide, Allgaier was quickly able to regain control of the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet and return to the track in the sixth position and remain there until the green-and-white checkered flag was displayed on lap 20. The sixth-place result to end Stage One earned Allgaier five valuable points to begin the afternoon.
- While under the stage-ending caution, Allgaier reported to crew chief Jason Burdett that he needed help with forward drive around the distinct Charlotte Roval. Coming to pit road for four fresh tires and an air pressure adjustment, Allgaier returned to the track for the start of Stage Two in 13th after varying strategies played out among the front runners.
- Although restarting outside of the top 10, the Illinois native charged forward, as Allgaier worked his way up to ninth on lap 27 before climbing back into the top five on lap 37. Once back in the top five, Allgaier continued his ascent up the leaderboard, as the driver of the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet made his way into the fourth position by the time the green-and-white checkered flag was displayed on lap 40. The strong finish in Stage Two scored Allgaier an additional seven points to bring the No. 7 team’s in-race total up to 12 on the day.
- Prior to the beginning of the third and final stage, Burdett called the driver of the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet back to pit road for four tires and a chassis adjustment. However, with another round of strategies playing out, Allgaier returned to the track for the lap-43 restart in the 15th position.
- Once back underway, Allgaier again powered toward the front, as the JRM driver raced back into the top 10 on lap 49 and maintained his track position through a flurry of yellows. Then, following a lap-58 restart, Allgaier rejoined the top five, utilizing the outside line to march into the fourth position. Two quick cautions followed suit, setting up NASCAR’s version of overtime.
- Lining up as the second car on the outside line for the final restart of the day on lap 70, Allgaier battled wheel-to-wheel with the No. 18 before ultimately taking the checkered flag in the fifth position.
- With the top-five result, Allgaier advances into the Round of 8 in the NXS Playoffs and currently sits as the fourth seed, 11 points above the cutline.
Justin Allgaier, driver No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet team
“We fought hard today as a group and it is great to be able to move on to the Round of 8 in these playoffs. Everyone on this BRANDT Professional Agriculture team gave their all today, and to be able to move on to three tracks that we feel really good about with a chance to make it Phoenix is a great feeling. We just need to keep doing what we have been doing all season long, and hopefully we will be in a good place to advance out of this round. We’re ready to get going.”