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Justin Allgaier claimed his fourth win of the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity season on Saturday at Road America’s Johnsonville 180. This also marked his second-consecutive road-course victory with his win at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio two weeks ago.
“This team is awesome,” Allgaier said. “I told them on the radio after the race that it was an honor to drive these race cars. I can thank everyone enough that’s on this race team and back at JR Motorsports.”
Allgaier pitted on lap 27, a lap before the yellow flag waved for the sixth time. He stayed out and inherited the lead while the frontrunners pitted. James Davison got up to second and briefly took the lead from Allgaier on the restart with seven laps remaining. Allgaier quickly retook his lead and ran up front for the remainder of the race.
“The last restart, there, [James Davison] kind of left before I did, and [Matt Tifft] gave me a shot based on he didn’t think [Davison] was going,” Allgaier said. “I spun the tires really bad after I got hit. I thought I had gave it away. Then, when he made the mistake down in [turn] eight, I knew I just had to be smooth and fast.”
As Allgaier pulled away, Justin Marks and Davison battled physically for second in the closing laps. Both drivers spun and lost several positions. Marks was sixth and Davison eighth by the time the checkered flag fell.
Richard Childress Racing teammates Matt Tifft and Daniel Hemric finished second and third after each winning a 10-lap stage in the first 20 laps of the 45-lap race. Tifft took the first stage after starting on the pole and leading the first 10 laps. He gave up the lead to pit during the caution between the first two stages when drivers who pitted during one of two cautions earlier in the stage stayed out.
Matt Tifft on the pole
, Matt Tifft wins the pole for the Johnsonville 180 at Road America on Aug. 25, 2018., Getty Images for NASCARAustin Cindric took the lead for the restart to begin the second stage, but while leading, his engine blew and Hemric took the lead.
“I just blew up,” Cindric said. “At least we blew up in the lead.”
Tifft led additional laps later in the race, and a third RCR driver, Brendan Gaughan, also led laps before Allgaier’s final pit stop and well-timed caution got him up front.
Gaughan and Hemric both got off track with about five laps remaining, but unlike his teammate, Gaughan was unable to remain inside the top 10. Instead, he finished outside the top 20 in 24th.
NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Bill Elliott came out of retirement for his first NASCAR national level race since 2012. But after starting 23rd, Elliott was never a factor in the race. He finished 20th.
Bill Elliott returns
, Bill Elliott prepares to compete in his first NASCAR national-level race since 2012 in the Johnsonville 180 at Road America on Aug. 25, 2018., Getty Images for NASCARJOHNSONVILLE 180 RACE RESULTS:
1. Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Chevrolet
2. Matt Tifft, No. 2 Chevrolet
3. Daniel Hemric, No. 21 Chevrolet
4. Cole Custer, No. 00 Ford
5. Elliott Sadler, No. 1 Chevrolet
6. Justin marks, No. 42 Chevrolet
7. Ross Chastain, No. 4 Chevrolet
8. James Davison, No. 18 Toyota
9. Barndon Jones, No. 19 Toyota
10. Andy Lally, No. 90 Chevrolet
11. Kaz Grala, No. 61 Ford
12. Michael Annett, No. 5 Chevrolet
13. Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Chevrolet
14. Katherine Legge, No. 15 Chevrolet
15. Garrett Smithley, No. 0 Chevrolet
16. Alex Labbe, No. 36 Chevrolet
17. Ryan Ellis, No. 78 Chevrolet
18. Brian Henderson, No. 38 Chevrolet
19. Joey Gase, No. 35 Chevrolet
20. Bill Elliott, No. 23 Chevrolet
21. Spencer Boyd, No. 76 Chevrolet
22. Chad Finchum, No. 40 Toyota
23. Christopher Bell, No. 20 Toyota
24. Brendan Gaughan, No. 3 Chevrolet
25. Ryan Truex, No. 11 Chevrolet
26. Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Chevrolet
27. Vinnie Miller, No. 01 Chevrolet
28. Ty Majeski, No. 60 Ford
29. Scott Heckert, No. 8
30. Josh Bilicki, No. 45 Toyota
31. Conor Daly, No. 6 Ford
32. Carl Long, No. 66 Dodge
33. Stephen Leicht, No. 74 Dodge
34. Tyler Reddick, No. 9 Chevrolet
35. Timmy Hill, No. 13 Dodge
36. David Starr, No. 52 Chevrolet
37. Austin Cindric, No. 22 Ford
38. James French, No. 55 Toyota
39. Ryan Reed, No. 16 Ford
40. Jeff Green, No. 93 Chevrolet
UP NEXT: The Xfinity Series heads to the Darlington Raceway in South Carolina for the Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 on Sept. 1. It’s the first race of a NASCAR retro weekend doubleheader with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin won the Xfinity race at Darlington last year. The last Xfinity Series regular to win at Darlington was Elliott Sadler in 2016.
