{"id":37408,"date":"2022-03-12T20:50:19","date_gmt":"2022-03-13T03:50:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=37408"},"modified":"2022-03-13T13:25:13","modified_gmt":"2022-03-13T18:25:13","slug":"noah-gragson-continues-hot-streak-with-victory-in-phoenix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2022\/03\/12\/noah-gragson-continues-hot-streak-with-victory-in-phoenix\/","title":{"rendered":"Noah Gragson continues hot streak with victory in Phoenix"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops\/TrueTimber\/BRCC Chevrolet, celebrates in the Ruoff Mortgage victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Holly Cain<\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

Noah Gragson came heartbreakingly close a week ago to his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of the 2022 season. On Saturday, his No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet left no doubt as to who would be hoisting the winner\u2019s trophy.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops\/TrueTimber\/BRCC Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Logan Riely\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Gragson led 72 of the final 87 laps \u2013 a race best 114 of 200 laps on the day – to earn the win in the United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway. He passed race runner-up Brandon Jones with 15 laps remaining, negotiated lapped traffic and ultimately pulled away to an impressive 2.555-second win.<\/p>\n

The 23-year old Las Vegas native and his team celebrated the victory by scaling the wire fence on the front straightaway and pumping their fists at the cheering crowd. It was not only the first win of the year, but it was the fourth straight top-five finish for the team and increased his Xfinity Series championship lead to a more substantial 39 points over rookie Ty Gibbs, who finished sixth Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cFeels great,\u2019\u2019 said a grinning Gragson, who now has six career Xfinity Series wins.<\/p>\n

\u201cPit crew executed great and this team has been on a roll so far this year,\u2019\u2019 he added. “Top three finishes in all four races. Can\u2019t thank everybody enough for all their hard work.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

\"\"

Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops\/TrueTimber\/BRCC Chevrolet, celebrates with his crew after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Jones, who used a short-pit strategy to close out the race, just couldn\u2019t hold off Gragson in the final laps of a race that had only four caution periods \u2013 and none in the final 101 laps of competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still all-in-all very happy to come home second,\u2019\u2019 said Jones, whose season got off to a rough start with a crash two weeks ago and a 17th place in the Daytona season-opener.<\/p>\n

There were 16 lead changes \u2013 primarily among Gragson, Jones \u2013 a former Phoenix winner \u2013 and Trevor Bayne, who won the 2011 DAYTONA 500 in his first try, but has raced sparingly in the last few years. Bayne won the pole position for Saturday\u2019s race and his third-place finish is his second top-five in as many starts in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Noah Gragson, driver of the #9 Bass Pro Shops\/TrueTimber\/BRCC Chevrolet, leads Brandon Jones, driver of the #19 Menards\/Jeld-Wen Toyota, Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Chevrolet, and Trevor Bayne, driver of the #18 Devotion Nutrition Toyota, during the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 200 at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Logan Riely\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Gragson\u2019s teammate Josh Berry, Bayne, and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top-five. The 19-year old Gibbs, who races for his grandfather Joe Gibbs\u2019 team, won last week at Las Vegas and finished sixth on Saturday. The three Kaulig Racing teammates A.J. Allmendinger, reigning Xfinity Series champion Daniel Hemric and Landon Cassill finished seventh, eighth and ninth respectively and Gragson\u2019s veteran JR Motorsports teammate, Justin Allgaier completed the top-10.<\/p>\n

Allgaier, a two-time Phoenix winner, had been running top-five all day \u2013 even leading five laps \u2013 but was penalized for a pit infraction on the final pit stop and had to race back through the field.<\/p>\n

Bayne won Stage 1 and Gragson won Stage 2 for a series best third stage victory of the season.<\/p>\n

The Xfinity Series races next at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the Nalley Cars 250 scheduled for next Saturday (5 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Allgaier is the defending race winner.<\/p>\n

Interview:<\/h3>\n

Noah Gragson – <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – 18th Annual United Rentals 200<\/strong><\/p>\n

Phoenix Raceway<\/strong><\/p>\n

Avondale, Arizona<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday, March 12, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

  1. (2)  Noah Gragson, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

  2. (5)  Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.<\/p>\n

  3. (8)  Josh Berry, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

  4. (1)  Trevor Bayne, Toyota, 200.<\/p>\n

  5. (11)  John Hunter Nemechek(i), Toyota, 200.<\/p>\n

  6. (3)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 200.<\/p>\n

  7. (17)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

  8. (15)  Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

  9. (22)  Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

  10. (24)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

  11. (4)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, 199.<\/p>\n

  12. (16)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  13. (26)  Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  14. (9)  Sheldon Creed #, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  15. (18)  Brett Moffitt, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  16. (35)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  17. (12)  Austin Hill #, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  18. (14)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  19. (23)  Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  20. (13)  Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

  21. (19)  Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

  22. (7)  Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

  23. (31)  Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

  24. (25)  Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

  25. (32)  JJ Yeley, Ford, 198.<\/p>\n

  26. (28)  Nicholas Sanchez, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

  27. (36)  Joe Graf Jr., Ford, 197.<\/p>\n

  28. (33)  Jade Buford, Chevrolet, 197.<\/p>\n

  29. (38)  Ryan Vargas, Chevrolet, 197.<\/p>\n

  30. (10)  Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 197.<\/p>\n

  31. (29)  David Starr, Ford, 196.<\/p>\n

  32. (20)  Kyle Sieg #, Ford, 196.<\/p>\n

  33. (27)  Kaz Grala(i), Chevrolet, 196.<\/p>\n

  34. (34)  Jeffrey Earnhardt, Toyota, 196.<\/p>\n

  35. (30)  Josh Williams, Chevrolet, Ignition, 178.<\/p>\n

  36. (6)  Parker Retzlaff, Ford, Fuel Pump, 158.<\/p>\n

  37. (37)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 147.<\/p>\n

  38. (21)  Riley Herbst, Ford, Accident, 20.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  98.698 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 1 Mins, 35 Secs. Margin of Victory:  2.555 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  4 for 33 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  16 among 6 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   T. Bayne 1-33;N. Gragson 34-41;T. Bayne 42;N. Gragson 43-44;T. Bayne 45-48;N. Gragson 49;B. Jones 50-54;N. Gragson 55-60;B. Jones 61-69;N. Gragson 70-94;J. Allgaier 95-99;B. Jones 100-101;J. Nemechek(i) 102-112;N. Gragson 113-169;R. Sieg 170-171;B. Jones 172-185;N. Gragson 186-200.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Noah Gragson 7 times for 114 laps; Trevor Bayne 3 times for 38 laps; Brandon Jones 4 times for 30 laps; John Hunter Nemechek(i) 1 time for 11 laps; Justin Allgaier 1 time for 5 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 2 laps.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 18,9,19,26,54,7,10,16,8,1<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 9,7,19,18,8,26,16,11,10,1<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain NASCAR Wire Service Noah Gragson came heartbreakingly close a week ago to his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of the 2022 season. On Saturday, his No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet left no doubt as to who would be hoisting the winner\u2019s trophy. Gragson led 72 of the final 87 laps \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":37405,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[16,181,511,395],"class_list":["post-37408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-nascar","tag-nascar-xfinity-series","tag-noah-gragson","tag-phoenix-raceway"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/GettyImages-1384675769.jpg?fit=2119%2C1413&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-9Jm","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37408"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37410,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37408\/revisions\/37410"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}