Ty Gibbs took no prisoners on Saturday with a winning move that dramatically changed the composition of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 field.
On the final lap of the third overtime attempt, Gibbs rammed future ex-teammate Brandon Jones so hard that the contact warped the hood of Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota.
A look back at the finish of Saturday’s race at @MartinsvilleSwy. #NASCAR Playoffs pic.twitter.com/QzJGs9y4js
—NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 29, 2022
The contact sent Jones, who had taken the lead on the previous lap, into the outside wall at Turns 1 and 2, and Gibbs had the lead when NASCAR called the 14th warning of the race due to wreckage.
By then Gibbs had already clinched one of the two remaining spots in the Championship 4 Round, but the bulldozing robbed Jones of an opportunity to race for the series title next Saturday at Phoenix Raceway.
As a chorus of boos rained down from the grandstand, Gibbs made no apologies for the tactic which made him a race winner for the sixth time this season, first time at Martinsville and 10th time in 50 Xfinity Series starts.
“It certainly wasn’t a clear decision, that’s for sure,” Gibbs said. “I definitely didn’t want to destroy him, but I really wanted to get him out of the groove so I could go and win. I felt like we lost the spring race by getting emotional with him.
“He’s my teammate, but he absolutely wants to win here. It’s important to win. And now we are going to the championships. It’s cool. I hope I don’t get hit by cans or anything here.
“We were moved earlier this year, so that’s part of it.”
Jones took pole and led 98 laps to Gibbs 102, but finished 23rd, the last driver on the lead lap.
“I know Ty well enough to know he doesn’t care what he’s done,” said Jones, who will join JR Motorsports next season. “He’s pretty much, well – he wasn’t ‘just about’ – he was locked in the next round. So really, what did it do?
“I don’t really understand the movement. I understand that trying to get aggressive – you want to win the race. But just destroying the racing car, I don’t see it. I get no satisfaction from it. Maybe he does. Maybe he likes to win that way? But I never had and never felt strong to run that way. So we’ll just take it and go.
Jones’ misfortune lifted veteran Justin Allgaier, his future JR Motorsports teammate, into the bottom 4 Championship spot. Jones needed a win to claim the spot, but Allgaier was able to advance on points, which he made 12 points over regular season champion AJ Allmendinger.
Allgaier finished fifth and Allmendinger 16th after contact between their cars cut Allmendinger’s left rear tire as the drivers played bumper and swapped positions during the final stages of the race. Allgaier was happy to move on but less than thrilled with how it went.
“I can’t even describe it,” Allgaier said. “It’s disappointing to get to the point where it’s unfortunately easier to pass someone than to pass them. Really proud of our team. We never gave up until the checkered flag fell. I had a ton of damage right there (from a collision on lap 262 in the second overtime) but made it to the final lap.
After the race, Allmendinger looked for Allgaier on pit road and congratulated him.
“You get to the end, (Allmendinger) was pushing pretty hard,” Allgaier said. “He chose to meet us enough times to get you to the point where you have to go. He knew when he turned left we were going to hit.
“I hate it for these guys. I don’t know if we could have raced 25 laps fighting as hard as we did there at the end. They had a great season. We had a great season. It’s so tough when it comes to the last race, especially in a place like Martinsville.
Gibbs and Allgaier will race for the Series Championship in Phoenix against Josh Berry and Noah Gragson, who earned their Championship 4 spot with respective victories in Las Vegas and Homestead-Miami in the Round of 16.
Non-Playoff drivers Sheldon Creed and Riley Herbst finished second and third after the late-race scrum, followed by the JR Motorsports trio of Gragson, Allgaier and Sam Mayer. Nick Sanchez, Daniel Hemric, Austin Hill and Blaine Perkins complete the top 10.
Along with Allmendinger and Jones, Hill and Mayer were eliminated from the Playoffs.
RESULTS
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