The Xfinity Series kicks off their playoffs with some Friday night racing at Bristol Motor Speedway with the Food City 300.
A full field of 38 drivers will compete on the high banked half mile track.
Winning nine races so far this season and being crowned regular season champion, Connor Zilisch is looking to add to his win total and set a new record.
Reigning champion Justin Allgaier is looking to defend his title and make it two in a row.
The drivers have been divided into two groups for a 25 minute practice session.
Ryan Sieg tops the leaderboard for group one practice.
Corey Day topped the leaderboard for group two practice.
Ryan Sieg topped the leaderboard for both practice sessions.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Jeffrey Earnhardt who posted a time of 16.233 seconds around the half mile track.
Blaine Perkins got loose and spun out hitting the wall. He called the car “undrivable”.
The first driver to break the 16 second time was Sam Mayer with 15.937 seconds.
With a time of 15.843 seconds, Justin Allgaier put his number seven car on the pole for the eleventh time in his career. Allgaier is approaching 500 race starts at 498. Sam Mayer will start alongside on the front row.
Stages one and two are 85 laps each with stage three lasting 130 laps for a total of 300 laps around the half mile track.
The 99, 14, and 31 cars driven by Matt DiBenedetto, Logan Beardan, and Blaine Perkins will all be starting the race form the back of the field after crews made unapproved adjustments to the cars. Perkins spun out and hit the wall on his qualifying run.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Sam Mayer alongside. Allgaier jumps out in front for the lead.]Sam Mayer comes up on the inside to challenge Allgaier for the lead.
Lap three, Justin Allgaier leads the race with Sam Mayer and Connor Zilisch in a battle for second with Aric Almirola and Ryan Sieg rounding out the top five.
Lap seven, Justin Allgaier has pulled out to a lead of over half a second on Sam Mayer; Connor Zilisch, Aric Almirola, and Ryan Sieg round out the top five.
The first caution flag of the race comes out on lap eleven when Kyle Sieg gets loose and goes slideways down the track.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 18 from the outside lane with Connor Zilisch alongside. Allgaier edges out to take the lead with Connor Zilisch in second; Sam Mayer, Ryan Sieg, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
This is Justin Allgaier’s 10th race at Bristol where he has led laps.
Lap 25, Justin Allgaier has run the fastest lap on the track so far. He has pulled out to a lead of over half a second on Connor Zilisch; Sam Mayer, Ryan Seig, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Lap 33, Justin Allgaier has a lead of nearly a second on Connor Zilisch.
Justin Allgaier sent a message to his teammate Connor Zilisch; saying that if Zilisch wants to lead the race, don’t start the race on the inside lane.
Allgaier ranks second behind Kyle Busch in the most laps led at Bristol.
Lap 42, leader Justin Allgaier is approaching slower traffic. There are 32 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 48, the top five are Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, Ryan Sieg, and Taylor Gray.
Sammy Smith is falling through the field and reports that he “might be blowing up”. The car is beginning to smoke.
Lap 59, Sammy Smith brings his car down pit road.
Leader Justin Allgier is mired in traffic.
Lap 65, Justin Allgaier passes Anthony Alfredo; leaving 24 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 66, the top five are Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, Ryan Sieg, and Taylor Gray.
The number eight crew is pushing Sammy Smith’s car to the garage.
Lap 77, the second caution flag comes out when Corey Day gets loose and is hit by Stefan Parsons.
Nearly all of the drivers come down pit road including the leaders. Connor Zilisch in pit stall number one edges out in front of Justin Allgaier off of pit road.
Sheldon Creed was caught speeding on pit road and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Jesse Love brings the field down for the green flag restart after staying out on the track. Harrison Burton also stayed out on the track. Just two laps remain in stage one.
Jesse Love takes the lead but Justin Allgaier comes up to take the lead with Connor Zilisch in second.
Justin Allgaier wins stage one for his 13th stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Justin Allgaier
Connor Zilisch
Harrison Burton
Sam Mayer
Jesse Love
Aric Almirola
Ryan Sieg
Carson Kvapil
Taylore Gray
William Sawalich
Sammy Smith is out of the race with engine issues.
While this is the second engine DNF in two weeks, JR Motorsports has had just four DNF’s as a result of engine issues four times in the past four and a half years.
A few of the drivers who stayed out on the track at the last caution, come down pit road for service.
Blaine Perkins is charged with having too many crew members over the wall and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Connor Zilisch alongside on lap 99. Allgaier jumps out in front for the lead with Connor Zilisch and Sam Mayer in a battle for second.
Lap 101, Sam Mayer passes Justin Allgaier for the lead; Connor Zilisch, Aric Almirola, and Ryan Sieg round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch passes Justin Allgaier for second.
Ryan Ellis takes his car to the garage with a mechanical issue.
Lap 111, Sam Mayer has a third of a second lead on Connor Zilisch; Justin Allgaier, Ryan Sieg, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
Sheldon Creed had a speeding penalty and Harrison Burton had to make a pitstop at the end of stage one to put both drivers back in the field, Both are now inside the top 20.
