The Xfinity Series takes to the half mile paperclip known as Martinsville Speedway for practice and qualifying to set the field for some Saturday afternoon racing.
This is race two of the Dash-4-Cash event. Jusitn Allgaier won the bonus $50,000 prize last week and will compete with Austin Hill, Sam Mayer, and Sheldon Creed for the $50,000 bonus.
Divided into two groups, the 40 drivers will have 25 minutes of practice before making a single round of qualifying. There are 38 starting spots; meaning two drivers will not make the race.
Dr Patrick Staropoli (eye doctor) is doing a double this weekend running both the Truck and Xfinity Series races.
Two things make Martinsville unique – the grandfather clock winner’s trophy…and then there’s the Hot Dog Stand that sells some 17,000 hot dogs over a single weekend.
Myatt Snider tops the leaderboard in Group 1 practice.
There are two streaks on the line this week. Aric Almirola has won the last two Xfinity races at Martinsville and Justin Allgaier has won the past two races.
Jeb Burton is stopped on the track and needs a push to pit road. His car lost all power and is “dead”.
Austin Hill topped the leaderboard in Group 2 practice.
The first car on the track to make a qualifying run is Tyler Tomassi and posted a time of 21,159
Retina specialist Dr Patrick Staropoli is the first driver to make a run under 21 seconds with a time of 20.684 seconds.
Jeremy Clements has a Martinsville hot do on his car this week and will make consecutive race start number 400!
The first driver to break the 20 second mark is rookie Carson Kvapil with a time of 19.914 seconds.
Driving the 88 car, Connor Zilisch ran a time of 19.888 seconds and put that 88 car on the pole with teammate Carson Kvapil alongside on the front row.
Xfinity Series lineup for the Marine Corps 250:
Connor Zilisch
Carson Kvapil
Austin Hill
Jesse Love
Harrison Burton
Justin Allgaier
Brandon Jones
Corey Day
Daniel Dye
Sammy Smith
Taylor Gray
Dean Thompson
Ryan Sieg
William Sawalich
Aric Almirola
Sam Mayer
Anthony Alfredo
Sheldon Creed
Christian Eckes
Nick Sanchez
Myatt Snider
Blaine Perkins
Jeremy Clements
Ryan Ellis
Thomas Annunziata
Josh Williams
Parker Retzlaff
Matt DiBenedetto
Brennan Poole
Kris Wright
Mason Maggio
Brad Perez
Patrick Staropoli
Garrett Smithley
Kyle Sieg
Greg van Alst
Carson Ware
Jeb Burton
Dawson Cram and Tyler Tomassi failed to qualify for the race.
Several drivers will be starting the race from the back of the field after the crews made some unapproved adjustments to the cars. Jeb Burton starts from the back of the field after not making a qualifying run due to power issues.
States one and two are 60 laps each with stage three lasting 130 laps for a total of 250 laps around the half mile track.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with teammate Carson Kvapil alongside and gets out in front for the lead.
Lap three, Connor Zilisch leads the race with Carson Kvapil in second; Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, and Harrison Burton round out the top five.
A Dash-4-Cash race Austin Hill in third place has the early lead for the $100,000 prize.
Lap nine, Connor Zilisch has a second and a half lead on Carson Kvapil; Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.
Brandon Jones passes Austin Hill for third.
Lap 15, Conor Zilisch continues to increase his lead and is now nearly two seconds out in front of Carson Kvapil; Brandon Jones, Justin Allgaier, and Austin Hill round out the top five.
Lap 28, Connor Zilisch continues to lead the race with Carson Kvapil in second; Brandon Jones, Justin Allgaier, and Austin Hill round out the top five.
Lap 32, leaders have already begun lapping slower traffic. There are 31 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 37, Connor Zilisch has a second and a half lead on teammate Carson Kvapil. Fellow JR Motorsports teammate Jusitn Allgaier is in fourth place.
Lap 46, there are 28 cars on the lead lap.
Connor Zilisch holds a second and a half lead on Carson Kvapil; Brandon Jones, Justin Allgaier and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
The first caution flag of the race comes out on lap 54 when Harrison Burton gets into the wall after some contact from Corey Day.
