NASHVILLE, Tenn. — John Hunter Nemechek took the lead off a restart on lap 142 and drove away for the win on the NASCAR Xfinity Collection race Saturday for his eleventh profession victory.
The 2021 vans sequence common season champ led 76 of 188 laps for his second victory this season driving the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, every week after Christopher Bell gave the identical group the victory as a part of his sweep at New Hampshire.
Nemechek’s greatest end at this observe got here a 12 months in the past when he completed sixth. Now he leads the Xfinity Collection with 9 wins for the reason that begin of 2023, three greater than Austin Hill and Sam Mayer.
On a day the place temperatures rose to round 130 levels contained in the vehicles on the 1.33-mile, concrete Nashville Superspeedway oval, Nemechek celebrated rapidly by pouring some water on his neck. The son of former Xfinity Collection champ Joe Nemechek will make his first Cup begin at this observe Sunday.
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“I am unable to inform you,” Nemechek mentioned. “I actually do not know. I am sort of speechless proper now.”
Chandler Smith completed second adopted by Jesse Love, whose cool swimsuit did not work in his Chevrolet. Hill was fourth with Noah Gragson fifth. AJ Allmendinger, who gained this race final 12 months, completed seventh.
This time, Nemechek received the beginning for JGR after additionally profitable on this automotive in March at Las Vegas as one among 4 drivers giving Joe Gibbs Racing 5 Xfinity victories this season with the No. 20.
Aric Almirola gained in Martinsville however hasn’t pushed for Joe Gibbs Racing since Darlington. Ryan Truex gave JGR its 2 hundredth profession win on this sequence at Dover with Bell and Nemechek going again to again.
Ty Gibbs began on the pole searching for his personal eleventh win on this degree. He led the primary 45 laps profitable the primary stage forward of AJ Allmendinger and Brandon Jones main by 3 1/2 seconds at one level.
Gibbs was working fourth when Justin Allgaier’s No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet received into the left rear of his Toyota turning him into the wall on Flip 4 on the finish of the one hundred and thirty fifth lap. Gibbs completed twentieth after main 48 laps.
With the third warning of the race, the leaders pitted for tires. Allgaier received a brand new battery on his option to ending eighth. Allmendinger had hassle getting out of the pits rapidly. He went in second and completed seventh.
Cole Custer received free in Flip 1 on the restart on lap 142, and Nemechek took benefit to seize the lead once more. He mentioned he possible overdrove his Ford on the restart.
“There is a couple issues I may’ve executed higher,” Custer mentioned after main 64 laps searching for his first win this 12 months.