Aric Almirola claims thrilling overtime Xfinity Series victory at Phoenix Raceway: Aric Almirola made a dramatic last-lap pass in overtime to claim the win in Saturday’s GOVX 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway, making door-to-door contact with Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman in the final two turns. The .045-second margin of victory was the second-closest finish in the track’s history.(Read More)(3-8-2025)

#19-Aric Almirola won the GOVX 200 Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway. The win is his first win of the year, first at Phoenix, and eighth career win.
#17-Alex Bowman finished second followed by #20-Brandon Jones, #39-Ryan Sieg, #7-Justin Allgaier, #54-Taylor Gray, #41-Sam Mayer, #16-Christian Eckes, #2-Jesse Love, and #48-Nick Sanchez.
Stage 1 was won by #17-Bowman. Stage 2 was won by #7-Allgaier.
#7-Allgaier dominated the race, leading 130 of the extended 208-lap race. He led for the overtime restart, but lost the position when he got loose to the inside of #19-Almirola. #17-Bowman drove by with the position, but lost it to #19-Almirola coming to the line after contact sent him up into the wall.
There were 14 lead changes among five drivers and six cautions for 46 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 91.990 mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Driver Points, Owner Points, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report.

Phoenix Paint Schemes

Race Fast Facts – Phoenix:
Aric Almirola won the GOVX 200, his eighth victory in 120 Xfinity Series races.
This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in 2025.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in ten races at Phoenix Raceway.
Alex Bowman(i) (second) posted his second top-10 finish in seven races at Phoenix Raceway. It is his first top-10 finish in 2025.
Brandon Jones (third) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 19 races at Phoenix Raceway.
Taylor Gray (sixth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Jesse Love leads the point standings by 2 points over Justin Allgaier.
Today’s Margin of Victory of 0.045-second is the second closest finish in NXS history at Phoenix; the record is 0.030 in 2011.
This is Joe Gibbs Racing’s 216th NXS victory.

Xfinity Series Standings after Phoenix (Race 4 of 33):
1) #2-Jesse Love 1 win (5 playoff points, regular season championship leader)
2) #21-Austin Hill 1 win (9 playoff points)
3)#88-Connor Zilisch 1 win (5 playoff points)
4) )#7-Justin Allgaier 141, +51
5) #41-Sam Mayer 130, +40
6)#8-Sammy Smith 121, +31
7) #00-Sheldon Creed 115, +25
8) #54-Taylor Gray 109, +19
9) #27-Jeb Burton 107, +17
10)#16-Christian Eckes 103, +13
11)#39-Ryan Sieg 102, +12
12) #18-William Sawalich 92, +2
Currently below elimination line
13) #25-Harrison Burton 90, -2
14) #11-Josh Williams 89, -3
15) #48-Nick Sanchez 86, -6
16)#1-Carson Kvapil 81, -11
See the Drivers Points Standings and Owners Points Standings.

Race Updates
Lap 207: Restart and they jump at the flag with #7-Allgaier on the inside lane. He gets loose and loses position. #17-Bowman and #19-Almirola battle in Turn 3. Bowman slips up into the wall and #19-Almirola scores the win.
Lap 197: Caution as #07-Leitz spins. Overtime in Phoenix. #19-Almirola in the tire track of #7-Allgaier.
Lap 191: #1-Kvapil with a flat, pits under green.
Lap 180: #7-Allgaier leads #17-Bowman and #19-Almirola. Battle for second, within a car length, as Allgaier drives away by 1.6-seconds.
Lap 150: Pitstops under yellow. #7-Allgaier leads the line for pitstops. He maintains on exit. #17-Bowman picks up two spots, while #20-Jones, #54-Gray, #2-Love follow. Restart coming with 46 to go.
Lap 148: Caution flag falls as first #8-Smith has issues, stays green, but major problems for the #74-Cram. He spins and hits the wall, driver’s side impact. He is okay.
Lap 145: #19-Alirola has eliminated the half second lead on #7-Allgaier and now to the inside. Back and forth and #7-Allgaier maintains the advantage.
Lap 140: Nothing has changed up front. #7-Allgaier leads #19-Almirola, #20-Jones, #17-Bowman, and #8-Smith. Green flag pitstops expected.
Lap 99: Restart and #7-Allgaier jumps out to a big lead as the battle for second hits nearly 4-wide. #19-Almirola (slow with a tire exchange and lost 2 spots) gets the position.
Lap 94: #7-Allgaier leads the field down pitroad for stops. He maintains the position on exit. #20-Jones follows, picking up two spots, over #17-Bowman, #19-Almirola, and #8-Smith.
Lap 90: #7-Allgaier wins Stage 2, his first stage victory of the season. #19-Almirola, #17-Bowman, #20-Jones, #8-Smith, #41-Mayer,#2-Love, #54-Gray, #1-Kvapil and #39-Sieg scored stage points.
Lap 83: #7-Allgaier sneaks back to the inside of #19-Almirola to take the lead back down the backstretch.
Lap 82: #19-Almirola re-takes the lead from #7-Allgaier with seven laps remaining in the stage.
Lap 80: #7-Allgaier, #19-Almirola, #17-Bowman and #20-Jones are battling for the lead, breaking away from fifth place #8-Smith.
Lap 74: #39-Sieg slaps the wall on the exit of Turn 4. He cracked the top 10 after starting the race at the rear of the field.
Lap 73: #7-Allgaier makes a power move on the outside of #17-Bowman to take the lead through Turns 1 and 2.
Lap 72: #17-Bowman takes the lead on the restart.
Lap 62: #21-Hill misjudges the entrance to Turn 3 and hits the inside wall, ricocheting into the field and tagging #00-Creed. #26-Thompson piled in while correcting.
Lap 56: #42-Alfredo lost power and is stalled on pit road to bring out the caution.
Lap 55: #19-Almirola keeps the lead on the restart. #17-Bowman remains in second.
Lap 50: #19-Almirola wins the race off pit road, ahead of #17-Bowman. #20-Jones gained five spots, moving to third. #88-Zilisch slipped entering his stall and hit the inside pit wall.
Lap 45: #17-Bowman wins Stage 1, with #19-Almirola, #7-Allgaier, #88-Zilisch, #00-Creed, #8-Smith, #48-Sanchez, #20-Jones, #2-Love and #41-Mayer earning stage points.
Lap 43: #17-Bowman’s lead has been chopped to 1.3 seconds over #19-Almirola. #7-Allgaier continues moving forward, within two seconds of the lead.
Lap 32: #17-Bowman is setting a torrid pace, with his lead nearing three seconds. Kaulig Racing cars #16-Eckes and #11-Williams are in danger of getting lapped before the stage ends.
Lap 22: #17-Bowman has caught the rear of the field and began lapping cars.
Lap 20: #17-Bowman has stretched the lead to 2.4 seconds over #19-Almirola. #7-Allgaier has charged to third position, passing #00-Creed.
Lap 7: #7-Allgaier has raced up to sixth after taking the green flag in 14th spot. #17-Bowman has jumped out to a 1.3-second lead.
Lap 4: #88-Zilisch and #2-Love make contact off Turn 2 and fall back a few positions.
Lap 1: Polesitter #17-Bowman leads the opening lap. #54-Gray made a three-wide move on the inside line, progressing multiple spot into the top five.

