By: Cathy Brown
Twitter: @TheCathyBrown@PitOutsideBox
Facebook: Pitting Outside the Box
Website: Pitting Outside the Box
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Racing for his NASCAR Playoffs life, Noah Gragson started ninth in the Dead-On Tools 250 at Martinsville Speedway.
24 points below the cutline in the 2021 NASCAR XFINITY Series points, Gragson in a pre-race interview said he was going to take “no prisoners” in tonight’s race.
From the drop of the green flag, Gragson fought a tight condition and fell back one spot when the competition caution flag was out on lap 31.
The race was back green on lap 35, but not for long. Sam Mayer brought out the yellow on lap 47 and Gragson elected to pit – bringing his car in for tires and fuel, he was back on track 21st for the restart.
A fresh set of tires proved beneficial, as Gragson finished Stage No. 1 – seventh.
Staying out while the rest of the leaders pitted was key for the Las Vegas native, when Stage No. 2 began, he was on point.
Ty Gibbs was right on the back bumper of Gragson when Gibbs wheel hopped and Harrison Burton took advantage, taking second and now he was in hot pursuit of the No. 9.
Burton gave it all he had and on the last lap of the second segment, the two were side by side at the stripe – with Gragson winning Stage No. 2.
Coming in for the end of stage caution, Gragson was back on track first for the start of the final stage.
Burton gave Gragson a run for his money as they raced side by side for five laps until the No. 9 was able to clear for the lead.
With 71 laps to go Ryan Ellis brought out the caution bringing Gragson into the pits, this time he would loose three spots and have to restart fourth.
Caution flags would plague the race from the restart with 66 to go to the restart where Gragson “taking no prisoners” spun Gibbs out – the result was Gibbs blocked the track and blocked Burton.
Every tome the race went green it was right back under caution – when the race finally got back into some sort of a green flag run, Daniel Hemric took the lead from Gragson with 18 laps to go.
The yellow was back in the air with five to go and this placed the race into NASCAR Overtime.
Under the first NASCAR OT, Gragson was able to clear for the lead and no sooner did he – Josh Berry brought out the yellow.
NASCAR Overtime Part Two now had Austin Cindric on Gragson’s outside. The No. 9 was able to clear the lead for good this time and Gragson won his way into the Championship 4 and will race for his first NXS Championship next weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
Gragson will race against, Cindric, Hemric and AJ Allmendinger for the title.
In a post-race interview Gragson would say “I wanna cry right now, it’s been a rough season. We got a couple wins there at Darlington and Richmond – I know it wasn’t looking good after last weekend, I was pretty fired up.”
“But I told my guys we got an opportunity – we’re still in it and I’m so thankful for this awesome opportunity – second win at Martinsville.”
“Overall it was just an awesome day.”
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