Justin Allgaier wins at Bristol; clinches spot in Round of 8: On an ambivalent night for JR Motorsports, Justin Allgaier took advantage of a brilliant strategic call by crew chief Jim Pohlman to win Friday night’s Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the first event in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.(Read more)(9-15-2023)

After making a late-race pit stop for four fresh tires, #7-Justin Allgaier raced through the field to win the Xfinity Series’ Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Allgaier led a race-high 110 laps and won the second stage, picking up six playoff points into the Round of 8. It’s his third victory of the season and his first at Bristol in 13 years.
#10-Daniel Hemric led 33 laps late in the race to finish runner-up, losing the lead with just over 10 laps remaining. #20-John Hunter Nemechek placed third, with polesitter and Stage 1 winner #00-Cole Custer and #16-Chandler Smith rounding out the top five.
#39-Ryan Sieg finished sixth, with #19-Trevor Bayne, #98-Riley Herbst, #18-Sammy Smith and #26-Kaz Grala completing the top 10.
JR Motorsports teammates #1-Sam Mayer and #8-Josh Berry tangled on lap 168, collecting #9-Brandon Jones. All three cars failed to finish. Later in the final stage, #2-Sheldon Creed got into the rear of his Richard Childress Racing teammate #21-Austin Hill, ending his night.
Other playoff drivers finishes: #2-Creed (11th); #48-Parker Kligerman (31st); #21-Hill (33rd); #1-Mayer (35th) and #8-Berry (36th).
There were eight lead changes among five drivers and six cautions for 48 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was 85.521 mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Drivers Points Standings, Owners Points Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Bristol Paint Schemes

Race Fast Facts – Bristol:
Justin Allgaier (P) won the Food City 300, his 22nd victory in 432 Xfinity Series races.
This is his third victory and 16th top-10 finish in 2023.
This is his second victory and 15th top-10 finish in 23 races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Daniel Hemric (P) (second) posted his sixth top-10 finish in eight races at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his 14th top-10 finish in 2023.
John Hunter Nemechek (P) (third) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Chandler Smith (P) (fifth) was the highest finishing rookie.
John Hunter Nemechek (P) leads the point standings by 10 points over Justin Allgaier (P).

Xfinity Series Standings after Bristol (Race 27 of 33):
1)#7-Justin Allgaier – Advanced to Round of 8
2)#20-John Hunter Nemechek 2,095, +65
3)#00-Cole Custer 2,069, +39
4)#21-Austin Hill 2,051
5)#16-Chandler Smith 2,048, +18
6)#11-Daniel Hemric 2,042, +12
7)#18-Sammy Smith 2,035, +5
8)#2-Sheldon Creed 2,034, +4
Currently below elimination line
9)#27-Jeb Burton 2,030, -4
10)#1-Sam Mayer 2,020, -14
11)#48-Parker Kligerman 2,012, -22
12)#8-Josh Berry 2,010, -24
See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings.

Cars to the rear: Nos. 11-Derek Kraus, #78-Anhtony Alfredo, #98-Riley Herbst (unapproved adjustments); #27-Jeb Burton, #35-BJ McLeod (backup car).

Pit Stall Selections

Running a Kevin Harvick tribute paint scheme, #00-Cole Custer won the pole for the Xfinity Series’ playoff opener at Bristol Motor Speedway (122.341 mph). It’s his third pole at Bristol and his fifth of the 2023 season.
Playoff drivers took up the first six spots, with #8-Josh Berry starting on the front row (122.123 mph). #20-John Hunter Nemechek will take the green flag from third position (122.084 mph), with #16-Chandler Smith (121.906 mph) and #10-Daniel Hemric (121.535 mph) rounding out the top five.
#18-Sammy Smith will start sixth, as #39-Ryan Sieg, #9-Brandon Jones, #51-Jeremy Clements and #7-Justin Allgaier round out the 10.
Playoff drivers starting outside the top 10 include: #1-Sam Mayer (11th), #48-Parker Kligerman (13th), #2-Sheldon Creed (21st), #21-Austin Hill (26h) and #27-Jeb Burton (38th).
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start 13th in his first of two Xfinity races this season.
All 38 cars qualified, as Emerling-Gase Motorsports withdrew its #53 entry after its #35-Patrick Emerling crashed in practice. The original #53 entry will change to the #35 with BJ McLeod as the driver.
See the complete Bristol Starting Lineup.

Qualifying Fast Facts — Bristol
Cole Custer (P) won the Pole Award for the Food City 300 with a lap of 15.684 seconds, 122.341 mph.
This is his 17th pole in 137 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
This is his fifth pole and 22nd top-10 start in 2023.
This is his third pole in seven races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Josh Berry (P) (second) posted his 15th top-10 start of 2023 and his second in three races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
John Hunter Nemechek (P) (third) posted his fourth top-10 start at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is his 24th in 27 races this season.
Chandler Smith (P) (fourth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

Qualifying Order

Practice for the Food City 300 Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway is complete. After two groups which were split into 15 minutes apiece, the top five, slowest, news and notes:
#16-Chandler Smith 119.641 mph
#00-Cole Custer 119.574 mph
#20-John Hunter Nemechek 119.358 mph
#9-Brandon Jones 119.284 mph
#7-Justin Allgaier 119.210 mph
Slowest: #27-Jeb Burton 94.769 mph
Most laps run: #20-Nemechek and #21-Austin Hill, 41
Notes: In the first group, #35-Patrick Emerling got into the wall. In the second practice, playoff driver #27-Jeb Burton blew a right-front tire and drove straight into the wall.
See full Bristol Practice Results.

Crew Rosters

Goodyear Tire Notes

There are 39 cars on the entry list for Friday’s Food City 300 Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. One driver/team will fail to qualify for the race.
Notables: #4-Kyle Weatherman, #6-Brennan Poole, #07-Stefan Parsons, #08-Chad Finchum, #11-Derek Kraus, #19-Trevor Bayne, #24-Connor Mosack, #44-Rajah Caruth, #45-Jeffrey Earnhardt, #53-BJ McLeod, #66-Timmy Hill, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #91-Josh Bilicki.
See the full entry list on the Bristol Entry List page.

Bristol At-Track Schedule