Sam Mayer secured victory in a dramatic and thrilling Drive for the Cure 250 at the Charlotte Roval to advance to the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs Round of 8.
The win marked his seventh career victory and third of the season which also propelled him into the next round of the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs, after being scored below the cutline in the Round of 12 finale.
The Drive for the Cure 250 at the Charlotte Roval unfolded with a series of intense battles, strategic decisions, and a controversial late caution that ultimately changed the course of the event.
The race began with excitement as the drivers took to the track for the 67-lap challenge. Sam Mayer, who needed a win to advance in the playoffs, faced an early setback when he was penalized for jumping the initial start.
The penalty forced him to serve a pass-through, allowing Saturday’s pole winner Shane van Gisbergen to inherit the lead.
As the race progressed through Stage 1, A.J. Allmendinger quickly established himself as a formidable contender. He made an impressive move to take the lead from van Gisbergen by outbraking him into the final chicane on Lap 4.
As the laps ticked down in Stage 1, several incidents began to unfold. On Lap 8, van Gisbergen missed a chicane and had to serve a penalty by stopping on track. The stage continued with competitive racing until Allmendinger crossed the finish line first, claiming Stage 1 victory ahead of van Gisbergen and Justin Allgaier.
Stage 2 saw more action as drivers executed their strategies in pit stops. Allmendinger led the field into the pits but lost his advantage when Jesse Love took command of the race off pit road.
The green flag went down for Stage 2 action, and Josh Bilicki briefly took control of the lead before Mayer began to make his advance up the field and eventually took over the lead after an impressive move on Bilicki.
However, chaos struck on Lap 34 when Riley Herbst collided with Anthony Alfredo, resulting in a multi-car pileup that brought out another caution. Mayer managed to avoid this incident, which could have derailed his chances as the stage concluded with Justin Allgaier as the winner, setting up an exciting final stage.
As Stage 3 commenced, Allgaier led but soon pitted, allowing Mayer to cycle back into the lead after many drivers stayed out. The green flag waved again, and Mayer struggled initially but quickly regained control of his car and took back the lead from Connor Mosack on Lap 22.
However, with just under 15 laps remaining, another caution was triggered when Thomas Annuziata got stuck in a tire barrier. Mayer led most of the field into pit lane again while Shane van Gisbergen stayed out during the caution and took over the lead when racing resumed.
As tensions rose with only ten laps left, Parker Kligerman emerged as a strong contender needing a win to advance in the playoffs. He made an aggressive move to take the lead from van Gisbergen on Lap 9 remaining in an impressive maneuver that showcased his skill.
With just two laps remaining, disaster struck when Leland Honeyman’s car became stuck in a tire barrier, prompting another caution and setting up an overtime finish that would determine who will advance to the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs Round of 8.
During overtime, Kligerman initially held onto his lead as he and Mayer battled fiercely for position. The duo raced side by side into Turn 1 before making contact through Turn 3.
Kligerman managed to maintain his lead momentarily; however, Mayer’s fresher tires gave him an edge as they approached Turn 7. In a decisive move, Mayer executed a perfect crossover maneuver that allowed him to take the lead from Kligerman.
Mayer pulled away decisively after passing Kligerman and crossed the finish line victorious while Kligerman experienced tire rub issues from their earlier contact that hindered his performance in the final moments.
Kligerman finished down in sixth and was eliminated from playoff contention despite leading much of the race.
The aftermath of the race had significant implications for several drivers. Alongside Kligerman, Riley Herbst finished 32nd after being involved in an earlier crash along with Shane van Gisbergen who finished third but was eliminated due to point standings after entering below the cutline.
Sheldon Creed faced similar misfortune finishing last at 35th place after crashing out early in Stage 3.
Mayer’s win solidified his place among the eight remaining playoff contenders alongside Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Jesse Love, A.J. Allmendinger, and Sammy Smith as they prepare for their next challenge at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 19th.
