Race two of the triple header weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway is the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Suburban Propane 300 with a full field of 38 drivers including Connor Zilisch and Kyle Larson.
The drivers get a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run for the race tonight.
This is the first week of the Dash-4-Cash competition. Last week Justin Allgaier, William Sawalich, Brandon Jones, and Rajah Caruth qualified as the four Dash-4-Cash drivers and will battle for the $100,000 prize. Justin Allgaier has won seven Dash-4-Cash races for the most ever.
This week points leader Justin Allgaier is carrying a paint scheme that was originally designed for Dale Earnhardt Sr – Carolina Carports – but was never used. Allgaier has nine stage wins and has led over 1,300 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Rajah Caruth is on pit road with what the crew thought was an engine issue but is now looking at the rear hub where grease is coming out. They say they may need to replace a seal.
Tanner Gray topped the leaderboard in single lap runs and in 15 plus lap runs.
Rajah Caruth will not make a qualifying run while the crew works on some mechanical issues. The crew had to change a rear axle.
Sheldon Creed described Bristol as if 40 people robbed a bank and are trying to get away.
The first driver to make a qualifying run is Gray Gaulding who posted a time of 16.142 seconds around the half mile track.
With a time of 15.634 seconds, William Sawalich put his number 18 car on the pole with Sheldon Creed starting alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Suburban Propane 300:
William Sawalich
Sheldon Creed
Kyle Larson
Brandon Jones
Sam Mayer
Taylor Gray
Justin Allgaier
Carson Kvapil
Parker Retzlaff
Brennan Poole
Ryan Sieg
Jesse Love
Jeb Burton
Corey Day
Connor Zilisch
Sammy Smith
Brent Crews
Anthony Alfredo
Jeremy Clements
Kyle Sieg
Dean Thompson
Harrison Burton
Austin Hill
Logan Bearden
Austin Green
Larar Scott
Josh Bilicki
Gray Gaulding
Josh Williams
Blaine Perkins
Mason Maggio
Patrick Staropoli
Ryan Ellis
Garrett Smithley
JJ Yeley
Joey Gase
Blake Lothian
Rajah Caruth
Stages one and two of the race are 85 laps each with stage three lasting 130 laps for 300 laps around the half mile track. The drivers can run around 130 laps on a single load of fuel.
Carson Kvapil’s crew had to make an engine change and Kvapil will have to start the race from the back of the field.
William Sawalich brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Sheldon Creed alongside. Sawalich gets out in front for the lead.
Lap two the first caution flag of the race comes out when Mason Maggio spins out and slides down the track. Cars around him managed to avoid getting hit.
The top five are William Sawalich, Brandon Jones, Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray, and Kyle Larson.
William Sawalich brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane with Sheldon Creed alongside on lap seven. Getting a push from teammate Brandon Jones, Sawalich gets out in front for the lead.
Lap nine William Sawalich, Sheldon Creed, Brandon Jones, Kyle Larson, and Taylor Gray.
Lap 12, Sam Mayer passes Taylor Gray for fifth.
Lap 15, Carson Kvapil has moved up 13 spots since starting the race from the back of the field.
Lap 19, Kyle Larson passes Brandon Jones for third.
Sheldon Creed has closed the gap on leader William Sawalich.
Lap 23 Kyle Larson passes Sheldon Creed for second and less than half a second behind leader William Sawalich.
Lap 26, Kyle Larson begins stalking William Sawalich for the lead as the leaders have encountered slower traffic.
Lap 29, Kyle Larson comes up from the outside to pass William Sawalich for the lead…and begins lapping slower cars.
There are 33 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 35, Rajah Caruth has moved up to 28t and Carson Kvapil has moved up to 17th.
Lap 40, the top five are Kyle Larson, Sheldon Creed, William Sawalich, Brandon Jones, and Justin Allgaier.
Lap 45, leaders are mired amidst slower traffic running two wide.
Lap 47, William Sawalich and Sheldon Creed battle for second. Kyle Larson has a two second lead on the field.
Leader Kyle Larson has passed Rajah Caruth to put him a lap down in 27th.
Lap 51, the top five are Kyle Larson by two and a half seconds with Sheldon Creed, Brandon Jones, William Sawalich, and Justin Allgaier rounding out the top five.
Lap 57, Sam Mayer and Parker Retzlaff battle back and forth for seventh.
Kyle Larson is now “driving it like he stole it” with a lead of over five seconds on Sheldon Creed. There are just 21 cars on the lead lap.
The caution flag comes out on lap 63 when Austin Green has a flat tire. He had difficulty getting down to pit road.
