Almirola Claims Dramatic Phoenix Xfinity Win with Last-Lap Pass
In a thrilling overtime finish at Phoenix Raceway's GOVX 200, Aric Almirola secured victory with a dramatic last-lap pass, edging out Alex Bowman by 0.045 seconds - the second-closest finish in track history.
Race cars on curved racing track
Almirola's No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota emerged victorious from a four-wide battle, leading 25 laps total. The 40-year-old Tampa native made the winning move less than 200 feet from the finish line, marking his eighth career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory.
Alex Bowman, who started on pole and led the first 70 laps, finished second after intense door-to-door contact with Almirola in the final turns. Brandon Jones completed the podium, followed by Ryan Sieg and Justin Allgaier, who led a race-high 130 laps.
The race saw a significant incident on lap 63 when Austin Hill misjudged the lower wall, collecting Sheldon Creed and Dean Thompson. This accident impacted the championship standings, with Jesse Love now leading Justin Allgaier by two points.
Final Top 10:
- Aric Almirola
- Alex Bowman
- Brandon Jones
- Ryan Sieg
- Justin Allgaier
- Taylor Gray
- Sam Mayer
- Christian Eckes
- Jesse Love
- Nick Sanchez
Racing officials discussing during event
The NASCAR Xfinity Series continues next Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with the LiUNA! race starting at 4:30 p.m. ET on CW.
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