Race info:
Broadcast: CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 200 laps / 200 miles
Stages: 45 / 90 / 200
Average time of race: 2:13:35
Pit road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 50 mph
Fuel Window: 81 laps

Cars to the rear: #18-William Sawalich (unapproved adjustment), #39-Ryan Sieg (backup car), #99-Matt DiBenedetto (engine change).

Pit-Stall Selections

Making his lone Xfinity Series start of 2025, #17-Alex Bowman won the pole for Saturday’s GOVX 200 at Phoenix Raceway (131.984 mph). It is fourth pole in 57 career Xfinity starts, and first since 2016.
#00-Sheldon Creed will lineup second (131.584 mph), with former Phoenix winner #8-Sammy Smith (131.315 mph), #88-Connor Zilisch (131.124 mph) and #2-Jesse Love (130.828 mph) round out the top five.
#18-William Sawalich, #48-Nick Sanchez, #19-Aric Almirola, #54-Taylor Gray and #21-Austin Hill complete the top 10. Multi-time Phoenix winner #7-Justin Allgaier will start 14th.
All 38 cars made the show.
See the complete Phoenix Starting Lineup

Qualifying Fast Facts — Phoenix Raceway
Alex Bowman(i) won the Pole Award for the GOVX 200 with a lap of 27.276 seconds, 131.984 mph.
This is his fourth pole in 57 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
This is his first pole and first top-10 start in 2025.
This is his first pole in seven races at Phoenix Raceway.
Sheldon Creed (second) posted his second top-10 start of 2025 and his eighth in eight races at Phoenix Raceway.
Sammy Smith (third) posted his third top-10 start at Phoenix Raceway. It is his first in four races this season.
Connor Zilisch (fourth) was the fastest qualifying rookie. His best start on an oval.
It has been 3,192 days between poles for Alex Bowman, the third longest in NXS history.
This is Hendrick Motorsport’s 42nd Xfinity Series pole

Qualifying Order

Practice for the GOVX 200 Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway is complete. The top five, slowest, news and notes:
#7-Justin Allgaier 130.034 mph
#42-Anthony Alfredo 128.861 mph
#1-Carson Kvapil 128.847 mph
#54-Taylor Gray 128.612 mph
#4-Parker Retzlaff 128.310 mph
Slowest: #35-Greg Van Alst 122.574 mph
Most laps run: #00-Sheldon Creed, 38
Notes: The top three drivers in the session all laid down quick laps early in the first group when the track was cool. Gray led the second group, slotting in fourth overall in single-lap speed.
See full Phoenix Practice Results.

Crew Rosters

NASCAR National Series News and Notes — Phoenix Raceway

• Kyle Busch leads the Xfinity Series in poles at Phoenix with 10; four active Xfinity Phoenix pole winners are active this weekend: Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola, William Sawalich and Sammy Smith.
• Eight different drivers won the last eight Phoenix races. Sammy Smith is only winner in last eight entered this weekend.
• Three former Xfinity Phoenix Raceway winners are active this weekend: Justin Allgaier (2017, 2019), Brandon Jones (2020) and Sammy Smith (2023).
• Since 2020 (the last five years), more drivers 25 years old or younger won at Phoenix than any other track (nine of the 10 races).
• 11 of the last 12 races at Phoenix were won from a top-eight starting position.
• There were a Xfinity Series track record 21 lead changes at Phoenix last November, the eight leaders tied the track record as well.

Goodyear Tire Notes

There are 38 drivers/teams on the entry list for the GOVX 200 Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway. Every car will make the race.
Notables: #07-Nick Leitz, #17-Alex Bowman, #19-Aric Almirola, #35-Greg Van Alst, #45-Brad Perez, #53-Joey Gase, #70-Thomas Annunziata, #74-Dawson Cram.
See the full Phoenix Entry List.

2025 practice and qualifying procedures

Phoenix At-Track Schedule

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Race rules and information:

• Inspection Penalty Protocol
• Pit Road Penalties
• Pit Road Speeds
• Points Explanation
• Qualifying Procedures