After nine months, it has all come down to one final race – the Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Thirty-eight drivers have brought cars for 38 starting spots.
The drivers will get a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run on Saturday morning before the race later in the afternoon.
Five drivers are still eligible for the championship – Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, Corey Day, Carson Kvapil, and Sheldon Creed. Points leader Justin Allgaier holds a 22 point lead over Jesse Love.
Tire wear will be an issue during the race.
At 4pm local time, the sun is a problem for the drivers.
There has been a good deal of speculation surrounding Justin Allgaier and his future with JR Motorsports. There is no longer any speculation, Allgaier has signed a multi-year contract with JRM and will be returning to the number seven car next year.
The caution flag comes out for Jesse Love who is stopped on the track. Love has a flat tire but also reports that it feels like something broke. Moving once again, Jesse Love slowly makes his way to pit road.
NASCAR is adding three and a half minutes to practice time.
This season there have been 25 drivers to make every race.
Jesse Love’s team reports that they had run over something and punctured the tire.
Fast Pasta Anthony Alfredo topped the leaderboard early with a fast lap of 33.384 seconds and held on to lead practice with the fastest lap.
John Hunter Nemechek is returning to the O’Reilly Series to drive the number 41 car next season.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run on a hot and humed Saturday afternoon is Preston Pardus who posted a time of 34.702 seconds around the 1.5 mile track.
Will Rodgers just announced that he will be driving the Big Machine Racing number 48 car full time next season. Dr. Patrick Staropoli has driven the 48 car this season.
The first driver to break the 34 second mark is Nick Sanchez with a time of 33.787 in the 87 car.
With a time of 33.578, Sheldon Creed put his double zero car on the pole with Austin Hill alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Championship Race:
Sheldon Creed
Austin Hill
Carson Kvapil
Jesse Love
Brent Crews
Parker Retzlaff
Corey Day
Brandon Jones
William Sawalich
Nick Sanchez
Justin Allgaier
Sam Mayer
Rajah Caruth
Sammy Smith
Taylor Gray
Ryan Sieg
Harrison Burton
Patrick Staropoli
Dean Thompson
Anthony Alfredo
Jeb Burton
Jeremy Clements
Andrew Patterson
Will Rodgers
Brennan Poole
JJ Yeley
Brad Perez
Blaine Perkins
Lavar Scott
Mason Maggio
Kyle Sieg
Ryan Ellis
Preston Pardus
Josh Williams
Joey Gase
Josh Bilicki
Garrett Smithley
Dawson Cram
Stages one and two are 45 laps each with stage two lasting 110 laps for a total of 200 laps (300 miles) around the 1.5 mile track.
Anthony Alfredo will have to start the race from the back of the field after the crew made some unapproved adjustments to the car.
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Austin Hill alongside. Creed takes the lead. drivers are spreading out three and four wide.
Lap two, Sheldon Creed leads the race with Austin Hill in second; Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil, and Brandon Jones round out the top five.
Committed to riding the high line, Sam Mayer has moved up to fifth.
Lap five, Sam Mayer passes Carson Kvapil for fourth.
Corey Day joins Sam Mayer against the wall.
Lap seven, the drivers are all over the track from apron to wall.
Justin Allgaier passes Brandon Jones for sixth
The first caution flag of the race comes out on lap nine when Corey Day crashes. He has significant damage to his car after contact with the wall. Day misjudges the gap with Rajah Caruth and cut across Caruth and into the wall. Day is stuck in the grass and needs a tow.
Corey Day started the race 23 points behind points leader Justin Allgaier. After the crash he has dropped to 63 points behind.
Rajah Caruth sustained some damage to his car after the contact from Corey Day; he comes down pit road for repairs.
Back in the garage, Corey Day’s crew works quickly to assess and make repairs in hopes of getting Day back in the race.
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag restart with Jesse Love alongside on lap 14. Creed holds on to the lead as the drivers get three and four wide.
Sam Mayer battles with Sheldon Creed for the lead.
Lap 17, the top five are Sheldon Creed, Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, Jesse Love, and Justin Allgaier.
Leader Sheldon Creed is riding the wall with teammate (for now) Sam Mayer in second; Austin Hill, Jesse Love, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.
Lap 23, Justin Allgaier battles with Jesse Love for fourth.
Corey Day is back in the race,16 laps down.
Lap 28, Sheldon Creed has a one second lead on Sam Mayer; Austin Hill, Jesse Love, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.
