Hold onto your hats, race fans! The NASCAR Xfinity Series delivered a heart-stopping spectacle at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a race that will be talked about for a long time. The Focused Health 302 was an instant classic, filled with nail-biting moments and intense battles.
The race was a thrilling duel, primarily between three exceptional drivers: seasoned NASCAR Cup Series veteran Aric Almirola, the young phenom Connor Zilisch, and championship contender Jesse Love. These three were the ones to watch as soon as polesitter Justin Allgaier lost the lead on Lap 28. They traded the lead back and forth, showcasing their skill and determination.
A victory for any of these drivers would have been a game-changer, impacting either the Owner’s Championship (Almirola) or the Driver’s Championship (Zilisch and Love).
But here's where it gets controversial... The final stage began with a long 76-lap green-flag run, testing the drivers' endurance and strategy. Then, a caution with 27 laps to go, caused by Dean Thompson's spin, threw a wrench into the works. This caution reshuffled the deck, bringing other drivers into contention.
On the restart, Love, who had been in a strong position, fell back, while Nick Sanchez surged forward. However, the No. 48 Chevrolet faded, leaving Almirola and Zilisch to fight for the win. The closing laps were a white-knuckle affair, with Almirola chasing down Zilisch and making the winning pass with just nine laps remaining. Zilisch, however, didn't make it easy, mounting several attempts to regain the lead.
Ultimately, Almirola clinched the victory, his 10th in the Xfinity Series and his third of the 2025 season.
Almirola himself said, "Our car was really good, but the longer we ran, the tighter I got. And I was struggling on that long run at the beginning of Stage 3. And finally, that restart there, I just took off incredibly tight, and I couldn’t get going. [Nick Sanchez] kind of slowed my momentum down, and finally I got clear of him, and I was able to go chase [Zilisch] down. He looked loose, and I was able to capitalize on that."
Zilisch, despite finishing second, showed his disappointment. "The frustration just comes from how much – you know, this stuff means a lot to me, and you know, a chance to lock into Phoenix, you’ve got to take it," he said. "I mean, I gave it my all. I drove it as hard as I could, but yeah, I guess that’s all we had today. I’ve just got to do a better job. I just could not wrap the [inside] line. I sucked here in the Spring for the same reason, and we were just really loose and struggled to move around.”
As a result of his second-place finish, Zilisch now has an 82-point cushion above the cutline for the playoffs.
Justin Allgaier, a favorite to advance, finished third after starting on the pole. In fourth place, Corey Day had a career-best run. Nick Sanchez finished fifth, Jesse Love sixth, Ryan Sieg seventh, Taylor Gray eighth, Sam Mayer ninth, and Austin Hill rounded out the top 10.
And this is the part most people miss... Sheldon Creed finished 11th after struggling early in the race. Other playoff contenders, including Brandon Jones (13th), Carson Kvapil (15th), and Sammy Smith (20th), also had less-than-stellar performances.
Leaving Las Vegas, Zilisch leads the points, with an 82-point advantage. Allgaier (+44), Love (+20), and Mayer (+8) are above the cutline. Jones (-8), Creed (-21), Kvapil (-22), and Smith (-24) are still in the hunt.
The next race, the United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, is scheduled for next Saturday, October 18th at 4:00 PM ET.
What do you think of the race? Do you agree with Almirola's strategy? Do you think Zilisch could have done anything differently? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
