The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series kicks off a doubleheader weekend at the smallest track on the NASCAR circuit – Martinsville Speedway – for the NFPA 250. The half-mile paperclip shaped track has seen plenty of excitement over its 50 plus year history.
Forty teams have brought cars to Martinsville for 38 starting spots including the Melon Man who has a unique history of his own with Martinsville Speedway.
The drivers get a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run to set the field; but the teams only get one set of tires.
Temperatures today are around 80 degrees; but will be significantly cooler on race day Saturday.
Last week at Darlington, several of the teams sported throwback paint schemes; this week the zero car driven by Garrett Smithley has a throwback of their own – Clippie from Microsoft Word. On the back of the car is the prompt “Do you want to pass me?” The only options are NO and NO!
Lee Pulliam driving the number nine car topped the leaderboard in single lap practice in his O’Reilly Auto Parts debut. Pulliam is Late Model champion driver.
With threatening skies overhead, the first driver to make a qualifying run is Justin S. Carroll who posted a time of 20.646 seconds around the half mile track.
After just six cars, NASCAR has displayed the caution flag out for precipitation.
NASCAR has cancelled qualifying for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series NFPA 250. The field will be set by the NASCAR metric that will put points leader Justin Allgaier on the pole.
The starting lineup for the NFPA 250:
Justin Allgaier
Rajah Caruth
Brandon Jones
Brent Crews
Carson Kvapil
Sheldon Creed
Corey Day
Jesse Love
Sammy Smith
Parker Retzlaff
Sam Mayer
Lee Pulliam
Taylor Gray
Ryan Sieg
Anthony Alfredo
William Sawalich
Brennan Pool
Nick Sanchez
Andrew Patterson
Jeremy Clements
Josh Bilicki
Dean Thompson
Jeb Burton
Harrison Burton
Garrett Smithley
Austin Hill
Patrick Staropoli
Blaine Perkins
Luke Baldwin
Austin Green
Josh Williams
Ryan Ellis
Joey Gase
Brad Perez
Kyle Sieg
Lavar Scott
Myatt Snider
Ross Chastain
Dawson Cram and Justin S. Carroll failed to qualify for the race.
Stages one and two are 60 laps each with stage three lasting 130 laps for a total of 250 laps around the half mile track.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Rajah Caruth alongside. Allgaier edges out in front for the lead from the outside lane.
Rajah Caruth and Brent Crews battle for second.
Lap four, the top five are Justin Algaier, Rajah Caruth, Brent Crews, Sheldon Creed, and Brandon Jones.
Only six laps into the race and Justin Allgaier has logged the fastest lap of the race.
Lap eight, Justin Allgaier has a lead of over half a second on Rajah Caruth; Brent Crews, Brandon Jones, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
Lap 14, Justin Allgaier has pulled out to a one second lead on Rajah Caruth; Brandon Jones, Brent Crews, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
Lap 18, Continuing to extend his lead, Justin Allgaier is now nearly two seconds out in front of Rajah Caruth.
Lap 22, Brandon Jones passes Rajah Caruth for second; Justin Allgaier is over two seconds out in front.
Lap 28, all five of the JR Motorsports cars are in the top eleven.
Lap 30, Brandon Jones has closed the gap on leader Justin Allgaier to under two seconds; Rajah Caurth, Brent Crews, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
The first caution flag of the race comes out on lap 33 when Luke Baldwin spins out and gets into the wall hard in his O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut.
Myatt Snider is the “lucky dog”.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service but the leaders stay out on the track.
Lavar Scott and Austin were Hill caught speeding on pit road and will have to restart the race from the back of the longest line.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag restart with Brandon Jones alongside on lap 44. Allgaier gets out in front for the lead.
The top five are Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Rajah Caruth, Brent Crews, and Sheldon Creed.
Ten laps remain in stage one, Justin Allgaier has a half second lead on Brandon Jones; Rajah Caruth, Brent Crews, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
The caution flag comes out with just four laps remaining in stage one when Garrett Smithley spins out.
