Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove his way to victory lane at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, collecting his first Xfinity Series victory since 2010. Not only was this Earnhardt Jr.’s first win in six years but he did it in his own Jr. Motorsports race car. Ty Dillon who finished runner-up to Dale Earnhardt Jr. collected the $100,000 Dash for Cash prize as the highest-running Xfinity Series regular from the two heats prior to the race.
The #88 Hellmann Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. outlasted the hard charging Ty Dillon by .266 seconds. The 140-lap event went nine laps longer because of a massive wreck that reshuffled the field for the final charge. Even though Earnhardt Jr. led 128 of the 149 laps, the last two were contested to the bitter end by the competitive #3 WESCO-sponsored Chevrolet of Dillon. The win was Earnhardt Jr.’s fourth victory at Richmond and the first at this venue since finding the checkered flag in 2002.
“Those last couple of laps, we were real loose in the corner,” Earnhardt said. “I thought Ty was going to get to me — he tried to get to me. When we got to Turn 3, we drove into the corner wide-open.”
The wreck that occurred on lap 127 between last weeks Dash for Cash winner Erik Jones and fellow racer Mike Harmon, sent the field into the pits for fresh tires. When the cars were re-set on lap 135, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was in the third position behind Brennan Poole and fellow Jr. Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier.
Brennan Poole spun his tires when the green flag came out and Dale Earnhardt Jr. dove to the inside to take advantage of the mistake. The #7 Brandt Chevrolet of Justin Allgaeir, Poole’s hot-rod, and Earnhardt Jr.’s Chevrolet were three wide exiting Turn 1. Contact was made between Poole and Dale Jr., washing Poole up the track and clipping Allgaier’s machine. That incident created a chain reaction that sent nine cars into a massive pile-up behind Earnhardt Jr.
“When he spun the tires, I had to go to the inside,” Earnhardt said. “I tried not to drive up into him – I don’t think I got into him. They just kind of came together up there (in the outside lane) and had a heck of a wreck. I hate that it happened, but, man, I had to do what I had to do to try to get the win. We ran so well and led all those laps.”
Elliott Sadler driving the #1 OneMain Financial Chevrolet finished in the third position behind Ty Dillon. Sadler did not lead a lap in the 29th Annual Toyota Care 250 but took full advantage after the final wreck. The Jr. Motorsports racer now sits just seven points behind the Xfinity points leader Daniel Suarez.
Daniel Suarez and his #19 Juniper Networks Toyota finished in the fourth spot. Although Suarez’s car was competitive throughout the day, he also failed to lead a single lap in the contest. The fourth place finish kept Joe Gibbs Racing in sole possession of first in the Xfinity Series standings.
Ty Dillon’s older brother Austin Dillon finished in fifth. Dillon managed to keep his #2 RUDD Chevrolet up towards the front of the pack for the better part of the event. With a little luck and a aggressive last two-lap charge, Dillon managed a solid top five finish by holding of the Hass Automation Chevrolet of Cole Custer.
The Toyota Care 250 at Richmond International Raceway took one hour and eleven minutes to complete. 149 circuits were turned in which 20 of them came under the yellow caution flag that was waved only twice in the race. The average speed around the .75 mile oval was 93.623 miles per hour and the margin of victory was .266 seconds.
No Coors Light Pole Award was given due to inclement weather that impeded qualifying. Brennan Poole walked away with the Sunoco Rookie of the Race Award and Daniel Suarez claimed the Mobil 1 Driver of the Race honors. The MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Race went to Hendrick Motorsports (#88).
Final Results for the Toyota Care 250 at Richmond International Raceway:
1. (3) Dale Earnhardt, Jr.(i), Chevrolet, 149.
2. (2) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 149.
3. (9) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 149.
4. (6) Daniel Suárez, Toyota, 149.
5. (10) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 149.
6. (17) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 149.
7. (15) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 149.
8. (16) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 149.
9. (8) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 149.
10. (7) Brennan Poole #, Chevrolet, 149.
11. (18) Ryan Reed, Ford, 149.
12. (19) J.J. Yeley, Toyota, 149.
13. (12) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, 149.
14. (25) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 149.
15. (13) Brandon Jones #, Chevrolet, 148.
16. (11) Darrell Wallace, Jr., Ford, 148.
17. (22) Spencer Gallagher(i), Chevrolet, 148.
18. (14) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 148.
19. (21) Jeb Burton, Ford, 148.
20. (26) Garrett Smithley #, Chevrolet, 147.
21. (20) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 147.
22. (23) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 147.
23. (24) Ryan Preece #, Chevrolet, 146.
24. (29) Ray Black, Jr. #, Chevrolet, 146.
25. (30) Travis Kvapil(i), Ford, 146.
26. (32) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 146.
27. (31) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, 146.
28. (28) B.J. McLeod #, Ford, 146.
29. (33) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 145.
30. (37) Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 144.
31. (38) Timmy Hill(i), Dodge, 143.
32. (36) Todd Peck, Ford, 143.
33. (5) Matt Tifft(i), Toyota, Accident, 135.
34. (1) Erik Jones #, Toyota, Accident, 134.
35. (4) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, Accident, 134.
36. (34) Mike Harmon, Dodge, Accident, 123.
37. (27) Jeff Green, Toyota, Brakes, 104.
38. (35) Carl Long, Dodge, Brakes, 17.
39. (39) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Suspension, 12.
40. (40) Josh Wise(i), Chevrolet, Transmission, 7.
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