By AMANDA VINCENT
John Hunter Nemechek put on a dominant performance to close the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season Saturday and won the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. It was his sixth win of the season and the 200th Xfinity Series win for Toyota.
“With us being able to get 200 wins for Toyota on the Xfinity side is something special,” Nemechek said. “I think is what makes it even more special is, after my year in Cup in 2020, the opportunity I had to go Truck racing with Kyle Busch – it wouldn’t have happened without KB or Toyota, TRD. To go Xfinity Series racing, it wouldn’t have happened without Coach (Joe Gibbs), Coy (Gibbs), and a lot of others that were involved, as well as Toyota, TRD. They mean a lot to me. I’m glad to continue my relationship with them in the future. Hopefully, we can win a lot more races together.”
Nemechek led 154 laps of the 200-lap race.
“Our Pye Barker Toyota GR Supra was really, really good. Hats off to this whole 20 crew, Toyota, TRD, everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing,” Nemechek said. “We finally got the Pye Barker colors back in victory lane. That’s really special. I have to say hello to (wife) Taylor, (daughters) Aspen and Penelope back home, as well. We will celebrate when we get home. Overall, amazing day, amazing car. We came in here with a goal to get a 60-point day to try maximize playoff points, and we were able to do so. It’s a huge step going into the playoffs. We definitely have momentum on our side. Looking forward to get started next weekend in Bristol.”
Brandon Jones finished second despite playing roles in two cautions. He spun into the infield grass on lap 75 and was collected in a lap-97 crash that also involved Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed and Sammy Smith.
Sheldon Creed finished third.
Parker Kligerman claimed the 12th and final playoff berth with a fourth-place finish at Kansas. He headed into the race with a one point deficit to Riley Herbst for the final spot. Kligerman and Herbst ran close to each other early in the race before Herbst began to struggle.
Herbst’s problems began on a lap-65 restart when Kligerman was slow to get going and cars stacked up around him. Herbst sustained damage and made an unscheduled pit stop for a flat tire, putting him two laps down. He eventually got back on the lead lap and was 10th when he made another unscheduled stop on lap 128.
Herbst finished the race 23rd.
By claiming the last available playoff slot, Kligerman joined a playoff field that also includes Austin Hill, Nemechek, Allgaier, Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, Creed, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith, Jeb Burton and Daniel Hemric.
Hill finished fifth and locked up the regular-season championship and the 15 bonus points that go with it. He headed into the race with cushions in excess of 20 points over Nemechek and Allgaier, the two drivers who headed into the race with a mathematical shot at the honor.
Allgaier finished 18th.
Nemechek won the first 45-lap stage after passing Allgaier on lap 41.
Allgaier dominated the opening stage but also was passed by Custer late and wound up third at the end of the stage.
The race got off to a slow start with the yellow flag racing three times in the first 20 laps, including a caution for Nick Leitz, making his series debut, and Anthony Alfredo on lap one. A debris caution came out on lap 13, followed by a lap-19 caution for Mayer and Kyle Weatherman.
Nemechek completed the stage sweep with a stage-two win after leading most of the second 45-lap stage. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Sammy Smith was second at the end of stage two.
Custer beat Nemechek off pit road after stage one, but Nemechek retook the lead on the lap-52 restart. Custer, then, lost second to Allgaier.
While running third, Custer wrecked on lap 60 after hitting a tire carcass from Jeremy Clements car. The yellow flag waved for the debris just as Custer hit it.
In all, the yellow flag waved 10 times Saturday. The final two cautions were results of Rajah Caruth spins on laps 138 and 145.
Finishing sixth through 10th in the Kansas Lottery 300 were Berry, Brett Moffitt, Derek Kraus, Joe Graf Jr., and Kaz Grala.
