Talladega Jinx Strikes Dale Jr’s JR Motorsports as Brandon Jones’ Triggered Big One Collects Third Xfinity Star

Right after Shane van Gisbergen got the chance to lead his first-ever Xfinity laps at Talladega, JR Motorsports #9 driver, Brandon Jones triggered the big one. Parker Kligerman and Ryan Sieg made contact approaching the same track position towards the front of the pack hooking Jones on Lap 64. According to updates, around 10 cars were affected in this Stage 3 incident as the Ag-Pro 300 saw its third caution flag fly after Justin Allgaier had to retire, crashing out on the last lap of Stage 1.

Ironically, Brandon Jones finished in the top 10 in both stages and even led four laps after the Stage 2 restart on Lap 56. But as fortunes turned from bad to worse for Dale Jr’s Xfinity team, even Sam Mayer suffered his fourth DNF this season. Last week’s winner and this week’s Dash 4 Cash participant, alongside his #9 teammate was released from the infield care center and will finish P36 or below for the NXS Talladega race.

With AJ Allmendinger also involved in the wreck, Ryan Sieg could have automatically qualified for the $100,000 prize. Regardless, the Dinger made the DVP clock. But after overcoming a lap difference, RSS Racing’s #39 bested Kaulig’s #16, as neither Mayer nor Jones finished the race due to the damages sustained on their respective vehicles in the prior incident. Only Sammy Smith finished all 124 overtime laps of the Ag-Pro 300, albeit dropping from a P5 qualifying position to an average P21, in an average outing. 

Rookies and Backmarkers shine at Talladega

Yet, after battling treacherous Talladega from the front all day, 19-year-old Jesse Love clinched his first-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, from the hands of ‘Dega’s consecutive victim and RCR teammate Austin Hill, who crashed out from pole-to-podium contention on the very final laps. Richard Childress Racing’s rookie star-in-the-making would overcome a thinned-out field and multiple late-stage cautions, courtesy of Hill’s spinout and another overtime caution at the hands of Parker Kligerman.

On another side of the story, the Ag-Pro 300 also bore witness to many unexpected part-time upward movers, such as Mason Massey, driving SS Green Light’s #14 entry who elevated his track positions from the back of the field at P38 to an impressive P11 spot, just barely missing out on his first top 10 placement this season.

Overall, the Xfinity race seemed to belong to the underdogs at Talladega on Saturday, with 50 percent of the first ten finishers starting at P28 and below. Additionally,  as the checkered waited in overtime, following a two-lap “shootout.” Riley Herbst finished second while Anthony Alfredo of Our Motorsports rounded off the podium with his first P3 spot since 2020.

The NXS season will move next to the Diamond State, Delaware for the BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway. With 2023 champion, Ryan Truex also finding himself on the DNF list, will April 27th maybe see a JGR driver barrel down victory lane again this season?