NASCAR & ARCA Race Weekend Recap (Talladega , All American, Salem Speedway
Winners: Chase Elliott (Cup); AJ Allmendinger (Xfinity); Matt DiBenedetto (Trucks) Sammy Smith (ARCA Menard) plus Cole Moore (ARCA West)
NASCAR Cup
Chase Elliott’s win at Talladega & Advances to Round of 8
Always the unquestionable fan favorite at NASCAR’s famed Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Georgia-native Chase Elliott made a last-lap pass to claim the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 victory Sunday afternoon — having to better one of his best friends, Ryan Blaney, to earn the first automatic bid into the next round of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
With two laps to go, Elliott pulled his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet from the bottom lane to the top lane and got a huge push from behind by Petty GMS Racing driver Erik Jones — the momentum enough to edge fellow playoff competitor Blaney by a slight 0.046 seconds at the line and give him a chance to hoist his series-best fifth trophy of the season; 18th of his seven-year NASCAR Cup Series career.
“Moments like that, you have to really cherish and you guys are what makes this special to me,” Elliott, 26, told the cheering fans. “So, thank you sincerely, I really appreciate it.”
“It was a wild last couple laps. I wasn’t super crazy about being on the bottom and fortunately I got just clear enough off of [Turn] 2 to slide up in front of Erik [Jones] and he gave me some great shoves, obviously a Team Chevy partner there. Just had a good enough run to get out front and then was able to stay far enough in front of Ryan [Blaney] at the line to get it done.
“These things are so so hard to win, you gotta enjoy them and just appreciate everyone’s effort today.”
Pole: Christopher Bell
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Next Race: The Cup Series will return on 10/09/2022 for the the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
NASCAR Xfinity
AJ Allmendinger Wins Playoff Race in Photo Finish
Three times A.J. Allmendinger has led the white flag lap on a superspeedway track and not been able to lead that next lap to earn the big trophy.
On Saturday, the veteran waited and pulled ahead of the field in the final feet coming to the Sparks 300 checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway and edged 19-year old Sam Mayer by .015 seconds – about three feet — in a photo finish to earn his first NASCAR Xfinity Series win at NASCAR’s biggest track.
“Let’s go,” an absolutely elated Allmendinger screamed into the grandstands after climbing out of his car and accepting the checkered flag at the iconic track.
“Gosh, we’ve been so close to winning one (superspeedway race) and I feel like I keep giving them away,” Allmendinger said. “Thought I might have given it away. I’m still learning, trying to know what too big of a lead is. But honestly, all credit to (Kaulig teammate) Landon Cassill.
“He kept shoving me. He stuck with me. That’s what is great about Kaulig Racing. When you have teammates like Landon and Daniel (Hemric) that you know wherever you go, they’ll go with you. So thank you Landon.
“Man, I just wanted to win a superspeedway and finally got it,” added a grinning Allmendinger, who now claims 14 career Xfinity Series victories.
Pole: Austin Hill
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Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on 10/08/2022 for the Drive for the Cure 250 presented by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
NASCAR Trucks
Matt DiBenedetto scores first Truck Series win at Talladega
It took a lot of last lap gumption on the Talladega Superspeedway high banks and an official “race finish review” afterward, but longtime competitor Matt DiBenedetto earned his first NASCAR national series race victory in Saturday’s Chevy Silverado 250 Camping World Truck Series race.
Because the race ended under caution, NASCAR officials reviewed video to determine who was leading when an accident froze the field coming to the checkered flag. Ultimately, it marked the first and only lap the former NASCAR Cup Series driver DiBenedetto had ever led in the truck series – and it delivered his first trophy.
It marked the fifth consecutive Talladega truck race that the winner led only the last lap.
“Oh man, it’s been such a long time coming,” said DiBenedetto, who recently renewed his contract with the No. 25 Rackley WAR Chevrolet team. “I’m so thankful.
“It just seems so surreal,” DiBenedetto added before offering good wishes to fellow driver Jordan Anderson, who was transported to the hospital after an accident on Lap 19.
“I think my heart rate was higher waiting for that than [taking] the white flag.”
Pole: John H. Nemechek
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Next Race: The Truck Series will return on 10/22/2022 for the Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
ARCA Menard
Sammy Smith Leads Them All for Dominant Victory
Dominant performances have become the norm for Sammy Smith in 2022.
The status quo remained in place during the Herr’s Snacks 200 at Salem Speedway on Saturday afternoon, as Smith led every lap to claim his eighth victory between the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East this season.
Despite having never seen Salem prior to the weekend, Smith never once doubted that his car would be the strongest yet again once the green flag waved.
“[It all comes down to] preparation,” Smith said. “[Salem] is pretty close to Winchester [Speedway] as well, but it was a good day overall and I’m glad we were able to win.”
Pole: Sammy Smith
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Next Race: The ARCA Series will return on 10/08/2022 for the Shore Lunch 200 at Toledo Speedway for their season finale.
ARCA -West
Cole Moore Wins His First West Series Race
Cole Moore surely wishes his first ARCA Menards Series West win would have come at some point within his first 17 starts over the last two years. He had come so close to Victory Lane on so many occasions.
But it’s also hard to imagine a more perfect time and place for that first victory than the NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Berco Redwood on Saturday night at All American Speedway in Roseville California.
Moore, the 25-year-old who grew up in Granite Bay, California, just a short drive from the third-mile bullring of an oval, notched his first West Series victory with a convincing performance at his home track. And he did so with his father John Moore in the field as a competitor.
“That was a tough one,” Cole said of the closing laps. “I had Jake [Drew] right there with me at the end. Those top restarts, it was risky. I knew he could send it in and hit me, but he drove me clean. We had a great car. Shoutout to Bill McAnally Racing. First win of the year for me; first of my career. I’m so happy.”
Pole: Jake Drew
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Next Race: The ARCA Series West will return on 10/14/2022 for the Star Nursery 150 at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor.
source: NASCAR Media
