FORT WORTH, Texas — During the final caution of Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas Motor Speedway crew chief Andrew Overstreet radioed an encouraging message to pole winner Justin Allgaier.
“Nothing stops a hungry gator,” said Overstreet, referencing Allgaier’s Little Gator nickname. “Not even the so-called ‘Greatest of All-Time.’”
But Kyle Larson, the G.O.A.T Overstreet referenced, proved too much for Allgaier during a 17-lap green-flag run to the finish. Though Allgaier caught Larson in the closing circuits, he couldn’t find a way past his JR Motorsports teammate, who won his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts event in four starts this season.
“I really didn’t think I had a chance there with Justin behind me,” said Larson, who beat Allgaier to the finish line by 0.293 seconds. “He was really good, catching me there on that long run after the (earlier) green-flag stop (on Lap 145 of 200).
“I was just hoping in clean air I could kind of get away, like I did the run before to start stage 3, but he was (able to get) behind me, and he could run a lot of different lanes back there, too. I was trying to do what I could to take his air away while also maintaining a good corner for myself, but he was always closing on me.
“Thanks to him for racing me clean… that was a great little run to the end there.”
The victory was Larson’s second straight at Texas and third overall and the 18th in the series of his career.
Though Allgaier matched his best finish at Texas and increased his series lead to 121 points over second-place Sheldon Creed, the disappointment was etched in the face of the runner-up.
“Without contact, I don’t know if there was any way to get around him, and I tried everything I could possibly try and just unfortunately came up short,” said Allgaier, a three-time winner this season. “JR Motorsports 1-2, obviously that’s a big deal…
“I don’t know. I’m going to go back and watch this one a bunch and try to figure out what I could have done better.”
Larson was first off pit road under caution for Rajah Caruth’s crash off Turn 2 on Lap 179. Allgaier was third behind Brandon Jones and lined up behind Larson in the bottom lane for the Lap-184 restart.
Allgaier quickly cleared Jones and took off in pursuit of Larson, using the top lane to gain time on his teammate. Though Allgaier got to Larson’s bumper in the closing laps, he was stymied in his efforts to pass for the win.
Sam Mayer finished third, one spot ahead of rookie Brent Crews, who collected a $100,000 bonus as the highest-finishing eligible Dash 4 Cash driver. It was the first such payout for Crews in the final Dash 4 Cash event of the season.
Parker Retzlaff came home fifth, followed by Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Jones, Jesse Love and Jeremy Clements.
The race was punctuated by seven cautions (for 36 laps), the first of which was a bifurcated five-car wreck on the opening lap.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Corey Day entered the race fourth in the series standings and exited the event after a hard crash into the Turn 2 wall on Lap 1.
Day started the race sixth in the outside lane and lost control near the exit of one of NASCAR’s most treacherous corners.
“Starting outside, you’ve got to run up there through the first corner,” Day said. “I don’t know. I didn’t feel like I was faster through the corner than the guys in front of me, but I was all good, and all of a sudden I’m sideways, and there’s no saving it coming off of (Turn) 2 like that.
“I hate it for my 17 guys. We had such a good car yesterday, and for me to go ruin it lake that on the first lap of the race, I feel terrible.”
Larson led a race-high 93 laps, followed by Allgaier (54), who won the first 45-lap stage wire-to-wire. Connor Zilisch won Stage 2 before fading to 21st in the final segment.
Larson, Crews and Zilisch provided a breathtaking moment on Lap 105, running three-wide through Turn 4 and bouncing off each other before Larson took the lead. Larson was amazed all three cars escaped without harm.
“I thought for sure it was going to be big,” said Larson, who will race as defending NASCAR Cup Series champion in Sunday’s Wurth 400 Presented by LIQUI MOLY.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
(3) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 200.
(1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.
(17) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.
(5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.
(10) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 200.
(11) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.
(7) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 200.
(2) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.
(21) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.
(8) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 200.
(14) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 200.
(18) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 200.
(15) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 200.
(9) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.
(16) William Sawalich, Toyota, 200.
(22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 200.
(28) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 200.
(26) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 200.
(37) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 200.
(27) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 200.
(4) Connor Zilisch(i), Chevrolet, 199.
(24) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 199.
(20) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 199.
(38) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 199.
(29) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 199.
(25) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.
(33) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 198.
(36) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 198.
(35) David Starr, Chevrolet, 197.
(23) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 196.
(32) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 194.
(30) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, 189.
(12) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 188.
(13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, Accident, 180.
(19) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Accident, 17.
(34) Brad Perez, Chevrolet, Accident, 17.
(6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, DVP, 1.
(31) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 1.