KANSAS CITY (NEXSTAR) — Aric Almirola clinched his second win of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season at the Kansas Lottery 300, held at Kansas Speedway. The race kicked off the Xfinity Series playoffs and delivered an action-packed day on the track.
The race got off to a slippery start as drivers struggled to keep control in the corners. Playoff contender Justin Allgaier had a rough day, hitting the wall twice—once on lap 68 and again on lap 74. Ultimately, Allgaier retired his car, finishing with only four points on the day.
As the race progressed, Sam Mayer took the lead, claiming the second stage victory and valuable playoff points. However, trouble struck behind him when Austin Hill failed to see Riley Herbst, sending Herbst into the grass and triggering the fifth of six caution flags.
The final laps saw a heated battle at the front. Cole Custer briefly claimed the lead from Chandler Smith, but he didn’t have the pace to maintain it. In a dramatic finish, Almirola surged from behind, taking the lead with five laps to go and holding on for the win.
Reflecting on the victory, Almirola said, “Just an amazing race car. That thing was so fast on the long run. We were able to really just pace the field after about 15 or 20 laps, so really proud of everybody on this team.”
The Kansas Lottery 300 marked a crucial moment as the Xfinity Series playoff race gets underway, and drivers continue to push for their spot in the championship.