It’s a big weekend of racing with a triple header in Indianapolis. The Cup and Xfinity Series has returned to the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the drivers hopefully prepare to “kiss the bricks”.
A full field of 38 drivers will take to the track for the Penzoil 250 including Cup Series driver Kyle Larson. CW reports that Rick Hendrick himself requested that Larson drive the car this weekend. It is the first time that a Hendrick car has run the oval in the Xfinity Series.
Former IndyCar driver Katherine Legge will also be a part of the field.
The Xfinity Series has a Friday practice session but qualifying will take place on Saturday morning before the race in the afternoon.
If one of the four JR Motorsports cars wins the race this weekend, it will be JRM’s 100th win.
All 38 drivers are out on the track for a full 50 minute practice session.
Daniel Dye gets loose and comes across the track to hit the inside wall to bring out the caution flag.
A second caution flag comes out when Taylor Gray gets loose and taps the wall with the right rear to send the car spinning. Walking out on the track was Gray’s first experience on the oval.
The caution flag comes out for rain at the track with nearly 17 minutes remaining in the practice session.
Counting the race this weekend, there are only six more races in the regular season.
The track drying trucks are out on the track. The area the 2.5 mile track covers is so large that it can be raining in one part of the track and not another.
The drivers return to the track with just four minutes remaining in practice.
After the rain, Connor Zilisch took his number 88 car to the top of the leaderboard with teammates Carson Kvapil and Justin Allgaier right behind.
After a Friday afternoon practice session that was interrupted shortly by rain, the drivers take to the track on a Saturday morning to qualify for the race taking place later today. There is one round of qualifying.
The first car on the track is Dawson Cram who posted a time of 57.122 seconds.
With a time of 54.014 seconds Sam Mayer put his number 41 car on the pole with Nick Sanchez starting alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Penzoil 250:
Sam Mayer
Nick Sanchez
Sheldon Creed
Jesse Love
Brandon Jones
Aric Almirola
Connor Zilisch
Justin Allgaier
William Sawalich
Carson Kvapil
Sammy Smith
Jeremy Clements
Austin Hill
Taylor Gray
Christian Eckes
Dean Thompson
Leland Honeyman
Daniel Dye
Kyle Larson
Harrison Burton
Ryan Sieg
Anthony Alfredo
Jeb Burton
Katherine Legge
Matt diBenedetto
Parker Retzlaff
Brennan Poole
Kyle Sieg
Blaine Perkins
Josh Bilicki
Josh Williams
Garrett Smithley
Mason Massey
Ryan Ellis
Logan Bearden
Joey Gase
Dawson Cram
David Starr
Jeremy Clements is the only driver in the field to start every Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis – both the oval and road course.
Stages one and two of the race are 30 laps each with stage three lasting 40 laps for a total of 100 laps around the 2.5 mile track.
Christian Eckes had a smoking and sparking dashboard when he fired the engine. The smoke has dissipated and Eckes has rejoined the field in his qualifying spot. The crew chief reports a wire burned out to cause the issue.
Justin Allgaier is reporting issues with his cool suit.
Sam Mayer brings the field down for the green flag start of the race Nick Sanchez alongside. Mayer edges out in front for the lead.
Drivers are spread out across the track.
Lap two, Sam Mayer has a half second lead on Nick Sanchez with teammate Sheldon Creed in third; Brandon Jones and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
Justin Allgaier has bounced off the wall but the track stays green.
Lap three, Harrison Burton spins out but keeps it off the wall to bring out the first caution flag of the race.
A few drivers come down pit road for service.
Sam Mayer brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap seven with Nick Sanchez alongside. Mayer gets push from teammate Sheldon Creed to get out in front to hold on to the lead.
Logan Bearden has taken his car to the garage with a mechanical issue.
The top five are Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, Nick Sanchez, Aric Almirola, and Brandon Jones.
Connor Zilisch and Justin Allgaier have passed Brandon Jones to take fifth and sixth place.
Lap 10, Sam Mayer has a near one second lead on Sheldon Creed; Nick Sanchez, Aric Almirola, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five. Kyle Larson has moved up only six spots since the star of the race.
