via Getty
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 07: Brandon Jones, driver of the #33 Texas Rangers Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 7, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)
via Getty
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – APRIL 07: Brandon Jones, driver of the #33 Texas Rangers Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 7, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)
The Focused Health 250 NXS race has seen more than a dozen drivers fall to the precarious track limits on hand throughout the 20 turns of COTA. From #19 Ty Gibbs to Stage 2 “winner” Brandon Jones and his #9 JR Motorsports Camaro, only a very few have avoided going “off-track” for penalties. Nevertheless, #9 faced the biggest loss as his stage win was overturned by NASCAR leading up to the Stage 3 restart.
Sam Mayer, the Brightest Representative for Dale Jr at COTA
His win was given to Riley Herbst of Stewart-Haas Racing, who had qualified P19 alongside another victim of COTA’s track limits, JGR’s #20 John Hunter Nemechek. Following Herbst will be Cole Custer (#00), A.J. Allmendinger (#16), pole-winner Kyle Larson (#17), and the favorite for this year’s victory at Austin, Shane van Gisbergen.
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The ‘esses’ out of Turn 2 are the primary reason for the impressive number of track violations. As the race progressed, even SVG’s stellar P2 finish was taken back by NASCAR due to a 30-second penalty for going past track limits while dueling Austin Hill’s #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet. The Kiwi roadrunner was forced to go home with a meager P28 finish due to the punishments. Nevertheless, veteran teammate A.J. Allmendinger secured a top-10 ranking for one of the strongest teams on Saturday, Kaulig Racing.
I’m just going to confirm this because there seems to be some confusion, but #NASCAR says that Riley Herbst is the winner of Stage #2.
Brandon Jones cut the course on the final lap of the stage and, therefore will not be credited with the stage victory.
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) March 23, 2024
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JR Motorsports could have added their names next to Kaulig Racing, but Jones, Justin Allgaier, and Sammy Smith all finished outside the top 5. Sam Mayer’s lonely #1 Chevrolet was the only Chevrolet to maintain a little bit of respite for Dale Jr’s beloved Xfinity team.
Internal Problems Plaguing JRM?
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All four members of Dale Jr’s Xfinity team could have made it into the top 10. if not for Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer’s unnecessary tussle in the final stages. Sammy Smith’s day took a wrong turn after breaking the axle of his #8 Chevrolet with just 11 to go. Smith was in strong contention at one point, even running in the top 10. However, bad luck and a demanding suspension ended his day early. Brandon Jones, on the other hand, fell just outside of the first fifteen spots as he ended his day at P16.
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The end of the final stage saw Kyle Larson pick up his 15th career Xfinity Series win while also registering a Hendrick Motorsports inaugural in the 2024 NXS. The JRM quartet will now be heading to Richmond, Virginia, in a quest for redemption at the ToyotaCare 250.
