Chandler Smith powered to his second career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory during overtime at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on Saturday afternoon.
The No. 81 Joe Gibbs Racing driver benefitted from Justin Allgaier’s surprise exit and navigated the extra two-lap dash in the Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time 200 to notch his first win of the season.
“What a day. Went from dominating, to wasn’t great to dominating again to wasn’t great again. Just lacked a little bit on the 7 (Allgaier). I hate that happened to him. He definitely had that in the bag, so I definitely hate that for them,” Smith said.
Smith — who also won stage one — led 88 of 205 laps and collected the checkered flag by a 0.365-second margin.
Rookie Jesse Love secured a career-best second place in the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in just his fourth Xfinity Series start.
“I hate running second as much as anybody, but at the same time, I’m proud of my Richard Childress Racing team,” Love said. “I needed a little bit more at the end. Eventually, I’ll be able to do some of that restart magic again like I was back in my hay day in the ARCA Menards Series. It still stings even though I am happy with how we did.”
Sheldon Creed was a close third with Austin Hill and Cole Custer finishing out the top five in that order.
Allgaier led 52 laps and was ahead by a comfortable margin when the left-rear tire on his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet unraveled with five laps remaining in regulation. He crunched the turn one outside retaining wall and exited with a 29th-place finish.
Defending series champion Custer started from the pole position for the second consecutive week, led 60 laps and won the second stage. The handling of his No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, however, faded early in the final stage, hampering a bid for his second straight Phoenix win.
“It is frustrating. Obviously we want to win but it was a really good points day. We just have to keep working on it. I think we are missing something, just a little bit,” Custer said.
The race was red-flagged after a nine-car crash erupted in the 144th lap.
Contact in a three-wide battle among Smith, John Hunter Nemechek and Riley Herbst near the front of the pack clogged up the backstretch, sidelining the cars of Nemechek, Sam Mayer, Parker Retzlaff and Jeb Burton in the melee.
“There was a little bit of contact. Next thing I know, I was sideways. Part of it,” said Nemechek, who drives full time in the Cup Series with Legacy Motor Club. “I’m sure we will have good conversations on Monday about the whole situation, and whatnot, but now that I’m out, the only goal was to go win. Now the focus is on tomorrow.”