Back-to-Back Race Weekends Bring Gragson Good Luck as He Speeds Toward Playoffs
In the Kansas Lottery 300, Noah Gragson qualified fifth for this 25th race of the season. After dropping back to seventh, he regained his footing and made his way to fourth position by lap nine, then took third on lap 17. During this span of the race, he was the fastest car on the track. Gragson held on to second position from lap 39 to the end of Stage One, picking up nine stage points to add to his total. Thanks to his pit crew’s fast work, he almost got out ahead of the leader, maintaining second place for the restart.
Photo by Tom Copeland/Harold Hinson Photography.
During Stage Two, Gragson managed to hold off teammate Justin Allgaier throughout a few cautions thrown out as heavy rain began to move in. In what was supposed to be a 200-lap race, thanks to the rain, the officials called the race after 93 laps.
By securing this win, Gragson widened his lead in the playoff standings after taking both Stage Two and the race victory. The victory was Gragson’s first at Kansas and the first for JR Motorsports on the 1 1/2-mile oval, as well as the second straight for the Las Vegas native after last week’s triumph at Darlington Raceway.
Photo by Harold Hinson/Harold Hinson Photography.
“We’ll take them any way we can get them. We had a good Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet and wanted to race it out, but we’ll take it,” Gragson said. “That last restart, I saw a few cars who didn’t take tires ahead of me, and the seas parted, which allowed me to get to the 21 (Hill) by the time we exited Turn Two. Great job by Luke and everybody on this No. 9 team, and big thanks to Johnny Morris for this 50th Anniversary Bass Pro Shops Camaro, Rusty at TrueTimber, and the guys at Black Rifle Coffee, and to everybody back at JR Motorsports.”
Photo by Harold Hinson/Harold Hinson Photography.
After finishing 29th in the practice race, Ty Dillon kicked off the Hollywood Casino 400 in 21st position. Unlike Gragson’s race the day prior, the Cup Series was able to run the entire way through, and Dillon finished in 20th position. This race earned him 17 points, with 428 points total for the season, putting him in 29th place.
Photo courtesy of Matt Crafton.
Matt Crafton was back in action the evening of Friday, Sept. 9, at the Kansas Speedway for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200. After holding ninth position for Stage One, Crafton finished this round of the Camping World Truck Series in 15th position, earning 26 points. This finish puts him in 10th overall, below the Round of 8 cut line.
Where to find them next: Crafton, Gragson, and Dillon all head to Bristol Motor Speedway this coming weekend for the UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics, Cheddar’s 300, and Bass Pro Shops Night Race, respectively.
