2019 Circle K Firecracker 250


The 2019 Circle K Firecracker 250 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on July 5, 2019, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Contested over 100 laps on the superspeedway, it was the 16th race of the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

Background

Track

The race was held at Daytona International Speedway, a race track located in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, the track is the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, USCC, SCCA, and Motocross. It features multiple layouts including the primary high speed tri-oval, a sports car course, a motorcycle course, and a karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's infield includes the Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.

Entry list

Practice

Final practice

was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 46.177 seconds and a speed of.
PosDriverTeamManufacturerTime
110A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet46.177194.902
225Chris CockrumACG MotorsportsChevrolet46.295194.405
319Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota46.360194.133

Qualifying

scored the pole for the race with a time of 47.938 seconds and a speed of.

Qualifying results

Race

Summary

Tyler Reddick began on pole. The first caution occurred when Caesar Bacarella lost control of his car and spun, causing seven other drivers to be involved. Landon Cassill was the only driver taken out in this caution due to a bent track bar.
As the first stage neared its end, Ross Chastain blocked Reddick and narrowly missed the wall, but Reddick made contact with it. The stack-up from the two drivers resulted in Sheldon Creed and John Hunter Nemechek simultaneously spinning from contact, bringing out the second caution.
Chastain won Stage 1. On the final lap of the first stage, Justin Haley blocked several drivers from making a run, causing them to pass him from underneath, but NASCAR deemed he forced them below the double-yellow line, and sent him to the rear of the field.
Reddick got a flat tire in the middle of Stage 2 and collected Chase Briscoe, ending his day. A. J. Allmendinger blocked Chastain to win Stage 2. The first “Big One” occurred in the middle of the field later on and collected ten drivers. Riley Herbst spun with 21 laps remaining, but no caution was thrown. Another “Big One” 7 laps later took out fifteen drivers, including Michael Annett and Cole Custer, and also brought out a red flag.
On the final restart, Shane Lee and Justin Allgaier both spun out on separate occasions, but no caution was thrown for either instance. The trio of Kaulig Racing drivers proved too fast for any other driver to contend them. Chastain would win the race and was followed by teammates Haley and Allmendinger, Allmendinger would soon be disqualified after failing post race inspection.

Stage Results

Stage One
Laps: 30
PosDriverTeamManufacturerPoints
116Ross Chastain 'Kaulig RacingChevrolet0
239Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet9
318Riley Herbst 'Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0
49Noah Gragson 'JR MotorsportsChevrolet7
566Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyota6
67Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet5
72Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4
820Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3
986Brandon Brown 'Brandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet2
1098Chase Briscoe 'Stewart-Haas Racing with
Biagi-DenBeste		Ford1

Stage Two
Laps: 30
PosDriverTeamManufacturerPoints
11Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet10
216Ross Chastain 'Kaulig RacingChevrolet0
311Justin Haley 'Kaulig RacingChevrolet8
47Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet7
520Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota6
69Noah Gragson 'JR MotorsportsChevrolet5
700Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with
Biagi-DenBeste		Ford4
818Riley Herbst Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0
922Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord2
1039Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet1

Final Stage Results

Stage Three
Laps: 40
PosGridDriverTeamManufacturerLapsPoints
1416Ross Chastain 'Kaulig RacingChevrolet1000
2711Justin Haley 'Kaulig RacingChevrolet10042
3820Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10043
41922Austin CindricTeam PenskeFord10035
52501Stephen LeichtJD MotorsportsChevrolet10032
63386Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet10033
72038Jeff GreenRSS RacingChevrolet10030
8508Gray Gaulding 'SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet10029
93751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet10028
10285Matt Mills 'B. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota10027
112778Vinnie MillerB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota10026
122999Stefan ParsonsB. J. McLeod MotorsportsToyota10025
133607Ray Black Jr.SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet10024
14350Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet10023
15169Noah Gragson 'JR MotorsportsChevrolet9934
1612Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet9925
17127Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet9932
181118Riley Herbst 'Joe Gibbs RacingToyota980
192225Chris CockrumACG MotorsportsChevrolet9718
201866Timmy HillMBM MotorsportsToyota9723
213228Shane LeeH2 MotorsportsToyota9716
222123John Hunter Nemechek 'GMS RacingChevrolet9315
23621Joe Graf Jr.Richard Childress RacingChevrolet9214
241439Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet8923
2531Michael AnnettJR MotorsportsChevrolet8622
261500Cole CusterStewart-Haas Racing with
Biagi-DenBeste		Ford8615
273142Chad FinchumMBM MotorsportsToyota8610
282636Josh WilliamsDGM MotorsportsChevrolet869
291390Caesar BacarellaDGM MotorsportsChevrolet868
301719Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota767
312393Scott Lagasse Jr.RSS RacingChevrolet736
323452David StarrJimmy Means RacingChevrolet725
333015B. J. McLeodJD MotorsportsChevrolet724
3498Sheldon Creed 'JR MotorsportsChevrolet710
351098Chase Briscoe 'Stewart-Haas Racing with
Biagi-DenBeste		Ford443
363813Joe Nemechek 'MBM MotorsportsToyota390
37244Landon CassillJD MotorsportsChevrolet121
38210A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet1001

After the race

A. J. Allmendinger was disqualified from his third-place finish after his car failed post-race inspection. This was the third consecutive week where a driver was disqualified with respect to the 2019 rules. Allmendinger's car failed an engine vacuum test, dialling back the initial 1-2-3 finish for Kaulig Racing to simply a 1-2 finish. Allmendinger was also stripped of his stage points after being relegated to last place.