Late-Race Contact Relegates Allgaier to a 12th-Place Finish at Chicagoland Speedway

By:
On:
In: Xfinity Series News

The NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) made its second and final stop of the season at Chicagoland Speedway (CLS) for a Saturday afternoon matinee. Before the 200-lap race on Saturday, Allgaier completed two practice sessions on Friday, finishing third on the practice chart in the first session. Qualifying was held on Saturday afternoon and with a lap time of 31.089 seconds, Allgaier qualified his No. 31 WinField Chevrolet in the 20th spot. Late in the Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola, Allgaier was running in the top 10 and made contact with the wall, causing him to pit for minor repairs. With just a few laps remaining in the race, Allgaier was able to work his way back to the 12th position.

 

The green flag waved under cool and sunny skies at CLS on Saturday. After a 20th-place starting spot, Allgaier quickly worked his way up to 13th position at lap three. On lap seven, Allgaier radioed to crew chief Scott Zipadelli that he was just letting the car come to him. Allgaier continued to maintain the 13th position until the first caution of the race came out at lap 25. Allgaier reported that his No. 31 WinField Chevrolet needed to be tighter on entry and exit. He brought his car down pit road for Sunoco fuel and four tires with no adjustments. Allgaier restarted in the 15th position on lap 29 as a result of strategies varying on pit road. After settling in during a long green-flag run, Allgaier was in the 12th spot on lap 46, and by lap 69 he moved into the 10th position. On lap 73, Allgaier communicated that his WinField Chevy was starting to lack grip on the bottom in Turns 3 and 4, and was tight in the center in Turns 1 and 2. Zipadelli called Allgaier down pit road on lap 80 for a scheduled green-flag pit stop. After the No. 31 WinField pit crew changed four tires and added fuel without making any changes, Allgaier was in the eighth position once pit stops cycled through. On lap 100, Allgaier was in the ninth position and reported the balance on his car was good. Thesecond caution came out at lap 108 and Allgaier came down pit road for fuel, four tires and adjustments. He restarted ninth on lap 112.

 

After settling into the top 10 for a long green-flag run, Allgaier reported on lap 137 that his WinField Chevy was tight. Even with the tight condition, Allgaier was able to improve his running position to eighth on lap 154. On lap 159, the third caution of the race came out and Allgaier brought his WinField Chevy down pit road for fuel, four tires and an air pressure adjustment. On lap 164 he restarted in the eighth spot after the pit stop. After two cautions and running in the eighth position the sixth and final caution came out at lap 184. Allgaier’s No. 31 WinField Chevy made contact with the wall and had minor damage. Zipadelli called Allgaier on pit road to repair the damage, which put Allgaier in the 16th starting position on lap 187. After the restart, Allgaier fought his way through traffic for the remaining 13 laps to bring the No. 31 WinField Chevrolet home in the 12th position.

 

“We had a top-five car at Chicagoland [Speedway],” said Allgaier. “Unfortunately, we got damage late in the race, and that didn’t leave us a lot of time to recover. I can’t thank everyone at WinField and at Turner Scott Motorsports enough. We were having such a great day until the end of the race. Everyone has been working really hard back at the shop to improve our intermediate track program?.”

 

The NNS heads to Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, September 21 for the Kentucky 300. Live television coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT on ESPNEWS

 

TSM PR

Speedway Digest Staff
Follow Me
Latest posts by Speedway Digest Staff (see all)
Post Views: 42