DARLINGTON, S.C. – Days removed from signing a contract extension to remain with JR Motorsports, Noah Gragson collected his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of the year Saturday at Darlington Raceway.
The victory was a welcome one for Gragson, even more so than usual considering the frustrating season Gragson had endured leading up to it.
Widely considered a championship contender entering the year, Gragson was winless entering Darlington and had only earned eight top-five finishes in 23 races. He erased those frustrations with his triumph Saturday, which led to him and his team climbing the frontstretch fence to salute the fans.
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“First thing I want to say is thank you to all you badass race fans,” Gragson said to the roar of the assembled crowd. “Every single one of you guys, I appreciate all the support not only for myself, but the entire Xfinity Series.”
Gragson ran in the top-five most of the afternoon, but it was Denny Hamlin who appeared to have things under control.
Despite spinning on the last lap of stage one while attempting to pass a slower car and contact on pit road shortly thereafter, Hamlin had marched back to the front and was in control of the race until a caution flag waved with 10 laps left for a spin by defending race winner Brandon Jones.
Nearly the entire field hit pit road for fresh tires, with Hamlin beating everyone off pit road. However, NASCAR hit Hamlin and his team with a penalty for equipment over the wall too soon. The penalty dropped Hamlin to the tail of the field.
For the restart, Daniel Hemric and Landon Cassill both opted not to pit and thus restarted on the front row with Gragson taking the top behind Hemric. The race resumed with five laps left and Gragson made quick work of Cassill and Hemric, blowing by Hemric coming out of turn two to take the race lead.
Chaos soon broke out behind Gragson, with Hemric spinning in turns one and two one lap later and second-place A.J. Allmendinger suddenly slowing with a flat tire. The caution soon waved for debris in turn two, setting up an overtime restart.
Gragson took the top for the restart alongside new runner-up Austin Cindric. It was Gragson who got the better jump, rocketing off into turn one with the lead as Harrison Burton followed him around Cindric to take second.
Burton made two attempts to pass Gragson in the final two laps, both coming as they entered turn three. Neither move stuck as Gragson motored away to the third Xfinity Series victory of his career.
“A lot frustration this year and things haven’t gone our way,” Gragson said. “We’re getting some momentum when we need to. I just can’t thank everybody enough on this No. 9 team.”
Burton finished second, his best finish of the season in the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Cindric came home third, followed by Justin Haley and Jeb Burton.