Austin Hill is the “lucky dog”.
Drivers come down pit road for service.
Kyle Larson wins the race off of pit road.
Ryan Sieg, Anthony Alfredo, and Jeremy Clements stayed out on the track.
William Sawalich and Sheldon Creed barely avoided a collision on pit road.
Ryan Sieg brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane with Jeremy Clements alongside on lap 71. Ryan Sieg takes the lead as Jeremy Clements falls through the field.
The top five are Ryan Sieg, Kyle Larson, Sheldon Creed, Brandon Jones, and Justin Allgaier.
Just nine laps remain in stage one with Ryan Sieg leading the race and Kyle Larson on his bumper challenging for the lead.
This time around, Kyle Larson comes up from the inside to take the lead with just six laps remaining in stage one.
With a half second lead, Kyle Larson wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Kyle Larson
Sheldon Creed
Ryan Sieg
Justin Allgaier
Brandon Jones
William Sawalich
Connor Zilisch
Jesse Love
Sam Mayer
Corey Day
Josh Bilicki will have to restart the race from the back of the longest line after he pulled out and started passing cars before the drop of the green flag on the last caution. Austin Green will also have to move to the back of the field for pitting too soon.
Drivers who did not make a pit stop during the caution flag come down pit road for service.
Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Justin Allgaier alongside on lap 98. Larson jumps out in front as Justin Allgaier and Sheldon Creed battle for second; Brandon Jones and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
Brandon Jones passes Justin Allgaier for third.
The caution flag comes out on lap 102 for Logan Bearden who spins out. Garrett Smithley also spins out.
Carson Kvapil is just outside the top 10 in eleventh.
Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag restart with Brandon Jones alongside on lap 108. Larson jumps out in front with Brand Jones and Sheldon Creed in a battle for second.
Drivers are getting three wide across the track.
Lap 110, the top five are Kyle Larson, Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, and Connor Zilisch.
Lap 118, Sheldon Creed is not letting Kyle Larson run away from the field and is holding on to a gap of less than half a second with Justin Allgaier less than one second back; Brandon Jones and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch passes Brandon Jones for fourth.
Lap 124, Brent Crews battles with teammate Brandon Jones for fifth.
Lap 126, Kyle Larson is beginning to edge away and is not nearly one second out in front of Sheldon Creed; Justin Allgaier, Connor Zilisch, and Brent Crews round out the top five.
Lap 131, Kyle Larson now has a second and a half lead on Sheldon Creed.
Lap 136, Kyle Larson has again encountered slower traffic and beginning to lap slower cars. There are 28 cars on the lead lap. He is now two seconds out in front of Sheldon Creed with Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier, and Brent Crews rounding out the top five.
Lap 144, Kyle Larson has a lead of nearly three seconds on Sheldon Creed with Connor Zilisch on Creed’s bumper; Justin Allgaier and Brent Crews round out the top five.
Lap 150, Kyle Larson is pulling away from the field fast; he is nearly four seconds out in front of Sheldon Creed; Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier, and Brent Crews round out the top five.
In fourth place, Justin Allgaier is the lead driver in the Dash-4-Cash competition.
Lap 159, Justin Allgaier battles with Connor Zilisch for third.
Justin Allgaier is now in third, four and a half seconds behind leader Kyle Larson.
With a lead of four seconds, Kyle Larson wins stage two for the stage sweep.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Kyle Larson
Sheldon Creed
Justin Allgaier
Connor Zilisch
Brent Crews
William Sawlich
Brandon Jones
Sam Mayer
Corey Day
Carson Kvapil
Jeremy Clements is the “lucky dog”
Rajah Caruth is the last driver on the lead lap in 19th place.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Justin Allgaier reporting that he is “plowing”. Kyle Larson win the race off of pit road with Justin Allgaier coming out second.
Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Connor Zilisch alongside with 118 laps remaining in the race. Larson jumps out for the lead with Justin Allgaier in second; Sheldon Creed, Connor Zilisch, and William Sawalich round out the top five.
Wiilliam Sawalich passes Connor Zilisch for fourth.
The battles are getting fierce with three wide racing.
William Sawalich passes Sheldon Creed for third.
With 109 laps to go, Kyle Larson has a near one second lead on Justin Allgaier; Sheldon Creed, William Sawalich, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
William Sawalich passes Sheldon Creed for third.
The caution flag comes out with 105 laps to go for Mason Maggio’s heavily smoking car. There is a big fire in the car. Maggio is out of the car with help from other crews. The fire was being put out as Maggio was being pulled form the car.
