The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series gets a double header weekend started off on the one mile track of Phoenix Raceway with some Friday night practice and qualifying.

This weekend the O’Reilly and Cup Series will be joined by the IndyCar Series for the first ever shared race weekend.

Forty teams have brought cars to the desert for 38 starting spots for the Gov X 200 including William Byron in the 88 car this weekend.

The drivers are getting a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run.

Kyle Busch has dominated in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with eleven wins.  He isn’t there…but Justin Allgaier is who has also had a very successful record at the flat oval that is Phoenix Raceway.  Last spring, Justin Allgaier led 130 of the 200 laps in the race – 813 laps led overall.

And then there’s Joe Gibbs Racing who has a total of 18 wins at Phoenix…

The Haas Factory Team crew is changing the power steering unit on the 41 car driven by Sam Mayer.  This is the second week in a row that the HFT team has had to deal with power steering issues.  Last week at COTA it was Sheldon Creed who had trouble.

Austin Hill is on pit road with the hood up as crews work to make some adjustments to the car.

Joey Gase and Sammy Smith nearly crashed on pit road as Gase was coming in and Smith was going out.

At the end of practice, Jeb Burton topped the leaderboard with Austin Hill, Dean Thompson, Harrison Burton, and Rajah Caruth rounding out the top five.

The sun is beginning to drop lower in the sky with cooler temperatures moving into the area.

After the crew replaced the power steering pump, Sam Mayer reports that there are still some issues with his car.

The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Josh Williams who posted a time of 28.706 seconds around the one mile track.

There is only one round of qualifying at Phoenix.

Harrison Burton is the first driver to break the 28 second mark with a time of 27,837 seconds.

Ryan Ellis did not make a qualifying run.

With a time of 27.535 seconds, Taylor Gray puts his Joe Gibbs Racing number 54 car on the pole.  Reigning O’Reilly’s champion Jesse Love will start alongside on the front row.

The starting lineup for the Gov X 200:
Taylor Gray
Jesse Love
Brandon Jones
Anthony Alfredo
Brent Crews
William Byron
Sammy Smith
Corey Day
Jeb Burton
Kyle Sieg
Harrison Burton
Sam Mayer
Austin Hill
Carson Kvapil
William Sawalich
Sheldon Creed
Justin Allgaier
Ryan Sieg
Nick Sanchez
Brennan Poole
Jeremy Clements
Garrett Smithley
Dean Thompson
Chandler Smith
Rajah Caruth
Blaine Perkins
Austin Green
Patrick Staropoli
Daniel Dye
Lavar Scott
Parker Retzlaff
Natan Byrd
Josh Bilicki
Austin J Hill
Joey Gase
Dawson Cram
Mason Maggio
Ryan Ellis

Blake Lothian and for the second week in a row, Josh Williams failed to qualify for the race.

Stages one and two of the race are 45 laps each with stage three lasting 110 laps for a total of 200 laps around the one mile track.

The drivers will start the race under the sun but finish it under the lights.

Taylor Gray brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Jesse Love alongside.  Gray jumps out in front for the lead as drivers are getting three wide going into turn one.  There are no boundaries at Phoenix and the drivers take advantage of every paved area on the track.

The top five are Taylor Gray, Jesse Love, Brandon Jones, Brent Crews, and William Byron.

Sam Mayer started the race from the back of the field after some unapproved adjustments; on lap four he has moved up to 28th place – 10 spots.

Lap five, Justin Allgaier started back in 17th place, he has just entered the top 10.

The sun is low in the sky and causing some issues for the drivers.

Lap nine, William Byron passes Brent Crews for fourth with Taylor Gray leading the race.

Lap 12, Jesse Love passes Taylor Gray for the lead; William Byron, Brandon Jones, and Sammy Smith round out the top five.

Lap 16, Nick Sanchez makes an unscheduled trip down pit road reporting he has no power.

Lap 18, Jesse Love has a second and a half lead on William Byron; Taylor Gray, Sammy Smith, and Brnadon Jones round out the top five.

NASCAR has posted Nick Sanchez for having too many crew members over the wall on his pit stop.  He will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Lap 22, Sammy Smith passes Taylor Gray for third.

Ryan Ellis is 15 laps down and off the track.

Lap 26, Jesse Love has a lead of over a second and a half on William Byron; Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.

Lap 32, Jesse Love continues to lead the race with Sammy Smith in second; William Byron, Justin Allgaier, and Carson Kvapil round out the top five.

A one mile oval, the laps count down quickly and there are only nine laps remaining in stage one with Jesse Love leading the race; Sammy Smith, William Byron, Justin Allgaier, and Carson Kvapil round out the top five.

Lap 40, leader Jesse Love has encountered slower traffic and has a battle with Sammy Smith for the lead.

New leader, Sammy Smith with four laps remaining in stage one.

Sammy Smith wins stage one.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Sammy Smith
Jesse Love
Justin Allgaier
Carson Kvapil
William Byron
Jeb Burton
Corey Day
Brent Crews
Sheldon Creed
Brandon Jones

Drivers come down pit road for service with Jesse Love winning the race off of pit road.

Austin Green was charged with an uncontrolled tire 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 start of stage two with Carson Kvapil alongside on lap 57.  Love jumps out in front for the lead with drivers getting three wide.

The top five are Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, William Byron, and Brent Crews.

Lap 61, Jesse Love has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Carson Kvapil; Justin Allgaier, William Byron, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.

Lap 68, Jesse Love has pulled out to a lead of over a second and a half on Carson Kvapil; William Byron, Justin Allagier, and Brent Crews round out the top five.

Lap 71, Jesse Love now has a lead of over two seconds on Carson Kvapil; William Byron, Brent Crews, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.