Lap 14, Sam Mayer has pulled out to a lead of over two seconds on Sheldon Creed; Connor Zilisch, Nick Sanchez, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
Aric Almirola and Justin Allgaier pass Nick Sanchez who is now back in sixth place.
Lap 16, Logan Bearden has returned to the track 16 laps down.
Lap 17, Sam Mayer has pulled out to a two and a half second lead on Connor Zilisch; Sheldon Creed, Aric Almirola, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five. Kyle Larson has entered the top 10.
Lap 20, Aric Almirola passes Sheldon Creed for third.
Lap 22, Aric Almirola passes Connor Zilisch for second; Sam Mayer has a near two and a half second lead.
Lap 23, Aric Almirola has closed the gap on leader Sam Mayer to less than two seconds.
Justin Allgaier has passes Sheldon Creed for fourth.
Justin Allgaier passes teammate Connor Zilisch for third.
With five laps remaining in stage one, Sam Mayer has a lead of under two seconds on Aric Almirola; Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, and Brandon Jones round out the top five.
Justin Allgaier passes Aric Almirola for second.
Connor Zilisch reports that his car is “plowing”.
With three laps remaining in stage one, Sam Mayer’s lead is now under a second and a half on Justin Allgaier.
Sam Mayer wins stage one for his third stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Sam Mayer
Justin Allgaier
Aric Almirola
Bradon Jones
Connor Zilisch
Sheldon Creed
Jesse Love
Kyle Larson
Taylor Gray
Carson Kvapil
Reports are there is some weather on the way…maybe two hours out.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Aric Almirola winning the race off of pit road. Sam Mayer came out in fourth.
The 70, 35, and 14 cars had an uncontrolled tire on pit road. Leland Honeyman, David Starr, and Garrett Smithley will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Aric Almirola brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Justin Allgaier alongside on lap 36. Nick Sanchez slaps the wall hard but the track stays green. After some side by side racing, Justin Allgaier gets out in front with Connor Zilisch taking second.
The top five are Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, Aric Almirola, Taylor Gray, and Kyle Larson.
Only nine laps into stage two and the drivers are getting very aggressive.
Nick Sanchez comes down pit road for an unscheduled pit stop with a flat tire.
Lap 41, Justin Allgaier has a near half second lead on Connor Zilisch; Aric Almirola, Kyle Larson, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Lap 44, Justin Allgaier has increased his lead to nearly a second on Connor Zilisch; Aric Almirola, Kyle Larson, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Nick Sanchez has been charged with having too many crew over the wall and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
Christian Eckes is smoking with a flat tire and has to bring his car down pit road for service.
Lap 50, Kyle Larson passes Aric Almirola for third.
Connor Zilisch has closed the gap on leader and teammate Justin Allgaier to just half a second.
Lap 51, the top five are Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, Kyle Larson, Aric Almirola and Taylor Gray.
Lap 52, Connor Zilisch passes Justin Allgaier for the lead.
Lap 54, Justin Allgaier is on leader Connor Zilsich’s bumper and challenging for the lead.
Connor Zilisch has led laps in the last eight races.
Justin Allgaier reports that his car is better balanced in traffic.
Lap 56, leaders are approaching slower traffic.
Three laps remain in stage two with Connor Zilisch just a tenth of a second in front of Justin Allgaier.
Justin Allgaier wins stage two by a tire for his seventh stage win of the year.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Justin Allgaier
Connor Zilisch
Kyle Larson
Aric Almirola
Taylor Gray
Brandon Jones
Sam Mayer
Carson Kvapil
Jesse Love
William Sawalich
There were four rookies in the top 10 at the end of stage two.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Justin Allgaier beating out Kyle Larson to win the race off of pit road. Connor Zilisch loses three spots on pit road.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Kyle Larson alongside with 34 laps remaining in the race. In a three wide battle, Kyle Larson takes the lead…and there is some bad weather on the way.
The caution flag comes out when Carson Kvapil gets into the wall after contact with Leland Honeyman who only took tow tires on his pit stop.
The caution flag is extended for rain in the area.
Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag restart with Justin Allgaier alongside on lap 73. Justin Allgaier gets out in front for the lead.
Lap 74, Justin Allgaier leads the race with Kyle Larson in second; Brandon Jones, Connor Zilisch, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.
Just 25 laps to go, Justin Allgaier has just a quarter of a second lead on Kyle Larson; Brandon Jones, Connor Zilisch, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch passes Brandon Jones for third.
Twenty to go, Justin Allgaier holds on to the lead with Kyle Larson less than a quarter of a second behind.
Lap 81, the caution flag comes out for precipitation in the area.
Since Mark Martin won the first race for JR Motorsports in 2008, 21 other drivers over the past 17 years have won races on their way to the milestone of 100 wins.
NASCAR has opened pit road for a “quickie yellow” before going back to green flag racing.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag restart with Kyle Larson alongside with just 14 laps remaining in the race. Drivers spread out across the track. Justin Allgaier gets loose after contact from Kyle Larson and slaps the wall but teammate Connor Zilisch comes through to take the lead.
The top five are Connor Zilisch, Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, and Aric Almirola.
Brandon Jones and Justin Allgaier come down pit road.
Ten to go, Connor Zilisxh holds on to the lead with Taylor Gray in second – both rookies who have never run a lap at IMS -; Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
Justin Allgaier is out of the race.
The caution flag comes out after Aric Almirola and Austin Hill make contact and spin out. Almirola got Hill loose; Hill reported that he couldn’t hold on to the car. After hitting the wall, Almirola is out of the car. On the radio, Almirola called it a dirty shot and retaliation.
NASCAR has red flagged the race to get the track cleaned up. And the rain has returned.
Aric Almirola said that the hit he took in the wreck with Austin Hill was as hard as the one he took that broke his back.
NASCAR has announced that they will be holding Austin Hill five laps for reckless driving. There are eight laps remaining in the race one the red flag has been lifted. Hill’s response to the penalty was a profane filled rant.
A disappointed Justin Allgaier had nothing but praise for JR Motorsports and boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. He noted that if a JRM driver wins, he will be on victory lane.
The cars are moving once again after the red flag has been withdrawn and the yellow flag displayed. And the laps are counting…
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart with Taylor Gray alongside with just four laps remaining in the race. Taylor Gray jumps out in front to take the lead after a push from Sheldon Creed. Connor Zilisch is in second.
The top five are Taylor Gra, Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, Kyle Larson, and Ryan Sieg.
Three to go, Connor Zilisch moves up to battle with Talor Gray, but a little help from Sam Mayer keeps Gray in front.
Two to go, Connor Zilisch comes up to battle with Taylor Gray again but this time Sam Mayer gives help to Zilisch and gives Connor the lead.
Connor Zilisch takes the while flag with Sam Mayer is second.
Three in a row for 100!!!
Connor Zilisch wins his third race in a row and gives Junior his 100th win! Zilisch turned 19 earlier this week.
Junior noted that these races are tough on your heart. JR thanked the engine shop for all their hard work.
NASCAR said not burnouts on the bricks…after his burnout, Zilisch stopped right in front of those bricks. This was his first trip to IMS.
Connor Zilisch noted that he is the smallest part of the company; adding that winning the race and kissing the bricks is going to be special.
The unofficial results of the Penzoil 250:
Connor Zilisch
Sam Mayer
Taylor Gray
Kyle Larson
Ryan Sieg
William Sawalich
Sammy Smith
Daniel Dye
Jesse Love
Dean Thompson
Matt DiBenedetto
Jeremy Clements
Christian Eckes
Parker Retzlaff
Jeb Burton
Kyle Sieg
Sheldon Creed
Harrison Burton
Josh Bilicki
Brennan Poole
Ryan Ellis
Josh Williams
Anthony Alfredo
Mason Massey
Garrett Smithley
Leland Honeyman
Blain Perkins
Joey Gase
David Starr
Carson Kvapil
Dawson Cram
Brandon Jones
Nick Sanchez
Austin Hill
Aric Almirola
Justin Allgaier
Katherine Legge
Logan Bearden