Ending the stage under caution, Justin Allgaier wins stage one for his third stage win of the season and his 87th career stage win. Allgaier has already collected over 100 stage points for this season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Justin Allgaier
Brandon Jones
Rajah Caruth
Brent Crews
Sheldon Creed
Sammy Smith
Anthony Alfredo
Carson Kvapil
Jesse Love
William Sawalich
Drivers come down pit road for service with Brandon Jones winning the race off of pit road. Not all of the drivers came down pit road. Corey Day is the leader of the race after making a pit stop during the first caution flag.
Myatt Snider was charged with pitting outside of his pit box and will have to restart the race form the back of the field.
Corey Day brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Sam Mayer alongside on lap 72. Corey Day takes the lead.
The top five are Corey Day, Sam Mayer, Lee Pulliam, Taylor gray, and Jeb Burton. Justin Allgaier is outside the top 10 in eleventh.
Lap 77, drivers are getting three wide on the track.
Lap 79, Corey Day leads the race with Sam Mayer in second; Lee Pulliam, Taylor gray, and Austin Hill round out the top five. Justin Allgaier enters the top 10.
Jeremy Clements’ car is smoking. The front of the car is caved-in.
The caution flag comes out on lap 88 for fluid on the track.
Jeremy Clements comes down pit road to determine the source of the smoke.
Corey Day brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 101 with Sam Mayer alongside – 20 laps remaining in stage two. Day gets out in front.
Sama Mayer comes up on the outside to take the lead on lap 103.
Justin Allgaier has moved up to his car number in seventh.
The caution flag comes out on lap 106 for debris on the track.
Brandon Jones has some damage to his car.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service including some front runners. Corey Day wins the race off of pit road.
The nine car driven by Lee Pulliam is charged with an uncontrolled tire and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Sam Mayer brings the field down for the green flag restart with Austin Hill alongside with eight laps remaining in stage two. Austin Hill edges out for the lead but Sam Mayer comes up to battle for the lead.
Jeremy Clements is out of the race.
With six laps to go in stage two, Sam Mayer takes the lead.
Austin Hill wins stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Austin Hill
Sam Mayer
Taylor Gray
Ryan Sieg
William Sawalich
Anthony Alfredo
Rajah Caruth
Harrison Burton
Corey Day
Justin Allgaier
Drivers who did not make a stop during the caution flag come down pit road for service.
Rajah Caruth is the new leader.
Rajah Caruth brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Harrison Burton alongside with 120 laps remaining in the race. Caruth takes the lead.
The caution flag comes out with 118 laps to go when Parker Retzlaff spins out in a three wide battle.
The top five are Rajah Caruth, Harrison Burton, Corey Day, Sammy Smith, and Justin Allgaier.
NASCAR has called the 31 car of Blaine Perkins down pit road.
Rajah Caruth brings the field down for the green flag restart with Harrison Burton alongside. There are 112 laps remaining in the race. Caruth edges out to hold on to the lead.
With 110 laps to go, Rajah Caruth leads the race with Harrison Burton in second; Corey Day, Justin Allgaier, and Sammy Smith rounding out the top five.
The caution flag comes out with 108 laps to go when Kyle Sieg spins out after contact with Brennan Poole.
Rajah Caruth comes down pit road and gives the lead over to Harrison Burton.
Harrison Burton brings the field down for the green flag restart with Corey Day alongside with 101 laps to go. burton gets out in front with Corey Day in second in a battle with Justin Allgaier.
Driver are getting three wide on the track.
With 98 laps to go, Harrison Burton leads the race with Justin Allgaier in second; Corey Day, Jesse Love, and Jeb Burton rounding out the top five.
With 92 laps to go, Justin Allgaier is challenging leader Harrison Burton.
With 90 to go, Justin Allgaier passes Harrison Burton for the lead and begins to pull away.
Just 85 laps remain in the race, Justin Allgaier has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Harrison Burton; Corey Day, brent Crews, and Jesse Love round out the top five.
With 77 laps to go, Justin Allgaier has a second and a half lead on Harrison Burton; Corey Day, Brent Crews, and Carson Kvapil round out the top five.
