During a nail-biting NASCAR Xfinity Series race, an intense finale was overshadowed by a horrific crash involving Ryan Sieg, whose car flipped dramatically in the chaos of the closing laps. Despite the severity of the accident, Sieg emerged unhurt.
The race culminated with Justin Allgaier clinching his 25th career Xfinity victory in an adrenaline-pumping two-lap overtime battle.
The race, punctuated by frequent rain delays and a total of nine cautions, certainly tested the mettle of its drivers. Allgaier’s victory wasn’t just another win; it held significant emotional weight, as he secured the triumph in Michigan—critical for his tea.
The final lap was marked by intense driving, starting when Carson Kvapil hit the outside wall, triggering a chain reaction among the mid-pack racers.
Logan Riely/Getty Images
The commotion sent both Ryan Sieg and Chandler Smith spinning to the inside, culminating in Sieg’s car experiencing a terrifying blowover.
The Georgia-born driver’s car went airborne, landed upside down, struck the inside wall, and rolled back onto its wheels as it slid across the grass. Miraculously, the 23-year-old driver walked away from his crumpled car, was examined at the infield care center, and released without major injuries.
In the post-race interviews, the focus shifted swiftly to Justin Allgaier, who was visibly moved by his accomplishment.
“I feel like I had to win because Dale Jr. is running Bristol and we all know he is probably gonna win that race after last year,” he told NBC, via Motorsport.com.
“The effort (they have) put in has been incredible. We did not show up to Indianapolis three weeks ago like we wanted to, and these guys have worked tirelessly through this break.”
Allgaier also acknowledged the incident with Sieg.
“It’s truly special. Winning at Michigan in the manufacturer’s backyard, these fans — But I hope whoever got turned over there is okay, but we’ll go on and celebrate this one for a while.”
Sheldon Creed, who finished in a strong second, shared his frustrations, particularly about the race’s timing and his conservative approach which may have cost him the win.
“This one might have frustrated me the most out of all of them so far,” Creed revealed. “I was a couple, few laps short on fuel there and the 7 (Allgaier) was in a little bit better spot, and once the 7 got around both of us, and the 88 (Kvapil), I knew I needed to go.”
Michigan NASCAR Xfinity Race Results
- J. Allgaier – 2:21’14.317
- S. Creed – +0.343
- J. Nemechek – +0.519
- A. Alfredo – +0.690
- S. Smith – +0.805
- N. Gragson – +0.806
- M. DiBenedetto – +0.853
- T. Gray – +1.022
- C. Bacarella – +2.142
- A. Allmendinger – +2.336
- P. Kligerman – +2.813
- L. Honeyman – +2.814
- R. Sieg – +3.125
- R. Ellis – +3.499
- J. Clements – +4.372
- J. Burton – +4.655
- S. van Gisbergen – +4.846
- A. Hill – +5.161
- J. Williams – +5.728
- P. Retzlaff – +5.840
- J. Earnhardt – +6.198
- E. Patrick – +6.509
- B. Perkins – +6.510
- J. Bilicki – +6.510
- L. Bearden – +11.065
- C. Kvapil – +33.589
- C. Smith – +52.209
- K. Sieg – +1 Lap
- J. Love – +1 Lap
- C. Custer – +17 Laps
- J. Gase – +27 Laps
- K. Weatherman – +34 Laps
- B. Poole – +57 Laps
- D. Dye – +62 Laps
- A. Lawless – +63 Laps
- B. Jones – +78 Laps
- S. Mayer – +79 Laps
- R. Herbst – +80 Laps