One of the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ longest-tenured active drivers earned the first championship of his career after a motivated drive in the closing laps at Phoenix Raceway.
The drive of a champion. pic.twitter.com/JJNVSPV39J
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 10, 2024
38-year-old Justin Allgaier won the 2024 Xfinity title after battling back from one lap down late, suffering through multiple penalties and starting at the rear in a backup car to take his first title in 14 full-time NXS seasons.
An emotional Allgaier won the first ever championship for the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team. This title was JRM’s first for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s organization since Tyler Reddick won the title in the No. 9 in 2019. Allgaier gave up the lead to Riley Herbst on the final lap but the runner-up spot was more than good enough to best the other Championship 4 drivers eligible.
“I’ll be honest with you, I thought I’d have different emotions up here,” Allgaier told The CW, losing his voice in victory lane and talking often through tears. “I thought I’d be ready to be done. It makes me fired up to come back next year and try to go win it again. … The final four this year, we had such a great year, and we battled each other. … I wanted to win the race and the championship, but man, I’ll take the championship all day running second.”
A frenzied finish … and Allgaier is champion!! #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/34zKWRTan3
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 10, 2024
“He’s worked so hard,” Earnhardt added. “He’s gave so much to our team. He’s done so much for us. If there’s an image in the dictionary of a model race car driver, it’s him. He’s been incredible for our partners. Anyone that’s worked with him on the partner side loves him. He goes above and beyond there, and he drives hard, sometimes too hard. I’d rather have a driver like that going forward all the time, pushing as hard as he can. … I’ve badly wanted him to get this championship, because he is a champion. He deserves it.”
Meanwhile, Herbst captured the race win in Stewart-Haas Racing’s final Xfinity race. It was his third win in the Xfinity Series and second of the season, one in which he was in a class all his own. While the title contenders battled behind him, Herbst led a race-high 167 of 200 laps, often ahead by 4-5 seconds.
“I’m just so proud of all these guys, everybody at Stewart-Haas…
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