With 14 laps remaining in stage one, Sam Mayer has closed the gap on Sheldon Creed and is in a battle for the lead.
New leader Sam Mayer.
Leaders have encountered slower traffic.
Jesse Love passes his teammate (for now) Austin Hill for third.
Lap 37, teammates Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil battle for filth.
Carson Kvapil is reporting a voltage issue.
Five laps remain in stage one with Sam Mayer leading Sheldon Creed by over two and a half seconds.
Justin Allgaier has a tire issue.
With a lead of over four seconds, Sam Mayer wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Sam Mayer
Sheldon Creed
Jesse Love
Austin Hill
Carson Kvapil
Brent Crews
Justin Allgaier
Parker Retzlaff
Brandon Jones
Sammy Smith
Drivers come down pit road for service with Jesse Love winning the race off of pit road with Sam Mayer in second.
Jesse Love brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Sam Mayer alongside on lap 54. Getting a push form Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love takes the lead. Drivers spread out across the track.
Sheldon Creed passes Jesse Love for the lead.
The top five are Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, and Austin Hill.
Lap 56, Sam Mayer passes Justin Allgaier for third.
Lap 59, Sam Mayer is on Jesse Love’s bumper and looking to take second.
Justin Allgaier is riding the apron and passes Sam Mayer for third.
There are only 22 cars on the lead lap.
Lap 63, Sam Mayer is still trying to get around Jesse Love for second; Sheldon Creed is one second out in front of the field.
Lap 69, the top five are Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, Justin Allgiaer, and Austin Hill.
JJ Yeley is out of the race with an axle issue.
Carson Kvapil was charged with a penalty during the last pit stop and had to restart the race from the back of the field. He is now just outside the top 10.
Lap 75, Sheldon Creed has a quarter second lead on Sma Mayer; Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, and Austin Hill.
With 13 laps to go in stage two, Sam Mayer battles with Sheldon Creed for the lead.
Sam Mayer takes the lead.
Lap 82, Justin Allgaier moves up to challenge Jesse Love for third.
With five laps remaining in stage two, Sam Mayer has a two second lead on Sheldon Creed; Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, and Brent Crews round out the top five.
Carson Kvapil has entered the top 10.
With two laps remaining in stage two, Jeb Burton spins out and gets into the grass to end the stage.
Sam Mayer wins stage two for the stage sweep.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Sam Mayer
Sheldon Creed
Jesse Love
Justin Allgaier
Austin Hill
Brent Crews
Brandon Jones
Carson Kvapil
Parker Retzlaff
William Sawalich
Twentieth place driver Patrick Staropoli is the “lucky dog”.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Sheldon Creed winning the race off of pit road. Sam Mayer had a slow pit stop with a tire issue.
Sheldon Creed brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Jesse Love alongside on lap 95. Drivers spread out three and four wide. Sheldon Creed edges out for the lead with Justin Allgaier and Jesse Love in a battle for second.
Lap 98, the top five are Sheldon Creed, Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, and Carson Kvapil.
With a stage of over 100 laps, the drivers will have to make a stop during the stage for fuel.
Lap 100, Jesse Love begins the challenge Sheldon Creed for the lead.
After a slow pit stop and restarting in 18th, Sam Mayer has entered the top 10.
Garrett Smithley and Mason Maggio are out of the race.
With 94 laps remaining in the race, the top five are SHeldon Creed, Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, and Sam Mayer.
With 90 laps to go, Sheldon Creed ahs a one second lead on Jesse Love; Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.
Sam Mayer passes Justin Allgaier for fourth.
With 83 laps to go, Jesse Love has closed the gap on leader Sheldon Creed to ¾ or a second; Carson Kvapil, Sam Mayer, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five. Sam Mayer is the only driver in the top five who is not in The Chase.
Just 78 laps to go, Carson Kvapil passes Jesse Love for second. Leader Sheldon Creed is over a second out in front.
With 74 laps to go, Carson Kvapil has closed the gap on leader Sheldon Creed to just a tenth of a second and is beginning to challenge for the lead.
Carson Kvapil and Sheldon Creed battle for the lead with 70 laps to go.
With 68 laps to go Carson Kvapil and Sheldon Creed battle back and forth for the lead.
Rajah Caruth makes his green flag pit stop to begin the cycle of green flag pit stops.
