LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Justin Allgaier’s hot start to the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season ended abruptly during Saturday afternoon’s Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.
Allgaier, driving the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet started from seventh based on owner points from the 2018 season – after rain washed out qualifying Saturday morning.
From the drop of the green flag, Allgaier steadily pedaled forward and kept in contention for his first win of the season. After finishing seventh during Stage 1, adjustments to Allgaier’s No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet allowed the Riverton, Illinois native to finish Stage 2 in sixth.
Restarting 11th for the start of Stage 3, Allgaier began his march back inside the top-10 but shortly into the run, Allgaier’s Chevrolet began to develop smoke. The 10-time Xfinity Series winner soon radioed to his crew that he believed he was losing a cylinder.
The problem worsened over the next few laps which forced Allgaier to take his automobile to the garage and retire from the race.
“I just hate it for the BRANDT Professional Agriculture, everybody back at the shop and all of our partners,” said Allgaier. “We weren’t quite as good as what we needed to be to contend for the win today, but we had a solid top-five car I thought there and don’t have anything to show for it.”
After finishing seventh in the series’ standings at the end of the 2018 season, Allgaier started off this year on a hot streak finishing second at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and third last Saturday at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway behind Christopher Bell and Cole Custer.
Saturday’s troubles ended a four-race top-10 streak at Las Vegas dating back to 2016. Last fall, he finished second to Ross Chastain.
Allgaier, 33, entered Saturday’s race third in the series standings but dropped four spots to seventh following his 31st place finish.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
