- Shane van Gisbergen started 28th, as per the rule book, after qualifying for the Sci Aps 200 was canceled due to weather.
- The field began the race on wet-weather tires. The first caution of the day came out on lap 11 for a competition caution for the entire field to switch to slick tires. The No. 97 team took four tires and fuel, gaining seven positions on pit road and returning to the field in 17th place with 29 laps remaining in stage one. With 15 laps to go in the stage, the team opted to pit under caution to inspect the brakes and put on scuff tires used for one lap in Friday’s practice. Van Gisbergen crossed the green-and-white checkered flag to end stage one in 24th place.
- The No. 97 WeatherTech team pitted during the stage break caution for four new tires, fuel, and adjustments. Van Gisbergen battled throughout the stage and held onto his position, finishing it in 24th.
- Van Gisbergen pitted under the stage break caution for new tires, fuel & adjustments, starting Stage three in 18th. The No. 97 battled in the top 20 through the first 50 laps in the stage, reaching 17th. With 50 laps remaining in the race, the No. 97 team pitted under green for four tires and fuel. Van Gisbergen ran his fastest lap (31.207 seconds) of the race with 36 laps remaining. The first caution of the stage came out with 32 laps remaining, and Van Gisbergen opted to pit under yellow to get four scuffed tires, restarting 16th. Van Gisbergen took the checkered flag in 19th.
“It’s so crazy going into a race and never seeing the place before. Struggled a bit on the wets, but once we got back on the slicks, it was good. Had some fun, learned and got better and better every stage. Feeling pretty competitive on ovals, looking forward to next week.”
– Shane van Gisbergen
- Josh Williams started 17th, as per the rule book, after qualifying for the Sci Aps 200 was canceled due to weather.
- After making one pace lap, NASCAR called all competitors down pit road to change to wet weather tires. After a 15-minute delay, Williams took the green flag and subsequently gained one spot over the first 11 laps. The caution came out to allow teams to change to slick tires, and after the No. 11 crew changed tires and added fuel, Williams fell to 22nd for the lap-17 restart due to being boxed in at his stall. He lost one position during the short green flag run before a stalled car on track brought out the yellow on lap 29. Williams stayed out and restarted in lap 33 in 19th, but another yellow came out on lap 36. He pitted for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment and restarted in 29th with six laps to go in stage one. He finished the stage in 25th.
- Williams rolled for the second stage from 11th on lap 52 but lost eight spots on the restart lap. He continued to fall down the order, leaving him to finish the all-green middle stage in 25th.
- Williams pitted for tires, fuel, and a set of track bar and wedge adjustments during the stage break. He restarted in 22nd on lap 98 and made it to 21st by the time the yellow flag waved once again on lap 102. Firing back off in 21st on lap 106, Williams coasted there until the green flag pit cycle, stopping on lap 159 from 10th. He cycled out in 29th, and the caution came out shortly after on lap 168 while Williams was running in 28th. Restarting with 26 to go in 25th, he gained two spots before the yellow was displayed again two laps later. He pitted for tires, fuel and wedge and track bar adjustments, taking the green from 26th on lap 182. A wreck ensued in front of Williams, and he narrowly avoided it, leading to him restarting from 21st with 12 laps to go. Multiple start-and-stop cautions occurred over the remaining laps, ensuring the race ended in overtime. Williams crossed the line in 24th.
“We struggled really bad all day finding the right balance. All we can do is hope that we improve at the next one. Nashville’s a fun track, and I think we’ll do well there.”
– Josh Williams
- AJ Allmendinger started 22nd, as per the rule book, after qualifying for the Sci Aps 200 was canceled due to weather.
- As the field made its pace laps, the cars came down pit road to follow suit with NASCAR’s damp weather protocol, to put wet condition tires on. While doing that, the No. 16 team made a track bar adjustment and cleaned the windshield. Upon re-entering the track, Allmendinger radioed that he had too much grip. A competition caution fell on lap 11 as the weather departed, allowing teams to put slick tires on. Allmendinger restarted 11th and advanced two positions until the caution fell on lap 29 for a stalled car. Restarting ninth, the field was brought under caution once again, this time after the No. 98 drove into the back of Allmendinger who inadvertently spun the No. 48. With six laps to go in stage one, the No. 16 Campers Inn RV Chevy restarted fifth. Gaining one more spot to earn seven stage points, Allmendinger finished the stage in fourth.
- Allmendinger was considerably pleased with his No. 16 and stated that the car was rolling in the center well but was too free on exit. Pitting for tires, fuel and a tear off, he started stage two from the 21st position. As the stage proceeded, Allmendinger worked his way up to 13th before he radioed, “That’s all I’ve got, just no speed.” Blocked in by the No. 1 and No. 2, Allmendinger had trouble advancing, but managed to find something to gain one position and finish stage two in 13th.
- Maintaining his grievances, Allmendinger continued to inform his team that he lacked “raw speed” and that he needed more turn in the center. Bringing the No. 16 to pit road for service, the Campers Inn RV team put on four tires and topped off on fuel. Starting the final stage 11th, Allmendinger settled in for the final 100 laps of the event. Prior to green flag pit stops, the No. 16 was running lap times comparable with the top-eight cars, all while running 12th. During his green flag pit stop, Allmendinger took four scuff tires, fuel and a slight air pressure adjustment. The caution flew with 12 laps to go, and Allmendinger was instructed to drive through the wreck. Unscathed and restarting 11th with six laps to go, Allmendinger maintained to finish the Sci Aps 200 in 11th.
“It was a tough day for our No. 16 team. We had a great car early on, but as the race continued, we lost mechanical speed and the handling went. We will continue to push through, and we’ll keep working hard for the finishes we deserve.”
– AJ Allmendinger
