Noah Gragson wins rain-shortened Kansas Xfinity race – Motorsport.com

After holding off fellow JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier for the Stage 2 victory, rain began falling around the speedway and the race was halted after 93 of 200 laps.

Since the race had already seen the first two stages completed or the halfway distance reached, it was official and at approximately 4:35 p.m. ET, NASCAR decided conditions would not improve the rest of the day and declared Gragson the winner.

The win is the fifth of the 2022 season for Gragson, tying Ty Gibbs for the most this season. It’s also the 10th of his career.

“I don’t know if we had the fastest car there in the beginning,” Gragson said. “I felt if we went back green and we kept working on it and working on it, we’d have a pretty fast car.

“I’ll take ‘em any way I can get ‘em. (Allgaier) was fast, (Gibbs) was obviously the fastest car all day. I’m just super-thankful.”

Asked about the final restart in Stage 2, Gragson said, “There were a couple of them (on older tires) up front and I saw a couple of them spin their tires.”

Gibbs ended up third, Brandon Jones was fourth and Ross Chastain rounded out the top-five.

Completing the top-10 were A.J. Allmendinger, Josh Berry, Sammy Smith, Sam Mayer and Brett Moffitt.

With one race remaining before the 12-driver Xfinity playoff field is set, Gragson, Gibbs, Allgaier, Allmendinger, Berry, Hill, Jones, Sam Mayer and Riley Herbst have clinched a berth. Daniel Hemric, Landon Cassill and Ryan Sieg are currently the next three drivers that would get in on points.

Stage 2

Gragson held off Allgaier in a two-lap dash and claimed the Stage 2 win, his 13th stage victory of the 2022 season.

Gibbs was third after slamming doors with Allgaier coming to the checkered flag. Jones ended up fourth and Chastain fifth.

Gibbs took responsibility for the incident with Allgaier, which did damage to both cars.

“We had a very fast car. I just got in a weird restart line with the three guys who stayed out. I thought I was in the right line but I wasn’t,” Gibbs said. “It went back racing and I made contact with Justin. I felt I hit the wall harder than I did and I got mad and got into his door. I think it hurt my car more than it did his.

“It was inexcusable for me. I apologize to them. I can’t be doing that stuff. I just felt I got hit in the wall harder than I did and I came back down and hit him. I can’t be doing that.”

Following the break between Stages 1 and 2, the lead-lap cars all pit with Gibbs first off pit road. Myatt Snider was penalized for speeding on pit road and had to restart from the rear of the field.

On the restart on Lap 52, Gibbs was followed by Gragson, Sammy Smith and Allgaier.

With 25 laps remaining in the first stage, Gibbs held a 1.5-second lead over Gragson as Allgaier ran third.

On Lap 70, Jeremy Clements spun off Turn 4 to bring out a caution.

Most of the lead-lap cars pit but Austin Hill remained on the track and inherited the lead. Gibbs was the first off pit road of those who pit.

On the restart on Lap 76, Austin Hill led the way followed by Moffitt, Ryan Sieg and Gibbs.

Gragson navigated through a four-wide moment on the track to emerge as the leader on the restart as Allgaier moved into second.

NASCAR was forced to display a caution on Lap 83 as light rain began falling around the track.

Several cars elected to pit but Gragson remained on the track and in the lead. The race resumed on Lap 89.

Stage 1

Gibbs easily held off Gragson to take the Stage 1 win.

Jones was third, Sammy Smith fourth and Allgaier rounded out the top-five.

Jones started on the pole and led the first four laps until Gibbs went to the inside on Lap 5 to move into the lead.

With 20 laps remaining, Gibbs maintained a 1.7-second lead over Jones while Gragson moved to third.

With 10 laps to go, Gibbs’ lead over Jones had increased to more than 2 seconds with Gragson still in third.

On Lap 37, Gragson got around Jones and moved into second.

Source: https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/gragson-wins-rain-shortened-kansas-xfinity/10367359/