Connor Zilisch wins stage one under caution. This is Zilisch’s first stage win on an oval track.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Connor Zilisch
Carson Kvapil
Brandon Jones
Justin Allgaier
Aric Almirola
Taylor Gray
Austin Hill
Sammy Smith
Christian Eckes
Harrison Burton
Drivers come down pit road for service with Brandon Jones winning the race off of pit road; Connor Zilisch comes out second.
Brandon Jones brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Justin Allgaier alongside on lap 68. Jones edges out for the lead with Connor Zilisch taking second; Justin Allgaier, Taylor Gray, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
The 71 car of Ryan Ellis has to serve a passthrough penalty after being charged with a race start violation.
Lap 77, Brandon Jones has just a quarter of a second lead on Connor Zilisch; Taylor Gray, Justin Allgaier, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
Lap 81, the caution flag comes out when Garrett Smithley spins out just in front of the leaders.
Brandon Jones comes down pit road for some damage control. Connor Zilisch also has some damage on the front of his car but stays out on the track.
Jeb Burton will restart the race from the back of the field after speeding on pit road.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 89 with teammate Justin Allgaier alongside. After going side by side for over two laps, Justin Allgaier takes the lead.
Drivers are getting three wide in the corners.
Lap 93, the top five are Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, Taylor Gray, Aric Almirola, and Sammy Smith.
Connor Zillisch takes the lead on lap 95.
The caution flag comes out on lap 95 when Dean Thompson spins out.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service.
Ryan Sieg was charged with too many crew over the wall and Sam Mayer was caught speeding on pit road. Both drivers will have to restart the race form the back of the field.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart with Austin Hill alongside on lap 102. Zilisch gets out in front to continue leading the race.
The top 17 drivers on the track, stayed out and did not make a pit stop.
Lap 104, the top five are Connor Zilisch, Carson Kvapil, Daniel Dye, Austin Hill, and William Sawalich.
Lap 109, Connor Zilisch has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Carson Kvapil.
Drivers are getting three wide in an aggressive effort to advance their positions.
With six laps remaining in stage two, Connor Zilisch has pulled out to a lead of over two seconds on Carson Kvapil.
After making a pit stop, Justin Allgaier is back in the top 10.
Connor Zilisch wins stage two for the stage sweep.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Connor Zilisch
Carson Kvapil
William Sawalich
Daniel Dye
Nick Sanchez
Aric Almirola
Josh Williams
Justin Allgaier
Taylor Gray
Blaine Perkins
Drivers come down pit road for service with Connor Zilisch winning the race off of pit road.
Kris Wright, Ryan Sieg, and Nick Sanchez will restart the race from the back of the field after pit road violations.
Fourteen drivers stayed out on the track. Aric Almirola brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Justin Allgaier alongside with 118. To go.
The restart is under investigation.
Lap 133, Taylor Gray passes Aric Almirola for the lead.
The top five are Taylor Gray, Aric Almirola, Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgiaer, and Sammy Smith.
The caution flag comes out on lap 140 for a crash involving Harrison Burton after contact with Thomas Annunziata. Splitter is in front of the car instead of under it.
Anthony Alfredo is out of the race.
Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart with 103 laps remaining in the race with Sheldon Creed alongside.
Taylor Gray and Sheldon Creed battle for the lead with Creed edging out in front.
The top five are Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray, Aric Almirola, Sammy Smith, and Justin Allgaier.
Lap 151, Taylor Gray retakes the lead.
The caution flag comes out on lap 153 after contact between Sam Mayer and Carson Kvapil; sending Kvapil into the wall.
Drivers come down pit road for their final set of sticker tires. Taylor Gray edges out to win the race off of pit road.
After staying out on the track Myatt Snider and Christian Eckes sit on the front row and brings the field to green with 90 laps remaining in the race.
Eckes gets out in front for the lead with Myatt Snider in second; William Sawalich, Brennan Poole, and Daniel Dye round out the top five.
With 85 laps to go, Christian Eckes holds on to the lead with William Sawalich in second; Daniel Dye, Myatt Snider, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.
With 80 laps to go, Christian Eckes leads the race with William Sawalich in second; Daniel Dye, Taylor Gray, and Myatt Snider round out the top five.
Sheldon Creed passes Myatt Snider for fifth.
Taylor Gray passes Daniel Dye for third.
