The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series kicks off their nine race playoffs at “The Lady in Black” Darlington Raceway on a sweltering Saturday afternoon for a practice session and qualifying run before racing under the lights with the Fleetio 200.
The points have been reset and Justin Allgaier loses his 229 point lead over teammate Carson Kvapil.
Thirty-eight teams brought cars to Darlington for 38 starting spots.
The drivers have a full 50 minutes and two sets of tires for practice.
Points leader Justin Allgaier is the only O’Reilly Series driver to sweep both stages and win the race at Darlington; he did it in May 2024. Allgaier is a four time Darlington winner…including earlier this year.
The splitter and spoiler of The Chase drivers’ cars are painted green.
Sam Mayer has not felt well all week and on a hot summer day, it could be a rough go for Mayer.
As the tires begin to wear out, the drivers are beginning to get into the wall – earning their “Darlington stripes”.
With a time of 30.300 seconds, Parker Retzlaff started practice at the top of the leaderboard and held it throughout the 50 minute practice session.
Alpha Prime Racing has announced that beginning next season they will be moving over to Fords. Alpha Prime noted that they have no driver announcements for 2027 at this time.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Jake Finch who posted a time of 31.790 seconds around the 1.36 mile track.
Dawson Cram did not make a qualifying run with a seatbelt issue.
Not old enough to run the race earlier in the season, Brent Crews is making his debut start at Darlington.
Logan Bearden has been racing in Croatia.
Taylor Gray said that he enjoys the challenge of racing in the heat.
Noting that JGR runs well when it is hot, Brandon Jones welcomes the heat.
Anthony Alfredo is the first driver to break the 30 second mark with a time of 30.950 seconds.
While he barely missed the top 12, Brent Crews is a part of the championship race as the driver of the JGR 19 who is a part of the owners championship race.
Rajah Caruth noted that it is Lightning McQueen day – 9/5
With a time of 30.424 seconds, Carson Kvapil puts his number one car on the pole with teammate Justin Allgaier alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Fleetio 200:
Carson Kvapil
Justin Allgaier
Brandon Jones
Jesse Love
Sam Mayer
Austin Hill
Taylor Gray
Brent Crews
Rajah Caruth
Parker Retzlaff
Sammy Smith
Anthony Alfredo
Sheldon Creed
Corey Day
Jeremy Clements
Harrison Burton
Dean Thompson
Ryan Sieg
Nick Sanchez
Brennan Poole
Lavar Scott
William Sawalich
Jeb Burton
Patrick Staropoli
Preston Pardis
Daniel Dye
Blaine Perkins
Kyle Sieg
Logan Bearden
Ryan Ellis
Jake Finch
Mason Maggio
Josh Bilicki
Garrett Smithley
Joey Gase
Brad Perez
Glen Reen
Dawson Cram
After bad weather put a halt to practice and qualifying for the Cup Series, the skies have cleared up and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series are ready to race.
Stages one and two of the race are 45 laps each with stage three lasting 57 laps for a total of 147 laps around the 1.36 mile track.
Four drivers will have to start the race from the back of the field after the crews made some unapproved adjustments to the cars – Brent Crews, Jeremy Clements, Brad Perez, and Ryan Ellis.
Christopher Bell joins Adam Alexander and Parker Kligerman in the broadcast booth for tonight’s race.
Carson Kvapil brings the field down for the green flag start of the race from the inside lane with teammate Justin Allgaier alongside. Justin Allgaier gets out in front from the outside lane.
Lap four, Justin Allgaier has a near one second lead on Carson Kvapil; Jesse Love, Brandon Jones, and Austin Hill round out the top five.
Lap seven, the top 13 spots are filled with Chase Drivers with Justin Allgaier nearly a second and a half out in front.
Lap eight, Carson Kvapil has second but he is getting a lot of pressure from Jesse Love.
Lap 10, Justin Allaier has a lead of nearly two seconds on Carson Kvapil; Jesse Love, Brandon Jones, and Austin Hill round out the top five.
Lap 14, Justin Allgaieer has pulled out to a two and a half second lead on Carson Kvapil with Jesse Love, Brandon Jones, and Austin Hill continuing to round out the top five.
Lap 19, after having to start the race from the back of the field, Jeremy Clements has moved up 21 spots.
Lap 20, Justin Allgaier is about to leave the rest of the field in his tracks with a three second lead on Carson Kvapil.
A Darlington night race has not happened in the O’Reilly Series in many years.
Lap 27, Rajah Caruth makes an unscheduled trip down pit road with possible fuel pressure issues.
Lap 29, Brandon Jones and Jesse Love battle for third.
With a four second lead, Justin Allgaier has begun lapping slower traffic. There are 31 cars on the lead lap.
The first caution flag of the race comes out on lap 35 when Preston Pardus got into the wall.
A new NASCAR rule is that if the caution flag comes out with 10 laps or less remaining in the stage, the stage is over. This caution came out with 12 laps remaining in the stage and the new rule does not apply.
The caution erased a three plus second lead by Justin Allgaier.
Most of the field came down pit road for service including leader Justin Allgaier. Justin Allgaier edges out to win the race off of pit road.
The top seven drivers stayed out on the track with Brandon Jones leading the race.
Brandon Jones brings the field down for the green flag restart with Corey Day alongside with six laps remaining in stage one. Brandon Jones gets out front but Justin Allgaier came from from the third row to battle for the lead.
Drivers are getting four wide on the track.
Justin Allgaier takes the lead with five to go in stage one.
Rajah Caruth hass returned to the track two laps down.
