
Austin Cindric Wins 2020 Xfinity Series Championship and the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 on Saturday at Phoenix Raceway.
After establishing the pace most of the afternoon, 22-year old Austin Cindric ultimately relied on his raw determination to claim the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. The Team Penske driver pulled off the most clutch lap-pass of his young career to take the race victory in Saturdayâs Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 and earn his first NASCAR title.
Austin Cindric Wins 2020 Xfinity Championship
After pitting for tires just before a final overtime restart, Cindric was able to work his way forward at the final green flag and got around Noah Gragson on the last lap – driving away to a 0.162-second victory for his sixth win of the season, easily the most celebrated of his career.
After celebratory donuts in his car, Cindric pulled himself out of the driverâs window, climbed on top of his bright yellow No. 22 Team Penske Ford, and flashed No. 1 victory signs on both hands before waving a giant championâs flag.
âThere was a lot of work put into this race car,” a grinning Cindric said, carefully taking the time to thank everyone from his team owner, NASCAR Hall of Famer Roger Penske, to his sponsors, his team, pit crew, spotter, and ultimately his mom and dad.
âIâm speechless, I canât believe it. You know the equipment youâre in is the best of the best and the people youâre working with are the best of the best,” he added.
The Rest of the Best
Certainly as exuberant as Cindric understandably was, the other three members of the Championship 4 felt disappointment and dismay. Veteran Justin Allgaier, who led a race-high 77 laps â five more laps out front than Cindric â was in a position to try and secure his first NASCAR title.
The 34-year old driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet kept the field honest consistently throughout the evening but ultimately on that last restart Allgaier was unable to hold off Cindric who had fresher tires and was able to muscle around Allgaier and Allgaier’s JR Motorsports teammate Gragson.
Allgaier finished fifth and the other Championship 4 drivers: Justin Haley and Chase Briscoe finished eighth and ninth, respectively.
Gragson (second), Brandon Jones (third) and Michael Annett (fifth) were the non-Playoff drivers to finish in the top-five. Harrison Burton, Ross Chastain, Haley, Briscoe and Jeremy Clements round out the top-10.
âSo close but so far away,” Allgaier said. âFirst of all, hats off to Austin and the entire Team Penske group, theyâve been strong competitors all year. To have the race they did tonight, they were obviously the best car and they deserved to win. Iâm proud of my guys, proud of everybody at JR Motorsports.
âWe had a shot at it at the end and when itâs all said and done, thatâs all you can really ask for.”
Competitive Championship 4
For most of the race the title contending quartet ran up front. In addition to Cindric and Allgaier, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe showed the speed that had made him the winningest driver in the series this year. He won a career-high and season-best nine races and led 41 laps on this championship night, but a struggle to get his car comfortable, a late race spin and the loss of track position was a setback he ultimately couldnât overcome.
âJust a frustrating day, this is by far not my best race track,” said Briscoe, who will move into the SHR teamâs No. 14 NASCAR Cup Series ride next year.
âAt the start of the race for me, just to lead laps here, I was like âwow this is different.â I was just so loose at the beginning of the race and as the night came I was freer and freer and I donât know how many times I about wrecked into one. I ended up hitting the wall. Iâve got to do a whole lot better job. Thereâs just something about this place that I really struggle at. We have a lot of homework to do.
âDefinitely frustrating to finish fourth in the championship after the year we had, but overall to win nine races, itâs been a phenomenal year.”
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Point Standings
Haley, a three-race winner in 2020, didn’t lead any laps in his No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, but he rallied from a slow start and kept his car competitively among the top-ten.
“It’s been awesome,” Haley said of his Playoff berth. “Just the growth of this Kaulig Racing team from when I stepped into it last year and were out in the first round of the Playoffs.
“Just the courage and the faith and everyone at Kaulig Racing, we bet on each other. I love it. I love everyone there. Super excited and super blessed to have another year. Doesn’t sting as much because I know next year I get another chance at it.”
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – 22nd Annual Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200
Phoenix Raceway
Avondale, Arizona
Saturday, November 7, 2020
1. (3) Austin Cindric (P), Ford, 206.
2. (6) Noah Gragson, Chevrolet, 206.
3. (8) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 206.
4. (10) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 206.
5. (1) Justin Allgaier (P), Chevrolet, 206.
6. (5) Harrison Burton #, Toyota, 206.
7. (7) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 206.
8. (4) Justin Haley (P), Chevrolet, 206.
9. (2) Chase Briscoe (P), Ford, 206.
10. (13) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 206.
11. (9) Riley Herbst #, Toyota, 206.
12. (14) Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 205.
13. (16) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 205.
14. (27) BJ McLeod, Toyota, 205.
15. (33) Bayley Currey(i), Chevrolet, 205.
16. (29) David Starr, Chevrolet, 205.
17. (31) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 205.
18. (15) Myatt Snider #, Chevrolet, 204.
19. (12) Brett Moffitt(i), Chevrolet, 204.
20. (25) Colby Howard, Chevrolet, 204.
21. (21) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 203.
22. (30) Kody Vanderwal #, Chevrolet, 203.
23. (19) Timmy Hill(i), Toyota, 203.
24. (24) Mason Diaz, Toyota, 202.
25. (18) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 201.
26. (34) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, 200.
27. (23) Joe Graf Jr #, Chevrolet, 199.
28. (37) Stan Mullis, Toyota, 198.
29. (20) Jesse Little #, Chevrolet, 198.
30. (36) Jesse Iwuji(i), Chevrolet, 197.
31. (11) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 196.
32. (22) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 185.
33. (28) Ryan Vargas, Chevrolet, 124.
34. (17) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, Engine, 73.
35. (32) Matt Mills, Toyota, Accident, 36.
36. (26) Donald Theetge, Chevrolet, Accident, 27.
37. (35) CJ McLaughlin, Chevrolet, Accident, 27.
The Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200
Average Speed of Race Winner: 92.342 mph.
Time of Race:Â Two Hrs, 13 Mins, 51 Secs. The Margin of Victory:Â 0.162 Seconds.
Caution Flags:Â Eight for 47 laps.
Lead Changes:Â 16 among seven drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Allgaier (P) 1-6;C. Briscoe (P) 7-33;J. Allgaier (P) 34;C. Briscoe (P) 35-48;J. Allgaier (P) 49;T. Martins 50-52;J. Allgaier (P) 53-82;A. Cindric (P) 83-93;J. Allgaier (P) 94;B. Jones 95-97;J. Allgaier (P) 98-129;A. Cindric (P) 130-162;R. Chastain 163-172;A. Cindric (P) 173-199;J. Allgaier (P) 200-204;N. Gragson 205;A. Cindric (P) 206.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):Â Justin Allgaier (P) seven times for 76 laps; Austin Cindric (P) four times for 72 laps; Chase Briscoe (P) two times for 41 laps; Ross Chastain one time for ten laps; Brandon Jones one time for three laps; Tommy Joe Martins one time for three laps; Noah Gragson one time for one lap.
Stage 1 Top-Ten: 98,22,7,9,10,1,11,20,18,19
Stage 2 Top-Ten: 22,7,98,19,9,1,11,20,51,21