Lap 77, Jesse Love continues to pull away from the field and is now three seconds out in front of Carson Kvapil.

Lap 79, the top five are Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil, William Byron, Brend Crews, and Justin Allgaier.

Lap 84, Jesse Love continues to increase his lead and is now three and a half seconds out in front of Carson Kvapil; William Byron, Justin Allgaier, and Brent Crews round out the top five.

Jesse Love wins stage two.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Jesse Love
Carson Kvapil
William Byron
Justin Allgaier
Brent Crews
Sammy Smith
Jeb Burton
Taylor Gray
Sheldon Creed
Jeremy Clements

Drivers come down pit road for service with Jesse Love winning the race off of pit road.

Justin Allgaier had a slow pit stop and is now mired back in the field.

Jesse Love brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Taylor Gray alongside on lap 101.  Love gets out in front for the lead as drivers get four and five wide into the turn.

The top five are Jesse Love, Taylor Gray, Carson Kvapil, Sheldon Creed, and Sam Mayer.

Lap 106, drivers are running some of the fastest laps of the race.

The drivers cannot make it to the end of the race on a single load of fuel and will have to make a pit stop at some point.

With 92 laps to go, Justin Allgaier has moved up five spots since the race restart.

There are 88 laps remaining in the race with Jesse Love leading the race by over a second on Carson Kvapil; Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.  Justin Allgaier has moved up to 13th.

Lap 119, Jesse Love’s lead over Carson Kvapil is now under a second; Sheldon Creed, Sam Mayer, and William Byron round out the top five.  Justin Allgaier is just outside the top 10 in eleventh.

Lap 121, Justin Allgaier is back in the top 10.

With 77 laps to go, Carson Kvapil has pulled to withing half a second of Jesse Love; Sheldon Creed, Sam Mayer, and William Byron round out the top five.

Patrick Staropoli comes down pit road on lap 126 for an unscheduled stop.

Ryan Ellis returns to the track 122 laps down.  There are 28 cars on the lead lap.

With 66 laps to go, Carson Kvapil passes Jesse Love for the lead.

But the battle isn’t over as the battle for the lead continues.

Lap 137, the battle between Jesse Love and Carson Kvapil for the lead continues with Kvapil finally getting out in front.

Just 59 laps remain in the race with Carson Kvapil leading the way; Jesse Love, Sheldon Creed, Sam Mayer, and Brent Crews round out the top five.

Jeremy Clements passes William Byron and Brent Crews to take fifth place.

With 52 laps to go, Sheldon Creed passes Jesse Love for second.

Fifty to go, Carson Kvapil has pulled out to a three second lead on Sam Mayer as green flag pit stops begin.

Leader Carson Kvapil brings his car down pit road for service with 47 laps to go.

Ryan Ellis is out of the race.

Nick Sanchez was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.  Sanchez is five laps down after having to serve a passthrough penalty early in the race for having too many crew over the wall.

Sheldon Creed is the new leader with 44 laps to go.

The top five are Sheldon Creed, Carson Kvapil, Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, Blaine Perkins.

Nathan Byrd was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.

The first caution flag for an on track incident comes out with just 35 laps to go when Lavar Scott spins out and gets into the wall.

Rajah Caruth is the “lucky dog”.

Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag restart with Carson Kvapil alongside with just 30 laps to go.  Drivers get three wide with Sheldon Creed taking the lead.

The top five are Sheldon Creed, Sam Mayer, Carson Kvapil, Jesse Love, and Jeremy Clements.

Sam Mayer passes Sheldon Creed for the lead; but Creed comes up to battle.

The caution flag comes out for a big crash with 27 laps to go  William Sawalich has a smoking car and is stopped on the track.  Brandon Jones, Taylor Gray, Sammy Smith, Dean Thompson, and William Byron were also involved. 

After an extended cleanup, Sam Mayer brings the field down for the green flag restart with teammate Sheldon Creed alongside with just 15 laps remaining in the race.  Creed and Mayer battle for the lead but Carson Kvapil and Jesse Love move up to join the battle. Sheldon Creed takes the lead with Jesse Love in second; Justin Allgaier, Carson Kvapil, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.

Jesse Love passes Sheldon Creed for the lead with Justin Allgaier in second with 12 to go.

Witl eleven to go, Justin Allgaieer moves up on the outside to battle Jesse Love for the lead.

Ten to go, Justin Allgaier takes the lead.

Nine to go, the top five are Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil, Sheldon Creed, and Sam Mayer.

Six to go, Justin Allgaier holds on to the lead while back in the field, drivers are in three wide battles.

Five to go, Justin Allgaier leads the race with Jesse Love in second; Carson Kvapil, Sheldon Creed, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.

Justin Allgaier takes the white flag.

Justin Allgaier wins at Phoenix to give his crew chief a big birthday present.  This is Allgaier’s third Phoenix win and 29th win of his career.

The unofficial results of the Gov X 200:
Justin Allgaier
Jesse Love
Carson Kvapil
Sheldon Creed
Sam Mayer
Sammy Smith
Jeb Burton
Rajah Caruth
Corey Day
Anthony Alfredo
Jeremy Clements
Austin Hill
William Byron
Parker Retzlaff
Taylor Gray
Brandon Jones
Ryan Sieg
Brent Crews
Joey Gase
Daneil Dye
Chandler Smith
Austin Green
Harrison Burton
Kyle Sieg
Dean Thompson
Patrick Staropoli
Brennan Poole
Blaine Perkins
Garrett Smithley
Josh Bilicki
Nathan Byrd
Mason Maggio
Lavar Scott
Austin J Hill
Nick Sanchez
Dawson Cram
William Sawalich
Ryan Ellis