The stages are 25-25-63 laps.MRN says its 80 degrees at the track. The skies are a cloudless blue. We’re dealing with the winds and cooler temps from Hurricane Ian, so it isn’t as comfortable here as Talladega, though we have plenty of sun.
Caution on lap 2 of 113 for a spin by LittleJoe. AJ Allmendinger (16) gave Justin Allgaier (7) a push into the back of LittleJoe (54) who lost it and tagged the wall.
TV is bored on lap 11 of 113 so they’ve gone to a windshield shot from some car making it impossible to really see what’s going on in the actual race. I imagine that might be interesting to Dale Jr since he spends so much time playing video games like iRacing, but for me, it’s a signal that they’re bored with the on-track racing product and scrambling for something else to show.
The front of the field is single file on lap 18 of 113. Basically all but a handful of cars are in a line in the top lane. NASCAR needs to do something to incentivize them to avoid logging laps single file throughout most of the Xfinity series super speedway races. Those guys have never really learned to do anything else. It’s a boring show for the fans who have no incentives to stay to the end of the event.
On lap 21 of 113 Brandon Jones (19) and JGR teammate Trevor Bayne (18) take a shot at creating a second lane. On lap 22 of 113 the guys behind them start racing each other making the inside lane behind Jones dissipate. He goes back into the top single-file lane.
Brandon Jones tries again with Trevor and LittleJoe going with him.
The top lane drops down in front of them when the inside lane gains momentum.
Austin Hill (21) gets the stage win.
They need to do better than this. I agree with tv; this is boring.
I wonder if the Xfinity series looks more boring following the exciting truck series race, or if it would look just as boring if I hadn’t already watched an enjoyable, intense, action-filled race. If the trucks did single-file I don’t remember it. So far, the Xfin cars have done entirely too much of it and we’re about a quarter of the way through the event. Super no bueno.
Trevor Bayne (18) is driving for Drew Dollar who couldn’t get out of some school commitments. he said he found out late during the week he was going to drive. His family arrived at the track shortly before pre-race ceremonies. Austin Hill (21) seems to think he should be leading. Trevor Bayne is showing his strengths. Brandon Jones is trying to get up front. They, along with Sheldon Creed (2), are trying to actually race, keeping things out of single-file mode.
Sheldon Creed kicked Bayne out of second position.
Austin Hill (21) wins stage two.
That stage was a little better than stage one, but there only seemed to be a handful of cars racing – or only a handful that are racy. I think a number of them are just hanging on for the end.
Sam Mayer (1) gets a speeding penalty.
Ryan Sieg (39) leads for a bit. Since there are three lanes moving currently, he’s having to block a lot to stay up front.
On lap 60 of 113 the middle lane has merged into the top lane; so now we’re down to two lanes.
On lap 62 of 113 there are four cars in the lower lane, and two of them just went single-file. By the end of the lap on Justin Allgaier was still in the inside lane. The field is totally single-file on lap 63 of 113. MRN called it shortly before it happened saying it was about time for the section of the race known as logging laps. That’s a sad statement that they’re normalizing it since it happens so often in these Xfinity series races. TV went to a split-screen for a commercial and a windscreen shot simultaneously so we couldn’t see anything of the race. They eventually went to a wider shot.
On lap 67 of 113 two cars, Jeb Burton (27) and 23 come in for green flag stops.
On lap 69 of 113 the majority of the field pit. Alex Weaver of MRN reports the Myatt Snider (31) and the 2 get locked up. TV shows Myatt Snider pitting backward in his stall. Striegle corrects Alex’s report stating the other car involved as Blaine Perkins (02).
The Toyotas pit on lap 70 of 113.
They continue single-file around the track.
Blaine Perkins (02) is pitting two stalls ahead of Snider. Perkins ran into the back of Snider as Myatt (31) slowed to enter his stall.
Okay, I’m bored and we have 37 laps remaining on lap 76 of 113. Feels like forever.
Lap 84 of 113 still single-file, still boring.
Lap 102 of 113 still single-file, still boring.
Lap 107 of 113 still single-file, still boring. MRN is greatly anticipating the move. Finally a second lane begins with Sam Mayer going up to create a lane on the outside and eight cars go with him.
They’re three wide for the lead and catching lap traffic.
The slower cars went to the wall and to the apron to get out of the way of the lead pack.
Two lines on lap 110 of 113.
Myatt Snider (31) has a tire down and spins on lap 111 of 113.
Sam Mayer (1) takes the white flag.
AJ Allmendinger (16) beats Sam Mayer (1) across the line. Another disappointing finish.
That was boring overall. There was a tiny bit of intensity during the second stage, but overall no intensity. There was a tiny bit of excitement during the second stage, but overall, no excitement. The race was only mildly competitive. It never felt like any car could win. It felt like the usual suspects were going to do the usual. That’s what happened. Boring.
Overall that race sucked. They did the usual and logged laps for most of the event, then raced the final two laps. Boring
Ryan Sieg (39) says this race is gone next season and is one of their four chances to win this season. That’s a sad statement.
The Roval is next week. That should be boring as usual.