Gragson brushes wall, comes up short in Xfinity title race

Noah Gragson gave it each helium had successful Saturday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series title contention but it wasn’t rather enough.

The Las Vegas operator fell backmost aft pitting retired of series during the 3rd contention signifier and drove backmost done the battalion to a contending third-place presumption successful the closing laps.

But helium brushed the partition portion trying to marque a complaint connected leaders Austin Cindric and Daniel Hemric and slipped to 12th spot astatine the decorativeness astatine Phoenix Raceway.

Hemric held disconnected defending bid champ Cindric successful an overtime photograph decorativeness for the triumph and the championship. AJ Allmendinger spun with 20 laps to spell and finished past among the Championship 4 contenders.

“That’s what the Xfinity Series is, it’s hard racing,” said Gragson, who besides made interaction with Hemric’s car arsenic the contenders jockeyed for presumption earlier his No. 9 JR Motorsports Camaro slid up the way and banged the wall.

“Not wherever we wanted to be, but we were a small disconnected today,” Gragson said of his assertive moves astatine the end. “Had to effort thing connected the restarts and stuff. Just came up short.”

Gragson, 23, raced his mode into title contention by winning successful do-or-die manner astatine Martinsville, Virginia, successful the last contention successful the Round of 8. He salvaged what had been an up-and-down play with 3 victories successful his past 10 starts.

Saturday’s contention was his past with unit main Dave Elenz, and Gragson was affectional erstwhile talking astir their narration during a TV interrogation afterward.

“Last contention together, gonna miss him,” helium said of Elenz, who is expected to articulation Richard Perry’s NASCAR Cup Series squad successful 2022.

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.