2022 Nalley Cars 250
{{Short description|Fifth race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=CUST|Most_Driver=A. J. Allmendinger|Radio=Performance Racing Network|Course_km=2.48|Official_name=31st Annual Nalley Cars 250|Description=Race 5 of 33 of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series|Pole_Driver=Noah Gragson|Network=Fox Sports 1|Image = Atlanta Motor Speedway.svg |Date=March 19|Pole_Team=JR Motorsports|Pole_Time=Set by NASCAR rulebook|Most_Team=Kaulig Racing|Most_laps=41|First_Team=Joe Gibbs Racing|Location=Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway|First_Driver=Ty Gibbs|Car=54|Avg={{Convert|101.454|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}|Scheduled_km=403.98|Scheduled_laps=163|Course_mi=1.54|Scheduled_mi=251.02|Race_Name=Nalley Cars 250|Year=2022|Announcers=Adam Alexander, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano|Distance_mi=264.88|Distance_laps=172|Distance_km=}}
The 2022 Nalley Cars 250 was the fifth stock car race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series and the 31st iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a {{Convert|1.54|mi|km}} permanent quad-oval racetrack. The race was run over 172 laps due to several overtime finishes. Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing would win the race after taking the lead on the final lap. This was Gibbs' sixth career Xfinity Series win, and his second of the season. To fill out the podium, Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing and A. J. Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectably.
Background
Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.54-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.
The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of {{convert|1.54|mi|km|adj=on}} where before it was {{convert|1.522|mi|km|adj=on}}. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit. In July 2021 NASCAR announced that the track would be reprofiled for the 2022 season to have 28 degrees of banking and would be narrowed from 55 to 40 feet which the track claims will turn racing at the track similar to restrictor plate superspeedways. Despite the reprofiling being criticized by drivers, construction began in August 2021 and wrapped up in December 2021.{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Motor Speedway to re-profile track in 2022 and drivers are expressing frustration with the changes |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nascar/news/atlanta-motor-speedway-to-re-profile-track-in-2022-and-drivers-are-expressing-frustration-with-the-changes/ |access-date=2021-09-06 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Motor Speedway track reprofile begins {{!}} NASCAR |url=https://www.nascar.com/gallery/atlanta-motor-speedway-track-reprofile-begins/ |access-date=2021-09-06 |website=Official Site Of NASCAR |language=en-US}} The track has seating capacity of 71,000 to 125,000 people depending on the tracks configuration.
= Entry list =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor |
| 1 |
| 02 |
| 2
|Sheldon Creed (R) |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 07
|Ford |
| 7 |
| 08
|Ford |
| 8 |
| 9 |
| 10 |
| 11 |
| 13 |
| 16 |
| 18 |
| 19 |
| 21
|Austin Hill (R) |
| 23 |
| 26 |
| 27 |
| 28
|Ford |
| 31 |
| 34
|Jesse Iwuji (R) |
| 35 |
| 36 |
| 38
|Loris Hezemans (i) |
| 39
|Ford |
| 44 |
| 45 |
| 47 |
| 48 |
| 51 |
| 52 |
| 54 |
| 66
|Ford |
| 68 |
| 77 |
| 78 |
| 91 |
| 92 |
| 98
|Ford |
| 99 |
| colspan="5" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/3/14/05-nxs-2022-entry.pdf Official entry list] |
|---|
Practice
Friday's 50-minute practice session was cancelled due to inclement weather. Practice will replace qualifying on Saturday.{{cite web|url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2022/03/18/nascar-cancels-friday-practices-at-atlanta-due-to-weather/|title=NASCAR cancels Friday practices at Atlanta due to weather|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.|date=March 18, 2022}} Jeb Burton of Our Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a time of 30.993 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|178.879|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|27 |30.993 |178.879 |
