By David Morgan, Associate Editor
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Back here again.
For the seventh time in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career, Justin Allgaier and the No. 7 JR Motorsports team head into the season finale with a shot at the championship. They’re hoping it’s lucky No. 7 for them to finally capture the title that has eluded them for all these years.
“Just a different mindset this year,” Allgaier said of what sets this championship run apart from the others.
“I think in some ways I’m a little bit angry at myself for getting here so many times and not being able to do it. Whereas this year is just a little bit different. Not that I don’t care about the weekend per se, but I’ve kind of just tried to look at this as just like another race….I’m probably more excited for this weekend than I’ve ever been.
“Because I’m not really focused on the championship side of things or what we’ve been able to do. I mean, obviously there is some media stuff that we’ve got to do that’s extra than a normal week. But this team has executed these last four or five weeks now at a level that is way higher than I thought we could even even operate at. And this racetrack has been really good to us. So, I’m excited for this weekend and just what the task at hand is.”
Allgaier added that this has been both the easiest run to the title race for him and the hardest at the same time, but the lows that the team has faced this year have helped to strengthen their resolve to get back to Phoenix to have another shot at the championship.
“It’s interesting this year because as far as just the way that things have gone for us, it’s probably been the hardest year I’ve ever had. It seems like every time you think things are going in the right direction, they’re not. We’ve had more crashes and DNFs and just dumb stuff that’s happened to us than I feel like ever.
But at the same time, I think a lot of times you need those valleys to really see where the peaks are at. And this team has excelled in that regard. I think it’s understated what this team has really accomplished.”
Not only from the driver’s seat, but also throughout the JR Motorsports shop, all of the parties involved are sensing a different vibe this time around when it comes to the championship race.
“Jim Pohlman (crew chief) told me two weeks ago, he said, we’re gonna go win Phoenix. It’s just a matter of whether you race for a…
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