With 72 laps to go, Brent Crews battles Harrison Burton for second.
The caution flag comes out with 70 laps to go when Ryan Ellis spins out.
Justin Allgaier leads much of the field down pit road for service with Justin Allgaier winning the race off of pit road. Several drivers stayed out on the track with Lee Pulliam leading the race. Justin Allgaier will restart the race in seventh.
Taylor Gray was charged with pitting outside his pit box.
Lee Pulliam brings the field down pit road with Brandon Jones alongside with 62 laps remaining in the race. Pulliam gets out in front.
The top five are Lee Pulliam, Rajah Caruth, Brandon Jones, Justin Allgaier, and Ryan Sieg.
With 57 laps to go, Lee Pulliam has pulled out to a lead of over half a second on Rajah Caruth. Justin Allgaier has passed Brandon Jones for third.
The caution flag comes out with 54 laps to go for another spinout from Garrett Smithley.
With 48 laps remaining in the race, Lee Pulliam brings the field down for the green flag restart and holds on to the lead.
Drivers are getting very aggressive and are in three wide battles all through the field.
The top five are Lee Pulliam, Corey Day, Justin Allgaier, Rajah Caurth, and Sammy Smith.
Lee Pulian has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Corey Day.
Just 38 laps to go, Lee Pulliam holds on to a one second lead over Corey Day; Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, and Carson Kvapil round out the top five.
The tenth caution flag of the race comes out with 33 laps to go when Nick Sanchez gets into the wall.
Lee Pulliam brings the field down for the green flag restart with Justin Allgaier alongside. There are just 25 laps remaining in the race. Allgaier edges out for the lead from the outside lane and pulls away.
The top five are Justin Allgaier, Less Pulliam, Corey Day, Sammy Smith, and Carson Kvapil.
Ross Chastain spins out to bring out the eleventh caution flag of the race.
Four of the top five cars are from JR Motorsports.
With just 17 laps remaining in the race, Justin Allgaier brings the field down with Lee Pulliam alongside. Crash on the restart brings out the 12th caution flag. Cars are stopped on the track.
NASCAR has red flagged the race.
Carson Kvapil, Jeb Burton, Lee Pulliam, and Harrison Burton were among the 19 drivers involved.
After a red flag condition of nearly half an hour, the cars are moving again and have just 16 laps to finish the race.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag restart with Corey Day alongside with 12 laps to go. Allgaier holds on to the lead with Corey Day in second.
William Sawalich gets into the wall to bring out the 13th caution flag.
Lee Pulliam has a smoking car with a possible tire rub.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down once again for a green flag restart with just five laps remaining in the race. Allgaier jumps out in front to hold on to the lead.
The top five are Justin Allgaier, Corey Day, Sammy Smith, Sheldon Creed,, and Lee Pulliam.
Allgaier is slowly pulling away from the field as Corey Day and Sammy Smith battle for second.
Justin Allgaier takes the while flag/
Justin Allgaier wins the race for his third win of the season! He tells his crew that he is proud of them.
Rajah Caruth spun out on the white flag lap to bring out the caution flag.
This is the fifth win in a row for JR Motorsports.
The unofficial results of the NFPA 250:
Justin Allgaier
Corey Day
Sammy Smith
Sheldon Creed
Lee Pulliam
Austin Hill
Dean Thompson
Ross Chastain
Ryan Sieg
Brent Crews
Parker Retzlaff
Jesse Love
Taylor Gray
Brennan Poole
Anthony Alfredo
Patrick Staropoli
Blaine Perkins
Brandon Jones
Myatt Snider
William Sawalich
Brad Perez
Lavar Scott
Sam Mayer
Joey Gase
Rajah Caruth
Harrison Burton
Garrett Smithley
Carson Kvapil
Austin Green
Jeb Burton
Andrew Patterson
Josh Williams
Nick Sanchez
Kyle Sieg
Josh Bilicki
Ryan Ellis
Jeremy Clements
Luke Baldwin