After a three-hour rain delay and entering the third overtime, it appeared Austin Hill and A.J. Allmendinger were going to battle it out for the win in Friday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race.
But before the final restart, Allmendinger struggled with fuel pressure issues and Austin Hill failed to go on the restart because of an electrical problem.
Clements got by Allmendinger for the lead on the restart and took the white flag just as a caution was displayed for a wreck in Turn 3. The caution froze the field and ended the race, handing Clements the win and a trip to the 2022 playoffs.
The win is the second of Clement’s career. His first victory came at Road America in 2017.
“I’m speechless, man,” Clements said. “I don’t even know what to say. That’s incredible, man. I just can’t. I’m sorry. I’m a little speechless.
“We survived that big wreck back there – it was like a ‘Days of Thunder’ wreck and I thought if we can just keep up with these guys, it’ll be a good day. A top-five and car in one piece – that’s a good day.
“Wow – this is incredible. Thank you to everyone for sticking around. I know it’s late as hell. It’s time to drink a beer!”
Timmy Hill ended up second, Allmendinger third, Brandon Brown fourth and Sage Karam rounded out the top-five.
The race featured 10 cautions covering 41 of the 118 laps. Due to the overtimes, the race went 18 laps over its scheduled distance.
Stage 3
Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, all of the lead lap cars pit with Noah Gragson the first off pit road.
On the restart on Lap 65, Gragson led the way followed by Riley Herbst, Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer.
With 30 laps remaining, Gragson held a small lead over Ty Gibbs as Allgaier ran third.
While running in fourth, Herbst suffered a flat left-rear tire and spun off track in Turn 3 to bring out the fifth caution of the race.
A handful of cars elected to pit. The race returned to green on Lap 77 with Gragson still out front and followed by Gibbs, Allgaier and John Hunter Nemechek.
On Lap 83, a multi-car accident involving Nemechek, Joe Graf Jr. and Sheldon Creed erupted on the backstretch after Nemechek got spun off Turn 2 by Brown. It brought out the sixth caution of the race.
The raced returned to green on Lap 88 with Gragson still in the lead followed by Allgaier and Allmendinger.
With 10 laps to go, Gragson was fending off a tough challenge from Allmendinger as Allgaier ran…
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