Sam Mayer spun race chief and archrival Ty Gibbs following a late restart within the Xfinity Sequence race at Watkins Glen Worldwide on Saturday and went on to win for the second time in 4 weeks.

Gibbs, a Cup Sequence common and a rising star at Joe Gibbs Racing, dominated the road-course race in upstate New York. He led 70 of 86 laps, however a late warning bunched up the sphere and gave Mayer a shot.

Mayer took benefit by nudging Gibbs out of the best way as they entered the primary flip. Mayer mentioned the contact was unintentional.

“I wheel-hopped it,” mentioned Mayer, whose first Xfinity victory got here final month at Street America. “I really feel unhealthy for doing that, clearly. You do not wish to take out a Gibbs automotive like that or any automotive like that. However simply making an attempt to get one other win within the Xfinity Sequence. I acquired numerous catching as much as do.

“I used to be in there. I put my nostril in there. That is a part of it. Fenders are fenders. It is an accident, however I believe everybody can agree that it is OK for a Xfinity Sequence common to win this race.”

Sheldon Creed completed second, with Parker Kligerman, Ross Chastain and Connor Mosack rounding out the highest 5.

John Hunter Nemechek was sixth and took over the factors lead from Austin Hill, who spun late and pale to 14th.

Gibbs collected his automotive after the spin and got here dwelling a disappointing seventeenth.

“When it’s a must to race out of desperation like that and wheel-hop and clear the chief out, I assume you may name it a racing deal. It simply actually (stinks). … Positively (stinks) to get cleaned on the market.”

Gibbs dismissed any notion of chatting with Mayer concerning the ending after which took a transparent shot at his rival. The 2 have had altercations earlier than, and Gibbs even threw punches at Mayer final yr at Martinsville.

“I do not actually know the way a lot of a dialog you may have with him in that scenario,” Gibbs mentioned. “We grew up racing one another. I believe he has extra begins than I do, and this his second win. Congratulations to him on his second win. Positively want I might have gotten my thirteenth there.”

Gibbs had the sphere coated all afternoon on the two.45-mile, multi-elevational observe. He blew previous Hill on one restart after which skated by Mayer and Justin Allgaier on one other with 4 laps to go.

Herbst’s Hiccup

Riley Herbst misplaced floor within the race for the ultimate playoff spot.

Herbst entered Saturday with a 34-point lead over Parker Kligerman, however Herbst broke a observe bar mount late within the second stage and ended the race sooner than anticipated. Herbst completed thirty fifth, permitting Kligerman to shut the hole to 3 factors with three regular-season occasions remaining.

“So far as the factors scenario, it is simply irritating,” Herbst mentioned. “I do not assume we needs to be on this place. Fortunately, subsequent week is not the cutoff line for the Xfinity Sequence and we nonetheless have some observe for us, for Stewart-Haas Racing. It is simply irritating that issues like this, out of our management, maintain taking place. It will flip round in the future, and when it does, we’ll be completely happy.”

Herbst spent a lot of his day coping with transmission points; he needed to maintain the shifter in fourth gear all through apply and the race.

Up Subsequent

The Xfinity Sequence goes to Daytona Worldwide Speedway on Friday, with three races remaining earlier than the playoffs.