|---|
| 2
|9 |31.027 |178.683 |
| 3
|1 |31.090 |178.321 |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/3/19/05-nxs-2022-practice.pdf Full practice results] |
Qualifying
Qualifying will be cancelled because of a need to add additional practice to the reconfigured circuit. Starting lineup was based on the NASCAR rulebook. Noah Gragson would get the pole for the race.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|9 |— |— |
|---|
| 2
|8 |— |— |
| 3
|19 |— |— |
| 4
|54 |— |— |
| 5
|18 |— |— |
| 6
|7 |— |— |
| 7
|16 |— |— |
| 8
|11 |— |— |
| 9
|39 |Ford |— |— |
| 10
|10 |— |— |
| 11
|68 |— |— |
| 12
|27 |— |— |
| 13
|2 |Sheldon Creed (R) |— |— |
| 14
|21 |Austin Hill (R) |— |— |
| 15
|1 |— |— |
| 16
|02 |— |— |
| 17
|36 |— |— |
| 18
|51 |— |— |
| 19
|26 |— |— |
| 20
|4 |— |— |
| 21
|66 |Ford |— |— |
| 22
|31 |— |— |
| 23
|07 |Ford |— |— |
| 24
|98 |Ford |— |— |
| 25
|99 |— |— |
| 26
|91 |— |— |
| 27
|23 |— |— |
| 28
|92 |— |— |
| 29
|44 |— |— |
| 30
|48 |— |— |
| 31
|28 |Ford |— |— |
| 32
|6 |— |— |
| 33
|5 |— |— |
| colspan="7" |Qualified by owner's points |
| 34
|38 |Loris Hezemans (i) |— |— |
| 35
|35 |— |— |
| 36
|78 |— |— |
| 37
|45 |— |— |
| 38
|34 |Jesse Iwuji (R) |— |— |
| colspan="7" |Failed to qualify |
| 39
|08 |Ford |— |— |
| 40
|47 |— |— |
| 41
|13 |— |— |
| 42
|77 |— |— |
| 43
|52 |— |— |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/3/18/22205_STARTROW.pdf Official starting lineup] |
Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 40
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|8 |Josh Berry |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |10 |
|---|
| 2
|9 |Noah Gragson |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |9 |
| 3
|7 |Justin Allgaier |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |8 |
| 4
|1 |Sam Mayer |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |7 |
| 5
|18 |Trevor Bayne |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |6 |
| 6
|21 |Austin Hill (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |5 |
| 7
|27 |Jeb Burton |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |4 |
| 8
|68 |Brandon Brown |Brandonbilt Motorsports |Chevrolet |3 |
| 9
|19 |Brandon Jones |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |2 |
| 10
|02 |Brett Moffitt |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |1 |
Stage 2 Laps: 40
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|16 |A. J. Allmendinger |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |10 |
|---|
| 2
|11 |Daniel Hemric |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |9 |
| 3
|48 |Jade Buford |Big Machine Racing |Chevrolet |8 |
| 4
|45 |Tommy Joe Martins |Alpha Prime Racing |Chevrolet |7 |
| 5
|44 |Sage Karam |Alpha Prime Racing |Chevrolet |6 |
| 6
|2 |Sheldon Creed (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |5 |
| 7
|68 |Brandon Brown |Brandonbilt Motorsports |Chevrolet |4 |
| 8
|21 |Austin Hill (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |3 |
| 9
|27 |Jeb Burton |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |2 |
| 10
|10 |Landon Cassill |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |1 |
Stage 3 Laps: 83
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Fin. !St !# !Driver !Team !Make !Laps !Led !Status !Points |
| 1
|4 |54 |Ty Gibbs |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |172 |1 |Running |40 |
|---|
| 2
|14 |21 |Austin Hill (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |172 |27 |Running |43 |
| 3
|7 |16 |A. J. Allmendinger |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |172 |41 |Running |44 |
| 4
|24 |98 |Riley Herbst |Stewart-Haas Racing |Ford |172 |0 |Running |33 |
| 5
|10 |10 |Landon Cassill |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |33 |
| 6
|26 |91 |Mason Massey |DGM Racing |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |31 |
| 7
|3 |19 |Brandon Jones |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |172 |1 |Running |32 |
| 8
