2022 Sparks 300
{{Short description|28th race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=CUST|Most_laps=60|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Course_km=4.28|Official_name=3rd Annual Sparks 300|Description=Race 28 of 33 of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series|Pole_Driver=Austin Hill|Network=USA Network|Date=October 1|Pole_Team=Richard Childress Racing|Pole_Time=52.605|Most_Team=Richard Childress Racing|Most_Driver=Austin Hill|Location=Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln, Alabama|First_Team=Kaulig Racing|First_Driver=A. J. Allmendinger|Car=16|Avg={{Convert|158.827|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}|Scheduled_km=483.74|Scheduled_laps=113|Course_mi=2.66|Scheduled_mi=300.58|Race_Name=Sparks 300|Year=2022|Announcers=Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.|Image=Talladega Superspeedway.svg|Distance_mi=300.58|Distance_laps=113|Distance_km=483.74}}
The 2022 Sparks 300 was the 28th stock car race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series, the second race of the Round of 12, and the 3rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, October 1, 2022, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a {{Convert|2.66|mi|km}} permanent tri-oval shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 113 laps to complete,as the race was rather clean. In a close finish, A. J. Allmendinger, driving for Kaulig Racing, would hold off Sam Mayer on the final lap to earn his 14th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, along with his fourth of the season. Allmendinger would beat Mayer by 0.015 of a second.{{Cite web |last=Cain |first=Holly |date=October 1, 2022 |title=AJ Allmendinger wins Xfinity playoff race at Talladega in photo finish |url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2022/10/01/nascar-xfinity-series-recap-talladega-2022/ |access-date=October 1, 2022 |website=NASCAR.com |publisher=NASCAR Wire Service}} He would also earn a spot in the next round of the playoffs. Austin Hill dominated the majority of the race, leading 60 laps and winning both stages. To fill out the podium, Landon Cassill, driving for Kaulig Racing, would finish in 3rd, respectively.
Background
Talladega Superspeedway is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family. {{As of|2021}}, the track hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval, with a length of {{convert|2.66|mi|km|3}}, compared to the Daytona International Speedway, which is {{convert|2.5|mi|km|1}} long. The total peak capacity of Talladega is around 175,000 spectators,{{Cite web |date=April 19, 2019 |title=Talladega is known for speed, but slow down and take in what the Alabama city offers |url=https://alabamanewscenter.com/2019/04/19/talladega-is-known-for-speed-but-slow-down-and-take-in-what-the-alabama-city-offers/}}{{Cite web |date=December 31, 2017 |title=Talladega Superspeedway |url=https://autoracingfacts.com/talladega-superspeedway |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226235704/https://autoracingfacts.com/talladega-superspeedway |archive-date=February 26, 2021 |access-date=October 17, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Track Facts |url=http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/This-Is-Talladega/Track-Facts.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416072410/http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/Inside-Dega/Contact-Us.aspx |archive-date=April 16, 2010 |access-date=March 27, 2010 |publisher=Talladega Superspeedway}} with the main grandstand capacity being about 80,000.{{cite news |last=Utter |first=Jim |date=November 27, 2013 |title=Talladega Superspeedway to reduce seating to 80,000 |work=The Charlotte Observer |publisher=The McClatchy Company |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/11/27/4502677/talladega-superspeedway-to-reduce.html |access-date=November 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001445/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/11/27/4502677/talladega-superspeedway-to-reduce.html#.Vh5rCrSprzI |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}
= Entry list =
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
- (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
!# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor |
| 1
|[https://acceleratepros.com AcceleratePros.com] |
| 02 |
| 2
|Sheldon Creed (R) |
| 4 |
| 5
|Ford |
| 6 |
| 07
|Ford |
| 7 |
| 08
|Ford |
| 8 |
| 9
|nowrap|Bass Pro Shops, Black Rifle Coffee Company |
| 10 |
| 11 |
| 13
|Timmy Hill (i) |
| 16 |
| 18 |
| 19 |
| 21
|Austin Hill (R) |
| 23 |
| 26 |
| 27 |
| 31 |
| 34
|nowrap|Jesse Iwuji Motorsports |
| 35
|nowrap|Emerling-Gase Motorsports |Ford |
| 36 |
| 38
|Ford |
| 39
|Ford |
| 44 |
| 45 |
| 47 |
| 48
|nowrap|Parker Kligerman (i) |
| 51 |
| 54 |
| 66 |
| 68 |
| 78 |
| 91 |
| 98
|Ford |
| colspan="5" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/9/30/22228_ENTNUM.pdf Official entry list] |
|---|
Qualifying