At some point in the race, Logan Bearden exited the 42 car and Brad Perez has taken over the driving duties.
NASCAR has red flagged the race to get the fluid cleaned up from Mason Maggio’s car.
Maggio said that he is fine. He said the oil pressure dropped out of nowhere. He expected fireworks at Bristol, just not from his car.
The track cleaned up, NASCAR displays the yellow flag and the cars are moving once again.
Kyle Larson brings the field down for the green flag restart with William Sawalich alongside; there are 99 laps remaining in the race. Larson gets a push from Justin Allgaier to get out in front for the lead.
The top five are Kyle Larson, Justin Allgaier, William Sawalich, Connor Zilisch, and Sheldon Creed.
Connor Zilisch passes William Sawalich for third but the battle continues with the two drivers swapping the spot back and forth.
Sixth place driver Brent Crews moves up to battle with Sheldon Creed for fifth.
As the night cools, the grip on the track has increased allowing drivers to run faster laps.
With 87 laps to go, Kyle Larson has a lead of over a second on Justin Allgaier; Connor Zilisch, Sheldon Creed, and Brent Crews round out the top five.
With 78 laps to go, Justin Allgaier and Connor Zilisch battle for second; Zilisch takes second. Kyle Larson is a second and a half out in front.
Seventy-five to go, Sheldon Creed is running the fastest laps on the track and passes Justin Allgaier for third.
Seventy to go, Carson Kvapil passes William Sawalich for sixth. He had to start the race from last place after the crew changed an engine after qualifying.
Just 62 laps to go, Kyle Larson’s lead on Connor Zilisch is down to under a second; Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgaier, and Brent Crews round out the top five.
Fifty to go, amidst traffic, Justin Allgaier and Brent Crews continue to battle for fourth; Kyle Larson has pulled out to a lead of over two seconds on Connor Zilisch; Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgaier, and Bent Crews round out the top five.
Corey Day and William Sawalich battle for seventh.
Garrett Smithley is out of the race.
Forty to go, the battle between Justin Allgaier and Brent Crews continues. So far Allgaier has held Crews off.
With 38 laps to go, Brent Crews finally passes Justin Allgaier for fourth.
Kyle Larson has led 221 laps so far – the most ever for a Hendricks Motorsports car.
The seventh caution flag comes out with just 31 laps to go when Gray Gaulding spins out and keeps it off the wall…and other cars.
Leaders come down pit road including Kyle Larson who wins the race off of pit road.
Connor Zilisch, Brent Crews, and Corey Day stay out on the track.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 22 laps remaining in the race. Zilisch takes the lead with Brent Crews in second; Kyle Larson, Justin Allgaier, and Corey Day round out the top five.
Brent Crews swipes the wall and keeps going, a la the Hail Melon.
The caution flag comes out with 18 to go when the 96 car of Anthony Alfredo gets into the wall.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag restart with Kyle Larson alongside; there are just eleven laps remaining in the race. Zilisch takes the lead but Brent Crews comes up on the outside lane to take the lead. Zilisch and Crews battle for the lead.
Just eight to go, Brent Crews, and Connor Zilisch continue their battle for the lead with Kyle Larson, Carson Kvapil, and Justin Allgaier rounding out the top five.
Connor Zilisch has the lead with Kyle Larson in second; Brent Crews, Justin Allgaier, and Carson Kvapil round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch takes the white flag!
Connor Zilisch wins the race with Kyle Larson coming in second. Zilisch is the fourth JR Motorsports driver to win this season.
Justin Allgaier wins the first Dash-4-Cash prize for the eighth time!
Trying to come out the roof hatch, Connor Zilisch got stuck…but made it out.
The unofficial results of the Suburban Propane 300:
Connor Zilisch
Kyle Larson
Brent Crews
Justin Allgaier
Carson Kvapil
Sheldon Creed
William Sawalich
Corey Day
Parker Retzlaff
Taylor Gray
Ryan Sieg
Jesse Love
Sammy Smith
Rajah Caruth
Jeremy Clements
Jeb Burton
Harrison Burton
Brennan Poole
Brandon Jones
Sam Mayer
Austin Hill
Blaine Perkins
Josh Bilicki
Dean Thompson
Kyle Sieg
JJ Yeley
Patrick Staropoli
Gray Gaulding
Josh Williams
Ryan Ellis
Joey Gase
Lavar Scott
Logan Bearden/Brad Perez
Blake Lothian
Austin Green
Anthony Alfredo
Mason Maggio
Garrett Smithley