|28 |92 |Kyle Weatherman |DGM Racing |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |29 |
| 9
|13 |2 |Sheldon Creed (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |172 |15 |Running |33 |
| 10
|9 |39 |Ryan Sieg |RSS Racing |Ford |172 |6 |Running |27 |
| 11
|21 |66 |J. J. Yeley |MBM Motorsports |Ford |172 |0 |Running |26 |
| 12
|32 |6 |Ryan Vargas |JD Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |25 |
| 13
|19 |26 |Jeffrey Earnhardt |Sam Hunt Racing |Toyota |172 |0 |Running |24 |
| 14
|16 |02 |Brett Moffitt |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |24 |
| 15
|12 |27 |Jeb Burton |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |28 |
| 16
|27 |23 |Anthony Alfredo |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |21 |
| 17
|35 |35 |Shane Lee |Emerling-Gase Motorsports |Toyota |172 |0 |Running |20 |
| 18
|11 |68 |Brandon Brown |Brandonbilt Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |26 |
| 19
|17 |36 |Alex Labbé |DGM Racing |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |18 |
| 20
|37 |45 |Tommy Joe Martins |Alpha Prime Racing |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |24 |
| 21
|15 |1 |Sam Mayer |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |23 |
| 22
|36 |78 |Josh Williams |B. J. McLeod Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |15 |
| 23
|23 |07 |Joe Graf Jr. |SS-Green Light Racing |Ford |172 |0 |Running |14 |
| 24
|31 |28 |Kyle Sieg |RSS Racing |Ford |172 |0 |Running |13 |
| 25
|25 |99 |Stefan Parsons |B. J. McLeod Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |12 |
| 26
|1 |9 |Noah Gragson |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |38 |Running |20 |
| 27
|38 |34 |Jesse Iwuji (R) |Jesse Iwuji Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |10 |
| 28
|5 |18 |Trevor Bayne |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |172 |38 |Running |15 |
| 29
|20 |4 |Bayley Currey |JD Motorsports |Chevrolet |172 |0 |Running |8 |
| 30
|22 |31 |Myatt Snider |Jordan Anderson Racing |Chevrolet |171 |2 |Running |7 |
| 31
|33 |5 |Matt Mills |B. J. McLeod Motorsports |Chevrolet |165 |0 |Accident |6 |
| 32
|29 |44 |Sage Karam |Alpha Prime Racing |Chevrolet |154 |0 |Accident |11 |
| 33
|2 |8 |Josh Berry |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |153 |3 |Accident |14 |
| 34
|6 |7 |Justin Allgaier |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |152 |0 |Accident |11 |
| 35
|8 |11 |Daniel Hemric |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Accident |11 |
| 36
|34 |38 |Loris Hezemans (i) |RSS Racing |Toyota |112 |0 |Accident |0 |
| 37
|18 |51 |Jeremy Clements |Jeremy Clements Racing |Chevrolet |106 |0 |Accident |1 |
| 38
|30 |48 |Jade Buford |Big Machine Racing |Chevrolet |105 |0 |Accident |9 |
| colspan="10" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/3/19/05-nxs-2022-results.pdf Official race results] |
Standings after the race
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;Drivers' Championship standings
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| ! Pos
! Driver ! Points |
|---|
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 223 |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 2 | Ty Gibbs | style="text-align:center;"| 204 (-19) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 204 (–19) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| 172 (–51) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| 164 (–59) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| 153 (–70) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 146 (–77) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 137 (–86) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 | style="text-align:center;"| 128 (–95) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 10 | style="text-align:center;"| 125 (–98) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| 122 (–101) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| 122 (–101) |
| class="sortbottom"
!colspan="9"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/3/19/05-nxs-2022-driver-points.pdf Official driver's standings] |
- Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series