Lap 128, Leaders encounter slower traffic. There are 27 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 137, Sam Mayer has a narrow lead on Connor Zilisch; Justin Allgaier, Ryan Sieg, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
Lap 144, the top three drivers are separated by less than one second.
Lap 151, Sam Mayer continues to lead the race with Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Sieg, and Aric Almirola round out the top five.
Lap 158, Ryan Sieg gives up his fourth place spot to come down pit road for service with a loose wheel.
Lap 162, Connor Zilisch is on leader Sam Mayer’s bumper in a challenge to take the lead.
Leaders are mired in traffic.
Sam Mayer goes high for a three wide battle to get around lapped traffic.
With two laps remaining in stage two, Connor Zilisch and Sam Mayer battle for the lead.
Connor Zilisch wins stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Connor Zilisch
Sam Mayer
Justin Allgaier
Aric Almirola
Carson Kvapil
Dean Thompson
Taylor Gray
William Sawalich
Brennan Poole
Nick Sanchez
Drivers come down pit road for service with Connor Zilisch winning the race off of pit road; Justin Allgaier comes out second.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Sam Mayer alongside on lap 184. Zilisch takes the lead with Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer in a battle for second.
Lap 190, the top five are Connor Zilisch, Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola, and Sheldon Creed.
Connor Zilisch has pulled out to a lead of over a second.
There are 103 laps remaining in the race with Connor Zilisch over a second out in front of Sam Mayer; Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
With 98 laps to go, Aric Almirola battles with Justin Allgaier for third.
Now in fourth, Sheldon Creed begins to battle with Justin Allgaier for fourth.
Sheldon Creed passes Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones is on Allgaier’s bumper.
The caution flag comes out with 90 laps to go when Daniel Dye spins out and slides down the track; barely missing several cars.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service.
There are just 21 cars on the lead lap.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart with 82 laps remaining in the race. Zilisch gets out in front for the lead with Aric Almirola in second; Brandon Jones, Sam Mayer, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
Sheldon Creed passes Sam Mayer for fourth.
Harrison Burton has worked his way inside the top 10.
After making his pit stop, Justin Allgaier remains on the lead lap but is back in 14th.
Just 68 laps remain in the race; Connor Zilisch has a narrow lead on Aric Almirola; Brandon Jones, Sheldon Creed, and Sam Mayer round out the top five. Justin Allgaier is up to 12th place.
Fifty laps remain in the race, Connor Zilisch leads the race but Aric Almirola is right on his bumper; Brandon Jones, Sheldon Creed, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.
With 44 laps to go, Justin Allgaier has entered the top 10.
With 42 laps to go, the leaders encounter slower traffic.
Currently Connor Zilisch has won the past four races; no driver has won five races in a row. Can Zilisch set a new record.
With 38 laps to go, Carson Ware spins out to bring out the caution flag.
Eight of the top 10 spots are occupied by playoff drivers.
There are 21 cars on the lead lap.
Some of the drivers come down pit road including Connor Zilisch who wins the race off of pit road.
Aric Almirola is the new leader.
After staying out on the track, Aric Almirola brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 30 laps remaining in the race. Aric Almirola gets out in front for the lead with Carson Kvapil in second; Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, and Jeb Burton round out the top five.
Taylor Gray spins out after some on track contact with 26 laps to go.
Jesse Love was dropping through the field; he has a flat tire.
Aric Almirola brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 18 laps remaining in the race with Carson Kvapil alongside. Almirola pulls out for the lead with Sam Mayer in second; Carson Kvapil, Jeb Burton, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
Fifteen to go, part time driver Aric Almirola leads the race with Sam Mayer in second; Carson Kvapil, Sheldon Creed, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five with Justin Allgaier in sixth place.
Ten to go, Aric Almirola holds on to the lead with Sam Mayer in second; Sheldon Creed, Carson Kvapil, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
Four laps to go, Aric Almirola holds on to the lead.
Aric Almirola takes the white flag.
Aric Almirola wins the race!
The 19 car is in competition for the owner’s championship.
The unofficial results of the Food City 300:
Aric Almirola
Sheldon Creed
Sam Mayer
Carson Kvapil
Connor Zilisch
Justin Allgaier
Harrison Burton
Christian Eckes
Jeremy Clements
Brennan Poole
Brandon Jones
Dean Thomnpson
Nick Sanchez
Taylor Gray
William Sawalich
Parker Retzlaff
Corey Day
Jeb Burton
Austin Hill
Brenden Queen
Kyle Sieg
Anthony Alfredo
Ryan Sieg
Matt DiBenedetto
Jesse Love
Daniel Dye
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Josh Williams
Josh Bilicki
Logan Bearden
Austin Green
Leland Honeyman
Carson Ware
Blaine Perkins
Joey Gase
Stefan Parsons
Sammy Smith
Ryan Ellis