Qualifying was held on Friday, September 30, at 4:30 PM CST.{{Cite web |title=2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Talladega Fall Race Page |url=https://www.jayski.com/xfinity-series/2022-nascar-xfinity-series-talladega-fall-race-page |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site |language=en-US}} Since Talladega Superspeedway is a superspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, one-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round move on to the second round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 wins the pole.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-19 |title=NASCAR announces practice, qualifying return in 2022 |url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2021/11/19/nascar-announces-practice-qualifying-return-in-2022-with-knockout-style-format/ |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=Official Site Of NASCAR |language=en-US}}{{cbignore}} Austin Hill, driving for Richard Childress Racing, scored the pole for the race, with a lap of 52.605, and an average speed of {{Convert|182.036|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} in the second round.{{Cite web |last=Long |first=Dustin |date=September 30, 2022 |title=Talladega Xfinity starting lineup: Austin Hill wins pole |url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2022/09/30/talladega-xfinity-starting-lineup-austin-hill-wins-pole-ty-gibbs-sheldon-creed-noah-gragson/ |access-date=September 30, 2022 |website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time (R1) !Speed (R1) !Time (R2) !Speed (R2) |
| 1
|21 |Austin Hill (R) |52.757 |181.511 |52.605 |182.036 |
|---|
| 2
|54 |52.684 |181.763 |52.621 |181.981 |
| 3
|2 |Sheldon Creed (R) |52.743 |181.560 |52.653 |181.870 |
| 4
|7 |52.962 |180.809 |52.752 |181.529 |
| 5
|19 |52.848 |181.199 |52.817 |181.305 |
| 6
|9 |52.976 |180.761 |52.867 |181.134 |
| 7
|8 |53.015 |180.628 |52.891 |181.052 |
| 8
|16 |52.949 |180.853 |52.926 |180.932 |
| 9
|48 |Parker Kligerman (i) |52.966 |180.795 |52.970 |180.782 |
| 10
|6 |52.984 |180.734 |53.007 |180.655 |
| colspan="9" |Eliminated from Round 1 |
| 11
|18 |53.060 |180.475 | - | - |
| 12
|11 |53.089 |180.376 | - | - |
| 13
|1 |53.104 |180.325 | - | - |
| 14
|39 |Ford |53.156 |180.149 | - | - |
| 15
|02 |Blaine Perkins (i) |53.176 |180.081 | - | - |
| 16
|27 |53.180 |180.068 | - | - |
| 17
|68 |53.215 |179.949 | - | - |
| 18
|10 |53.223 |179.922 | - | - |
| 19
|07 |Ford |53.225 |179.915 | - | - |
| 20
|23 |53.234 |179.885 | - | - |
| 21
|31 |53.277 |179.740 | - | - |
| 22
|34 |53.282 |179.723 | - | - |
| 23
|98 |Ford |53.312 |179.622 | - | - |
| 24
|4 |53.329 |179.565 | - | - |
| 25
|5 |B. J. McLeod Motorsports/Emerling-Gase Motorsports |Ford |53.400 |179.326 | - | - |
| 26
|26 |53.446 |179.172 | - | - |
| 27
|35 |Ford |53.490 |179.024 | - | - |
| 28
|38 |Ford |53.504 |178.977 | - | - |
| 29
|91 |53.506 |178.971 | - | - |
| 30
|36 |53.608 |178.630 | - | - |
| 31
|45 |53.645 |178.507 | - | - |
| 32
|78 |53.658 |178.464 | - | - |
| 33
|08 |Ford |53.659 |178.460 | - | - |
| colspan="9" |Qualified by owner's points |
| 34
|44 |53.766 |178.105 | - | - |
| 35
|66 |53.804 |177.979 | - | - |
| 36
|13 |Timmy Hill (i) |53.819 |177.930 | - | - |
| 37
|51 |54.101 |177.002 | - | - |
| 38
|47 | - | - | - | - |
| colspan="9" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/9/30/28-nxs-2022-qual-results.pdf Official qualifying results] |
| colspan="9" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/9/30/28-nxs-2022-lineup.pdf Official starting lineup] |
Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 25
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|21 |Austin Hill (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |10 |
|---|
| 2
|2 |Sheldon Creed (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |9 |
| 3
|11 |Daniel Hemric |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |8 |
| 4
|19 |Brandon Jones |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |7 |
| 5
|18 |Trevor Bayne |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |6 |
| 6
|16 |A. J. Allmendinger |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |5 |
| 7
|7 |Justin Allgaier |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |4 |
| 8
|54 |Ty Gibbs |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |3 |
| 9
|68 |Brandon Brown |Brandonbilt Motorsports |Chevrolet |2 |
| 10
|1 |Sam Mayer |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |1 |
Stage 2 Laps: 25
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Pts |
| 1
|21 |Austin Hill (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |10 |
|---|
| 2
|7 |Justin Allgaier |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |9 |
| 3
|16 |A. J. Allmendinger |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |8 |
| 4
|18 |Trevor Bayne |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |7 |
| 5
|27 |Jeb Burton |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |6 |
| 6
|1 |Sam Mayer |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |5 |
| 7
|68 |Brandon Brown |Brandonbilt Motorsports |Chevrolet |4 |
| 8
|19 |Brandon Jones |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |3 |
