Gragson wins Xfinity Series race at Talladega in triple OT

TALLEGA, Ala. (AP) — Noah Gragson held off Jeffrey Earnhardt in triple overtime to win Xfinity Series race at Tallega Superspeedway on Saturday for his second victory of season.

Gragson restarted fourth on outside of second row but inherited le when JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier ran out of gas and pulled out of traffic. Gragson h to work No. 9 Chevrolet all over wide Alabama superspeedway to hold off traffic and deny Earnhardt his first career victory.

Earnhardt, grandson of late Dale Earnhardt, started from pole in No. 3 Chevrolet. His runner-up finish was a career-best.

AJ Allmendinger finished third for Kaulig Racing and earned a $100,000 bonus as highest-finishing eligible driver in Xfinity-sponsored program. He was followed by teammate Landon Cassill as Chevrolet drivers took top four spots and 18 of top 25.

“This JR Motorsports team, y never quit,” Gragson said. “We h four really fast cars. Came down to fuel strategy and re was one point where I was like ‘Oh man, I can’t get up re, we just don't have car fast enough.' But you know, we never quit.”

Gragson is scheduled to run Cup race on Sunday for Beard Motorsports but desperately wanted to he to Tallega Blvd., party strip in infield notorious for its debauchery. Tallega infield parties h been on pause last two years because of pandemic and only resumed this weekend.

“Tallega Boulevard sounds a lot better right now,” Gragson said. “We're going to have some fun. Let's go celebrate, maybe get some (Mardi Gras) bes and maybe we'll have some fun tonight.”

race went to first overtime when eighth caution came out following a restart with four laps remaining in regulation. Sam Mayer was in second row and on a run when he wiggled into Austin Hill, leer in bottom lane. Hill h h dominated race and led 67 laps, but contact from Mayer sent both spinning down apron and hard into interior wall.

It sent race into overtime and Allmendinger h just surged into le when a four-wide line of traffic went b and Sheldon Creed, who was fourth on restart, wrecked with Caesar Bacarella for ninth caution and a second overtime.

Allmendinger h complained before first attempt at overtime that he was “tapped out” and exhausted, and he h no relief in sight. 10th caution sent race into a third overtime and forced drivers to desperately begin saving fuel for all unexpected ditional laps.

It bit Allgaier as he ran out of gas just as race was set to resume for final two-lap push to finish.

Ryan Sieg in fifth was highest-finishing Ford driver and Brandon Jones in 26th was best of Toyota group.

Ty Gibbs returned to competition after Xfinity Series off weekend and a pair of controversial races in his rearview mirror. He was criticized for moving teammate John Hunter Nemechek on final lap to win at Richmond, and n vilified for fighting rival Sam Mayer on pit ro at Martinsville while still wearing his helmet.

As his grandfar, team owner Joe Gibbs, watched from atop his pit box, Gibbs was collected in a race-ending crash with all three of Toyotas fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing. 19-year-old said he “kind of got out of shape” as he closed in on Sieg and it caused him to hit Daniel Hemric.

“Sorry for everyone involved. It was a sucky deal,” Gibbs said. “We struggled a little bit in Daytona and we came back here and were fast. We picked up a lot. It was a pretty good hit, but I’m OK.”

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