The caution flag comes out on lap 176 when Connor Zilisch spins out.
There are 31 cars on the lead lap.
Some drivers come down pit road for service. William Sawalich is the new leader with Taylor Gray in second.
William Sawalich brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 184. Taylor Gray takes the lead. Drivers are three wide!
The top five are Taylor Gray, William Sawalich, Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgaier, and Sammy Smith.
With 63 laps to go, Taylor Gray has a lead of over a second on Sammy Smith; Sheldon Creed, William Sawalich, and Brandon Jones round out the top five.
The eighth caution flag comes out with 59 to go when Carson Ware spins out.
William Sawalich finally makes his pit stop.
Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart with 32 cars on the lead lap. All four of the Dash-4-Cash drivers are in the top 15 with Sheldon Creed out front in third.
With 53 laps remaining in the race Taylor Gray and Sammy Smith battle for the lead with Taylor Gray out in front.
The top five are Taylor Gray, Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, and Brandon Jones.
Harrison Burton brings out the caution flag of the race with 50 laps to go.
Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart with Sammy Smith alongside with 42 laps remaining in the race. Gray gets out in front to hold on to the lead.
Teammates Justin Allgaier and Sammy Smith battle for second.
Dean Thompson brings out the caution flag when he spins out.
Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart with Sammy Smith alongside with 35 laps remaining in the race. Gray gets out in front for the lead.
The top five are Taylor Gray, Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, and Brandon Jones.
The eleventh caution flag comes out when Carson Kvapil gets turned around. Unable to get “whoaed up”, Jesse Love hits Kvapil, causing some significant damage to the car. Jesse Love is out of the race due to crash damage.
All four Dash-4-Cash drivers – Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, and Sam Mayer – are in the top 10.
Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart with Justin Allgaier alongside with 22 laps to go. Gray gets out in front for the lead as Justin Allgaier and Sammy Smith battle for second.
Twenty to go! The top five are Taylor Gray, Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, and Sheldon Creed.
Christian Eckes and Daniel Dye make contact; starting a wreck including Nick Sanchez and Myatt Snider.
NASCAR has red-flagged the race to get the track cleaned up.
The last four caution flags have come with just four green flag laps or less.
After a red flag condition of over eleven minutes, NASCAR has pulled the red and displayed the yellow flag to get the cars moving once again.
Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 12 laps remaining in the race; Justin Allgaier is on the outside lane. Gray edges out to take the lead. Sammy Smith and Justin Allgaier battle for second.
Ryan Sieg’s car is smoking.
The caution flag comes out with nine for a wreck involving Connor Zilisch after contact from William Sawalich. Jeremy Clements was also involved.
Taylor Gray brings the field to green with Justin Allgaier alongside with just two laps remaining in the race. Gray gets out in front but Sammy Smith comes up on the inside to take the lead.
The caution flag comes out when Matt DiBenedetto spins out. The race goes into overtime!
Sammy Smith brings the field down for the overtime shootout to the end with Brandon Jones alongside. Taylor Gray comes up on the inside to battle with Sammy Smith for the lead.
Taylor Gray takes the white flag but after contact from Sammy Smith gets into a crash and is out of the race. Austin Hill comes up to take the win…and the $100,000 Dash-4-Cash prize. This is Xfinity win number 100 for Richard Childress Racing.
The unofficial results of the Marine Corps 250:
Austin Hill
Sheldon Creed
Justin Allgaier
Brennan Poole
Sam Mayer
Dean Thompson
Daniel Dye
Ryan Sieg
Kris Wright
Sammy Smith
Jeb Burton
Aric Almirola
Parker Retzlaff
Jeremy Clements
Patrick Staropoli
Garrett Smithley
Ryan Ellis
Blaine Perkins
Josh Williams
Carson Kvapil
Corey Day
Brad Perez
Harrison Burton
Mason Maggio
Matt DiBenedetto
William Sawalich
Brandon Jones
Connor Zilisch
Taylor Gray
Carson Ware
Thomas Annunziata
Nick Sanchez
Myatt Snider
Christian Eckes
Kyle Sieg
Greg van Alst
Jesse Love
Anthony Alfredo
Austin Hill, Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgaier, and Brennan Poole will compete for the Dash-4-Cash prize in two weeks at Bristol Motor Speedway.