NXS Recap: Dover closes out round one

Chase Briscoe qualified on the pole for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Use your melon drive sober 200 at Dover International Speedway, however Briscoe had to go the rear after making changes due to an electrical issues. Playoff contender Michael Annett also had to start at the rear of the field. 

On the first lap Tyler Reddick got loose and made contact with the wall causing cars to check up when the 19 of Brandon Jones crashed into the back of Harrison Burton causing major damage to both Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas. The biggest damage was Jones’ playoff hopes.

On lap 14 championship favorite Christopher Bell had to bring his car to pit road for service because of low fuel pressure, causing him to quickly go down multiple laps and taking him out of contention for the victory.

Mike Harmon brought out a caution on lap 20 after getting spun off of turn four and making hard contact with the inside wall where his car would come to a stop on the front stretch.

The race would run green to the end of stage one with Justin Allgaier in the lead for his sixth stage win. Annett and Briscoe were able to drive all the way into the top ten.

Allgaier maintained the lead through pit stops and selected the outside lane to bring the field to the green flag for stage two. Allgaier was quick to put his fast Jr. Motorsports Chevrolet out front.

The entirety of stage two went without caution as Allgaier led all 45 laps to beat Austin Cindric by just under a second, with Briscoe behind them in third.

Allgaier was unable to maintain his lead off of pit road. Cindric led the field to the green flag, but it was Briscoe taking the lead and driving away.

With less than 40 laps to go green flag pit stops started as drivers had to navigate one of the hardest pit entries on the circuit. It was Dillon Bassett bringing out the caution before the end of the cycle as he was the one to spin attempting to enter pit road.

Cole Custer who had yet to pit was the biggest benefactor now with the lead and only several cars on the lead lap including Annett, and Justin Haley who needed to win to make the next round of the playoffs. Allgaier got the free pass while Briscoe and Cindric took the wave around.

Custer put his car out front as Allgaier took chase before a caution came out with 13 laps to go as Ray Black Jr. spun and other cars got collected in turn two. Now all of the top competitors thus far in the race were on the lead lap and out front for a final ten lap shootout.

Annett had a tough restart and stacked up part of the field as Custer pulled into the lead again, before pulling away from Allgaier to win his 7th race of the season, and the golden monster trophy.

Top five: Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier, Austin Cindric, Justin Haley, Chase Briscoe

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be back on track for the second round of the playoffs with the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on October 19th at 3:00PM ET.

Thomas Latzkowski
Latest posts by Thomas Latzkowski (see all)