ALLGAIER Nothces another Top 5 at Nashville.. Heads to Lucas Oil Raceway Park
Allgaier Notches Another Top-Five Finish at Nashville Superspeedway
Lebenon, Tenn.
Justin Allgaier and the No. 31 Dollar General team made their way to Music City for the Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway this Saturday evening. Allgaier fought from the front and from the back, and ultimately brought home his No. 31 Dollar General Chevy with a fourth-place finish.
The Dollar General crew unloaded for two practice sessions on Friday. By the end of the session, he was listed 14th on the speed charts. The 24-year-old Riverton, Ill.-native returned to the track Saturday afternoon and qualified the No. 31 machine in the 16th position with a time of 31.435-seconds to start the 225-lap event.
From the drop of the green flag, the Chevy driver picked off the competition as he climbed towards the top-10. He reported to crew chief Jimmy Elledge that he was free in the center of the corner and was fighting for grip , but still managed to gain several positions. By lap 45, he found himself inside the top-10 battling for the ninth position. On lap 58, Allgaier brought his No. 31 Chevy to pit road as green-flag began. The crew quickly went to work giving him four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. As the stops cycled through the field, he found himself one lap down to the leader but was running just outside the top-10 in the 11th position.
The caution flew for the first time that evening on lap 81 with Allgaier in the 11th position. He, along with much of the field, took the wave around to get back on the lead lap. He restarted the race in the 10th position. Over the next several laps he climbed as high as seventh. Once again, the field began making another round of green-flag pit stops. Allgaier brought his machine to pit road on lap 116 for four tires and a full tank of fuel. While making his stop he went back one lap down, but just ten laps later the caution flew, allowing him to take the wave around. He restarted in the 14th position on lap 134 and, almost immediately, reported that he was fighting a loose condition.
As laps ticked away he re-entered the top-10 on lap 153 and, by lap 168, had moved up to eighth. The caution flag was displayed once again on lap 176, allowing Allgaier and the competition to hit pit road. Under this stop the Nationwide Series championship contender took four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. He returned to the track in the seventh position, just in front of Dollar General Racing teammate Reed Sorenson. Upon the restart, he and Sorenson battled for position, at times going three-wide with the competition. Allgaier charged forward, and entered the top-5 on lap 200. He drove hard and smart, and brought the No. 31 Dollar General machine home to a fourth-place finish at the end of the evening. Allgaier remained fourth in points, but is only 30 markers out of the championship lead.
“What a day. Had some trouble in the pits and got behind. I think we made lemonade out of lemons for sure. I couldn’t be prouder of our guys. It was super hot all weekend and they kept their noses down and fighting. I am very proud to have represented Dollar General in the No. 31 this weekend,” said Allgaier.
Next Stop: The NASCAR Nationwide Series teams will head to the Hoosier State next Saturday for the Kroger at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. The Saturday evening race will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN2 and on MRN Radio affiliates. LIVE coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. EST.
