BROOKLYN, Mich. – In the last two seasons, JR Motorsports Chevrolets have been fast at Michigan—just not quite fast enough.
Justin Allgaier, for one, hopes that changes in Saturday’s Cabo Wabo 250 at 2.0-mile Michigan International Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
In each of the last two seasons, JRM has placed three of its Camaros in the top six finishing positions at MIS. Last year, Allgaier was runner-up to Ty Gibbs, who is defending his victory as a double-duty driver this weekend.
“Michigan has been a strong place for this team, and really (for) everyone at JR Motorsports for the last few seasons,” Allgaier said. “We came close to getting the win here last year, and hopefully we can be that one spot better this weekend.
“We have had some unbelievable speed here lately, and I know that (crew chief) Jim (Pohlman) and everyone on this No. 7 team will give me just as strong a car again this weekend. Hopefully, we can avoid any trouble out there and come away with the win when the checkered flag falls Saturday.”
Allgaier’s teammate, Sam Mayer, hasn’t fared well at Michigan, as a pair of 33rd-place finishes in his only two starts there will attest.
But Mayer picked up his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory last Saturday at Road America, and he expects the momentum to carry over into the Irish Hills.
“Michigan has been a tough track for me in the past, but I’m looking forward to getting back up there this weekend, especially coming off the thrill of my first career win,” Mayer said.
“Road America was a dream come true, and now that we finally got that first one out of the way, I’m looking to keep this hot streak going and see what we can do in Michigan.”
There are six races left before the Xfinity Series Playoff field is set, and the battle for the regular-season championship has become a hotly contested affair. Austin Hill, a four-time winner this season, took over the top spot in the standings with a third-place finish at Road America.
Hill currently leads second-place John Hunter Nemechek by 14 points.
Source: Reid Spencer/NASCAR Wire Service
