NASCAR Xfinity Playoff Standings After Regular Season Finale at Bristol

Justin Allgaier entered Friday night’s Food City 300 with a 43-point advantage over Cole Custer in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver standings, but three accidents involving the JR Motorsports driver handed the regular season championship to the series defending title holder.

“What a frustrating night,” said a dejected Allgaier, who lost the regular season title to race winner Custer by a mere three points. “The team did a great job trying to fix the car all night, just so damaged, and all the damage was up where it really matters. So disappointed, frustrated, sad. I don’t even know what all the emotions I’ve got right now are.”

Allgaier led once for 60 laps, but his first misfortune of the evening occurred on lap 52 when he lost his Chevrolet’s rear bump in a turn two accident with Austin Green and Parker Retzlaff. Repairs were made and Allgaier continued. Then on lap 153 of the 300-lap race, Allgaier and Sheldon Creed tangled on the backstretch and the nose of Allgaier’s nose slammed into the inside wall. On lap 199, Allgaier caused the seventh and final caution flag when he spun in turn two. He finished 30th, 10 laps down.

Even though Allgaier lost the regular season NASCAR Xfinity Series championship to Custer, he was seeded first for the playoffs that begin next weekend at Kansas Speedway. The other playoff drivers, respectively, are Custer, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Shane Van Gisbergen, Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, Riley Herbst, Sheldon Creed, A.J. Allmendinger, Sammy Smith and Parker Kligerman.

The tracks in the Xfinity Series playoffs’ first round are Kansas, Talladega and the Charlotte Roval. The 12-racer field will be cut to the Round of 8 after the race in Charlotte.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Field

1. Justin Allgaier 2,034

2. Cole Custer 2,028 (-6)

3. Austin Hill 2,025 (-9)

4. Chandler Smith 2,024 (-10)

5. Shane Van Gisbergen 2,017 (-17)

6. Jesse Love 2,013 (-21)

7. Sam Mayer 2,011 (-23)

8. Riley Herbst 2,011 (-24)

9. Sheldon Creed 2,007 (-27)

10. AJ Allmendinger 2,006 (-28)

11. Sammy Smith 2,001 (-33)

12. Parker Kligerman 1,998 (-36)