Bittersweet Xfinity Finale for Stewart-Haas Racing – Motorsports Tribune

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Stewart-Haas Racing assured they’re going to go out with a bang at Phoenix Raceway. As far as the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race, they certainly did with Riley Herbst having a career night, leading 167 of 213 laps en route to his second NXS win of the season.

While Herbst had the thrill of victory, his SHR teammate Cole Custer dealt with the agony of defeat. The defending series champion was unsuccessful in his title defense as he finished eighth while Justin Allgaier took the best runner-up result as it meant he was finally crowned as the champion.

At one point, Custer had to fend off Allgaier and his JR Motorsports teammates Connor Zilisch and Sam Mayer. All while battling Jesse Love for second as Herbst was nine seconds ahead of the competition.

Then for the second time this season, an accident involving Leland Honeyman shook the entire complexity of the 200-lap race that extended into overtime. It now meant pit strategies were critical and it certainly was for both Custer and Herbst. Austin Hill was the first out of pit road over the SHR duo and Allgaier.

Therefore, both the race and also the title battle came down to the final two restarts where the gloves were off. Both Custer and Allgaier fought hard, knowing the title was on the line. Allgaier made a three-wide pass for the championship lead only for another caution coming out for a wreck involving Parker Retzlaff.

Suddenly, Custer saw himself from being a few laps away of going back-to-back years as champion to having a huge task of working his way back to the title picture. However, Allgaier had enough of a gap amongst his title rivals that all he had to do was not put himself in trouble like a wreck.

Herbst made quick business on Allgaier and with several battle scars and tire rub, he got his third career win and the last for SHR in the Xfinity Series.

“I was going to move him,” Herbst on his battle with Allgaier. “He luckily, I think — I listened to the spotter replay. Eddie said that we’re not racing him, so he kind of gave me the bottom. But I was going to move him off the bottom in 3 and 4.”

Herbst’s confidence was apparent and while he has no intentions in replying to the naysayers who’ve criticized each of his wins, he’s curious as to what people will say. This includes an unnamed podcast, but what mattered most for the Nevada racer was being the man who lead to SHR ending on top…