| 9
|39 |Ryan Sieg |RSS Racing |Ford |2 |
| 10
|8 |Josh Berry |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |1 |
Stage 3 Laps: 63
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Fin. !St !# !Driver !Team !Make !Laps !Led !Status !Pts |
| 1
|8 |16 |A. J. Allmendinger |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |113 |3 |Running |53 |
|---|
| 2
|13 |1 |Sam Mayer |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |113 |3 |Running |41 |
| 3
|18 |10 |Landon Cassill |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |34 |
| 4
|14 |39 |Ryan Sieg |RSS Racing |Ford |113 |11 |Running |35 |
| 5
|7 |8 |Josh Berry |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |33 |
| 6
|9 |48 |Parker Kligerman (i) |Big Machine Racing |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |0 |
| 7
|2 |54 |Ty Gibbs |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |113 |0 |Running |33 |
| 8
|12 |11 |Daniel Hemric |Kaulig Racing |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |37 |
| 9
|5 |19 |Brandon Jones |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |113 |1 |Running |38 |
| 10
|6 |9 |Noah Gragson |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |113 |1 |Running |27 |
| 11
|23 |98 |Riley Herbst |Stewart-Haas Racing |Ford |113 |0 |Running |26 |
| 12
|3 |2 |Sheldon Creed (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |113 |2 |Running |34 |
| 13
|11 |18 |Trevor Bayne |Joe Gibbs Racing |Toyota |113 |13 |Running |37 |
| 14
|1 |21 |Austin Hill (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |113 |60 |Running |43 |
| 15
|4 |7 |Justin Allgaier |JR Motorsports |Chevrolet |113 |6 |Running |35 |
| 16
|20 |23 |Anthony Alfredo |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |21 |
| 17
|16 |27 |Jeb Burton |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |26 |
| 18
|35 |66 |J. J. Yeley |MBM Motorsports |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |19 |
| 19
|30 |36 |Josh Williams |DGM Racing |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |18 |
| 20
|37 |51 |Jeremy Clements |Jeremy Clements Racing |Chevrolet |113 |0 |Running |17 |
| 21
|25 |5 |Joey Gase |B. J. McLeod Motorsports |Ford |113 |0 |Running |16 |
| 22
|19 |07 |Joe Graf Jr. |SS-Green Light Racing |Ford |113 |0 |Running |15 |
| 23
|26 |26 |Derek Griffith |Sam Hunt Racing |Toyota |113 |0 |Running |14 |
| 24
|24 |4 |Bayley Currey |JD Motorsports |Chevrolet |112 |12 |Running |13 |
| 25
|33 |08 |David Starr |SS-Green Light Racing |Ford |112 |0 |Running |12 |
| 26
|32 |78 |B. J. McLeod |B. J. McLeod Motorsports |Chevrolet |112 |0 |Running |11 |
| 27
|36 |13 |Timmy Hill (i) |MBM Motorsports |Chevrolet |112 |1 |Running |0 |
| 28
|22 |34 |Jesse Iwuji |Jesse Iwuji Motorsports |Chevrolet |112 |0 |Running |9 |
| 29
|28 |38 |C. J. McLaughlin |RSS Racing |Ford |112 |0 |Running |8 |
| 30
|10 |6 |Ryan Vargas |JD Motorsports |Chevrolet |112 |0 |Running |7 |
| 31
|31 |45 |Caesar Bacarella |Alpha Prime Racing |Chevrolet |112 |0 |Running |6 |
| 32
|34 |44 |Howie DiSavino III |Alpha Prime Racing |Chevrolet |112 |0 |Running |5 |
| 33
|17 |68 |Brandon Brown |Brandonbilt Motorsports |Chevrolet |112 |0 |Running |10 |
| 34
|38 |47 |Mike Harmon |Mike Harmon Racing |Chevrolet |111 |0 |Running |3 |
| 35
|21 |31 |Myatt Snider |Jordan Anderson Racing |Chevrolet |111 |0 |Running |2 |
| 36
|15 |02 |Blaine Perkins (i) |Our Motorsports |Chevrolet |110 |0 |Running |0 |
| 37
|27 |35 |Jeffrey Earnhardt |Emerling-Gase Motorsports |Ford |109 |0 |Running |1 |
| 38
|29 |91 |Mason Massey |DGM Racing |Chevrolet |95 |0 |Running |1 |
| colspan="10" |[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/10/1/28-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 |
|---|
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,134 |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,134 |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | Ty Gibbs | style="text-align:center;"| 2,113 (-21) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,107 (-27) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,091 (-43) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,089 (-55) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,076 (-58) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,070 (-64) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 9 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,064 (-70) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 10 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,060 (-74) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,060 (-74) |
| style="background:#87CEFA;"
|align="left"| 10px | style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,023 (-111) |
| class="sortbottom"
!colspan="9"|[https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2022/10/1/28-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}}{{NASCAR next race|Previous_race=2022 Andy's Frozen Custard 300|Series=NASCAR Xfinity Series|Monsteryear=2022|Next_race=2022 Drive for the Cure 250}}
{{NASCAR on NBC}}
{{2022 NASCAR Xfinity}}
Category:2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series