Erik Jones Wins A Long Bristol Race

xfinity drivers were looking to avoid the rain as they were at Bristol for 300 laps of short track racing.  Kyle Larson was able to win the pole in morning qualifying.  This is also the second Dash 4 Cash race with Justin Allgaier going for another 100,000 bonus check.

Kyle Larson got to lead a bunch of early laps and then at lap 20 Erik Jones took the race lead.  After a while Kyle Larson was back into the race lead and he started a whole mess load of the field at least one lap down.  With 6a laps left the first caution of the day comes out for Ryan Reed who smacked the wall.  By that time only 8 cars were left on the lead lap.  Ryan Reed was able to get the car to pit road, but lost a tire on the race track.  The race did not restart as Kyle Larson easily took the stage one win.  When pit road was finally open the leaders pit with Kyle Larson keeping the race lead off pit road.

“Blew a tire going into turn one,” said Ryan Reed.

The second stage started off with Kyle Larson leading more laps and with 51 laps left in the second stage we got the first caution of the day for a car that smacked the wall.  When the race continued it was Kyle Larson leading a bunch more laps as the rain was coming and closer to the track.  With 15 laps left Brennan Poole got his back bumper removed with some help from Darrel Wallace Jr. , but it did not bring out the caution.  With 11 laps left the caution did come out as rain was falling at the track.  Three laps go by and the cars were parked on pit road as the red flag came out.

As cars were about to get back onto the track for some more racing rain came back to the track to extend the red flag time longer.  Around 3:45 PM cars were back on the track and some cars were on pit road for service.  With two laps left in the second stage the green flag dropped with Daniel Hemric in the race lead as he stayed out. Daniel led the final two laps and took the stage win.  Cars that did not pit under the previous caution do putting Ryan Blaney in the race lead.  Daniel Suarez then got hot and took the race lead.  Kyle Larson was next to get and took the race lead with around 95 laps left.  Justin Allgaier at this time was the best Dash 4 cash race at time as he was up to fifth.

With around 80 laps left Ray Black Jr. spins out to bring out the caution.  David Starr could not avoid the spun out car and fully damages the front of the car.  When pit road was finally open the leaders pitted and Ryan Blaney was able to win the race off pit road.

We get a  short green flag run and with 57 laps left Brendan Gaugahn wrecks to bring out the next caution.  With 41 laps left we finally get back to racing, but it was real short.  Kyle Larson taps Brandon Jones which then hits Cole Custer that looses a bunch of spots.  That did not bring out the red flag with 39 laps left, but Garrett Smithley and Darrell Wallace Jr. wreck which does.  The red flag time was not long though and cars were back to yellow flag time.

“Just unfortunate,” said Darrell Wallace Jr.

“Just sucks,” said Cole Custer.

With 23 laps left the race finally restarts.  Two laps later and Erik Jones taps Ryan Blaney to take the race lead.  With 9 laps left Willam Byron spins out for the next caution.   The race restarted with 3 laps left and Erik Jones easily took the race lead.  Ryan Blaney quickly moved up to second, but could not get up close enough to Erik and he finally won the race.

“Awesome day for us,” said Erik Jones.

“Really fast car on long runs, said Ryan Blaney.

Daniel Hemric stated that the bottom kind of hurt us.

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