Justin Allgaier holds off teammate Carson Kvapil to win stage one for his ninth stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Justin Allgaier
Carson Kvapil
Ausstin Hill
Sam Mayer
Parker Retzlaff
Anthony Alfredo
Jeremy Clements
Jesse Love
Nick Sanchez
Taylor Gray
During practice and qualifying earlier in the day, it was 95 degrees at Darlington; at the end of stage one the temperature is 79 degrees.
Parker Retzlaff is having some handling issues.
Ryan Sieg was caught speeding on pit road 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 Carson Kvapil alongside on lap 53. Allgaier jumps out in front to hold on to the lead.
The top five are Justin Allgaier, Carson Kvapil. Austin Hill, Anthony Alfredo, and Sam Mayer.
In stage one, Justin Allgaier was pulling away from the field, but after the caution, he has stayed closer to the field.
Lap 58, Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil battle for the lead; so far Allgaier holds him off.
Dawson Cram, Ryan Ellis, and Brad Perez are out of the race.
The caution flag comes out on lap 60 for Daniel Dye with a flat tire.
Rajah Caruth gets one of his laps back.
Justin Allgaier brings the field down for the green flag restart with Carson Kvapil alongside on lap 65. Drivers are three and four wide on the restart with Allgaier hitting the wall but recovering. Carson Kvapil takes the lead.
The top five are Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, Anthony Alfredo, Austin Hill, and Jesse Love.
The caution flag comes out on lap 68 for William Sawalich who has a flat tire after some on track contact with Corey Day.
William Sawalich was charged with a commitment cone violation and pitting too soon.
Rajah Caruth is the “lucky dog” and is now back on the lead lap.
Carson Kvapil brings the field down for the green flag restart with Justin Allgaier alongside on lap 74. Carson Kvapil leads the race.
The fifth caution flag comes out on lap 74 for a big wreck involving Glen Reen, Mason Maggio, Jeb Burton, and Nick Sanchez. Rajah Caruth narrowly avoided the wreck.
The teams have just four sets of tires for the race.
With 15 laps remaining in stage two, no driver has taken advantage of pit road being open.
Carson Kvapil brings the field down for the green flag restart with Justin Allgaier alongside on lap 80. Driver spread out three wide with Kvapil in the lead. Anthony Alfredo passes Justin Allgaier for second.
The top five are Carson Kvapil, Anthony Alfredo, Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, and Sheldon Creed. Anthony Alfredo is the only driver in the top five who is not in The Chase.
With six laps remaining in stage two, Anthony Aflredo passes Carson Kvapil for the lead and begins to pull away.
With three laps remaining in stage two, Sheldon Creed passes Carson Kvapil for second
Anthony Alfredo wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Anthony Alfredo
Sheldon Creed
Corey Day
Sammy Smith
Carson Kvapil
Justin Allgaier
Austin Hill
Sam Mayer
Kyle Sieg
Ryan Sieg
Drivers come down pit road for service with Sheldon Creed winning the race off of pit road with just two tires.
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Corey Day alongside on lap 98. Driverss spread out three wide with Sheldon Creed holding on to the lead.
The top five are Sheldon Creed, Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Corey Day, and Austin Hill.
The seventh caution flag of the race comes out on lap 101 when Joey Gase spins out and collects Lavar Scott. William Sawalich locked up the tires and got into the wall.
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag restart with Justin Allgaier alongside on lap 107. Creed holds on to the lead with Justin Allgaier and Sammy Smith in a battle for second.
With 39 laps to go, Sheldon Creed leads the race with Sammy Smith in second; Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, and Corey Day round out the top five.
With 35 laps to go, Austin Hill and Corey Day battle for fourth.
With 31 lapss to go, Sheldon Creed has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Sammy Ssmith; Justin Allgaier, Corey Day, and Austin Hill round out the top five.
With 28 to go, Corey Day passes Justin Allgaier for third.
With 26 to go, Austin Hill battle with Justin Allgaier for fourth.
Sammy Smith and Corey Day battle for second with 23 laps to go.
Just 23 laps to go, Sheldon Creed has a three second lead on Corey Day; Sammy Smith, Austin Hill, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.
Justin Allgaier is having some handling issues in his car.
Twenty to go, Sheldon Creed holds a three second lead on Corey Day; Sammy Smith, Austin Hill, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.
Just 15 laps to go, Sheldon Creed holds a near three second lead over Corey Day; Sammy Smith, Austin Hill, and Brent Crews round out the top five. Justin Allgaier has dropped to eighth place.
Ten to go, Sheldon Creed’s lead is down to two and a half seconds on Corey Day; Sammy Smith, Austin Hill, and Brent Crews round out the top five.
Nine to go, Sheldon Creed’s lead is down to two seconds over Corey Day.
Rajah Caruth is slowed on the track and has to make an unscheduled trip down pit road with a fuel pickup issue.
Six to go, Corey Day is running faster laps than leader Sheldon Creed. The lead is now two seconds.
Driving a very loose car, Justin Allgaier has fallen out of the top 10.
Sheldon Creed takes the white flag.
Sheldon Creed earns his second race of the season…and his career!
The unofficial results of the Fleetio 200:
Sheldon Creed
Corey Day
Brent Crews
Sammy Smith
Austin Hill
Anthony Alfredo
Taylor Gray
Sam Mayer
Jeremy Clements
Brandon Jones
Dean Thompson
Carsson Kvapil
Jesse Love
Nick Sanchez
Brennan Poole
Kyle Sieg
Justin Allgaier
Jake Finch
Ryan Sieg
Harrison Burton
Parker Retzlaff
Blaine Perkins
Preston Pardus
Josh Bilicki
Garrett Smithley
Daniel Dye
Logan Bearden
Joey Gase
William Sawalich
Lavar Scott
Patrick Staropoli
Jeb Burton
Glen Reen
Mason Maggio
Dawson Cram
Ryan Ellis
Brad Perez