Sheldon Creed led 53 laps and beat Corey Day at Darlington, while stage winners Justin Allgaier and Anthony Alfredo took contrasting routes to the finish.
Race Summary
Sheldon Creed opened the O'Reilly Series Chase with a Darlington victory built on track position and a decisive pit stop. His crew put the No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet ahead after Stage 2, and Creed protected that advantage through the remaining restarts. He led 53 laps and beat Corey Day by 2.961 seconds.
Day recovered from a bruising race to finish second. Brent Crews took third, followed by Sammy Smith and Austin Hill. Anthony Alfredo won Stage 2 and finished sixth, ahead of Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Jeremy Clements and Brandon Jones.
Justin Allgaier won Stage 1 and led a race-high 60 laps, but contact with the wall during the final run contributed to a slide to 17th. Rajah Caruth recovered into the top 10 before a recurring fuel problem forced another late stop; he finished 26th.
The win was Creed's second in the series and brought him within seven points of championship leader Allgaier. NASCAR completed inspection of the 38-car field. Seven cautions covered 38 laps, and the 147-lap race included eight lead changes among seven drivers.
Inspection confirmed Creed's victory. The Nos. 00, 19 and 21 each had a loose lug nut, while the No. 2 incurred an at-track inspection penalty. Those four teams lose pit-stall selection at Gateway; the Darlington finishing order stands.
Fantasy Recap
Creed also topped FantasyJolt scoring with 58.3 base points. Alfredo's stage win and sixth-place finish produced 51.9 points at a $9 salary. Day added 50.1, Hill scored 50.0, and pole winner Carson Kvapil contributed 47.0 despite finishing 12th.
Kvapil recorded the fastest verified complete green-flag lap, a 30.632-second circuit on Lap 2. He was the sole recipient of the FantasyJolt fastest-lap bonus.
The strongest lineup paired Creed and Alfredo with Sammy Smith, Clements and Kyle Sieg. Smith's fourth-place finish and Stage 2 points supplied 46.0 base points; Clements contributed 37.0 at $9, while Kyle Sieg added 27.0 at $7.
FantasyJolt Perfect Lineup
| Group | Driver | Salary | Base Points | Multiplied Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Sheldon Creed | $13 | 58.3 | 116.60 |
| B | Anthony Alfredo | $9 | 51.9 | 90.83 |
| C | Sammy Smith | $12 | 46.0 | 69.00 |
| D | Jeremy Clements | $9 | 37.0 | 46.25 |
| E | Kyle Sieg | $7 | 27.0 | 27.00 |
The lineup used the full $50 salary cap and scored 349.68 points.
Looking Ahead
The O'Reilly Chase continues at World Wide Technology Raceway next Saturday. Allgaier retains the points lead, but Creed's Darlington result has narrowed the gap with eight races left.