Sheldon Creed, Carson Kvapil, Jesse Love, and Sam Mayer are separated by half a second.
With 65 laps to go, Carson Kvapil takes the lead.
Leaders are mired in slower traffic. Jesse Love gets into the wall.
Justin Allgaier has a tire issue and comes down pit road with 61 laps remaining in the race.
With 59 to go, Jesse Love makes his pit stop as green flag stops slowly take place.
Sheldon Creed makes his pit stop with 58 laps to go.
Carson Kvapil makes his pit stop and gives the lead over the Brandon Jones.
The caution flag comes out with 57 laps to go when Andrew Patterson gets into the wall coming on to pit road. The barrels are all over pit road. Pit road is closed. Patterson got loose coming to pit road, spun, hit the barrels and slid across pit road and hit the other wall at pit entrance.
NASCAR has red flagged the race to get all the sand from the barrels and the mess cleaned up.
After a red flag condition of over 10 minutes, NASCAR has displayed the yellow flag and the cars are moving again. Brent Crews is the “lucky dog”.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for fresh tires.
Carson Kvapil is the new leader with Sam Mayer alongside for the green flag restart. After making a pit stop, Justin Allgaier will restart the race in eighth.
There are 49 laps remaining in the race with Carson Kvapil taking the lead with Sam Mayer in second; Brandon Jones, Sheldon Creed, and Justin Allgaier rounding out the top five.
Sam Mayer takes the lead.
Carson Kvapil, Sam Mayer, and Brandon Jones battle for the lead with Mayer n front.
With 47 laps to go, Sam Mayer hits the wall and Brandon Jones takes the lead. Sam Mayer comes up to battle for the lead but Brandon Jones holds on to the lead.
Carson Kvapil and Sam Mayer battle for second; Justin Allgaier is in fourth.
With 43 to go, the top five are Brandon Jones, Carson Kvapil, Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, and Sheldon Creed.
With 41 to go, Brandon Jones taps the wall and Carson Kvapil moves up to battle for the lead with Kvapil out front.
Just 38 to go, Carson Kvapil has a half second lead on Brandon Jones; Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.
Justin Allgaier and Sheldon Creed battle for fourth. Sheldon Creed takes fourth with Jesse Love taking fifth to put Justin Allgaier in sixth.
The battle continues between Carson Kvapil and Brandon Jones.
Just 28 laps to go, Carson Kvapil has a third of a second lead on Brandon Jones; Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five. Justin Allgaier is in sixth place.
With 24 laps to go, Sheldon Creed passes Jesse Love for fourth.
Twenty to go! Carson Kvapil has a lead of over half a second on Brandon Jones; Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, and Jesse Love round out the top five with Justin Allgaier in seventh.
Fifteen to go, Carson Kvapil has a near half second lead on Brandon Jones; Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, and Brent Crews round out the top five. Jesse Love is in sixth and Justin Allgaier has dropped to eighth.
With 14 to go, Brandon Joness passes Carson Kvapil for the lead.
Sam Mayer has a flat tire after hitting the wall and has to make an unscheduled trip down pit road.
Ten to go! Brandon Jones leads the race by half a second on Carson Kvapil; Sheldon Creed is in third over five seconds back with Brent crews and Jesse Love rounding out the top five.
Five laps remain in the race with Brandon Jones nearly five seconds out in front with Carson Kvapil in second; Brent Crews, Sheldon Creed, and Jesse Love round out the top five. Justin Allgaier is in seventh.
Brandon Jones takes the white flag.
Brandon Jones wins the race.
Justin Allgaier is the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion with his second championship!
The unofficial results of the Championship Race:
Brandon Jones
Carson Kvapil
Brent Crews
Jesse Love
Parker Retzlaff
Sheldon Creed
Justin Allgaier
Ausstin Hill
Sam Mayer
William Sawalich
Kyle Sieg
Ryan Sieg
Will Rodgerss
Taylor Gray
Sammy Smith
Nick Sanchez
Patrick Sstaropoli
Rajah Caruth
Anthony Alfredo
Josh Williams
Lavar Scott
Jeb Burton
Harrison Burton
Preston Pardus
Jeremy Clements
Joey Gase
Brennan Poole
Blaine Perkins
Ryan Elliss
Josh Bilicki
Andrew Patterson
Brad Perez
Dean Thompsson
Corey Day
Dawson Cram
Mason Maggio
Garrett Smithley
JJ Yeley