Noah Gragson got here from third place to grab a win away from Sheldon Creed and Kyle Larson on Saturday evening (Sept. 3) when he gained the Sports activities Clips Haircuts VFW Assist a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway.

In one of the crucial entertaining finishes the Xfinity Sequence has provided in current reminiscence, Gragson was in a position to declare his fourth win of the season with Creed, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier and Larson rounding out the highest 5.

I can’t stress sufficient how necessary every race going ahead is for Creed – I’ve stated it for weeks – and tonight was the primary time I noticed him drive like he realized it, too.

The Winners

Darlington has been very form to JR Motorsports over the course of the 2022 season. Allgaier was in a position to take the win there earlier within the season. What’s extra, although is that Gragson completed second in that exact same race. That places each JRM drivers inside the highest 5 in each races at The Woman in Black. If a eager stat fan was to zoom out a bit, they’d additionally discover Josh Berry inside the highest 10 on Saturday. He introduced the No. 8 Chevy dwelling in eighth, an enormous leap ahead from the place he completed within the spring race (18th).

The 2 Darlington winners this 12 months. @J_Allgaier 🤝 @NoahGragson pic.twitter.com/HxtANic68j

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) September 4, 2022

Other than JRM, no one actually lived within the headlines on Saturday. Gragson has emerged as the present favourite for the Xfinity championship, however fellow frontrunner Ty Gibbs doesn’t seem like going anyplace. He was knocking on the door of the leaders all race, however wound up bringing his No. 54 Toyota throughout the road in sixth.

On this sport, consistency is essential, and JRM is the mannequin of that proper now. If they will hold their season-long scorching streak going, I drive a really predictable (that doesn’t imply not enjoyable) end result because the season involves a detailed.

The Losers

I actually do hate to beat a useless horse, however Creed provides us extra to speak about every week. I discussed earlier that Saturday was the primary evening I had seen him drive like a rookie on the playoff bubble – with nothing to lose. I imply that in all the most effective methods, however his finest alternative was in all probability snatched away from him tonight all as a result of he acquired twisted up with a Cup driver who’s racing for nothing however delight and follow. The 2 have been all smiles after the race, and props to Creed, however I don’t know if I’d have been as nicely collected.

Respect.@sheldoncreed 🤝 @KyleLarsonRacin pic.twitter.com/p4zonMfrt9

— Xfinity Racing (@XfinityRacing) September 4, 2022

There’s little doubt that the end stole the present tonight, however don’t let it distract you from the truth that Brandon Jones, who gained the pole place in qualifying earlier on Saturday, wound up bringing his journey dwelling in 14th. Jones is already locked into the playoffs together with his lone win earlier this season at Martinsville, however just one victory in a JGR automobile must be the ground. Jones has had moments this 12 months that seemed very unhealthy, and a few are even saying his days are numbered with JGR. Solely time will really inform, nevertheless it’s a storyline I like to recommend following carefully.

Scheme of the Week

You knew it was coming. Ryan Ellis and Staff Alpha Prime take dwelling this week’s scheme of the week with this flaming-hot Jeff Gordon throwback scheme.

Appreciation publish for the @TeamAlphaPrime throwback to @JeffGordonWeb for @ryanellisracing.

This automobile pops in individual and simply feels proper right here @TooToughToTame. #SportClips200 #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/VcUaEgYSKe

— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) September 3, 2022

I didn’t get pleasure from seeing it close to as a lot in the midst of the pack as I’d have the entrance (Ellis introduced it dwelling in twenty second), nevertheless it was nonetheless completely beautiful as most Gordon throwback schemes are.

The opposite scheme that Alpha Prime dropped at Darlington seemed simply nearly as good, however its the sentimental worth that gained it for me. I hated Gordon rising up, however now, on the ripe previous age of 21, I’ve found a newfound respect not just for his ability as a driver, but additionally due to his bodacious paint scheme library.

Playoff Pit

Allmendinger’s prime three bumped him as much as a quite controlling 51-point lead within the factors standings, whereas regardless of a second-place end, Creed nonetheless units on the skin of the bubble trying in. Nonetheless, he’s moved to inside a 20-point distinction of the twelfth spot and is heating up on the proper time. We’d see the rookie within the playoffs but, nevertheless it’ll take a couple of extra rolls of the Goodyear cube. A full playoff and factors breakdown may be discovered right here.

Gasoline for Thought

There’s just one phrase to explain the sensation I had after I was watching that dash to the end: “Wow.”

We had crossovers, facet drafting and wall hugging, and all of it resulted in arguably essentially the most amped-up rookie driver available on the market getting crashed by a Cup Sequence driver that makes use of the Xfinity Sequence as nothing however some glorified follow laps. I get the prospect of getting greater names, the truth is I touched on it just lately in one other Breakdown.

That is the issue I’ve with it – the precise results of Saturday evening. That ought to have been between Gragson and Creed, two Xfinity full timers, not these two and a Cup Driver who simply needs so as to add to the resume or make a couple of laps. Will it change within the close to future? Completely not, however that doesn’t imply I’ve to love it. Try that incredible end right here (you’ll be glad you probably did).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAbPz-FjmwE

The place to Subsequent?

Kansas Speedway is subsequent up on the chopping block for the Xfinity Sequence, and this one is as regular of a reputation as we’ve gotten all 12 months, which is sweet for brevity’s sake. The inexperienced flag for the Kansas Lottery 300 drops at 3:00 p.m. ET. It’s the primary time the Xfinity Sequence has visited Kansas Speedway this 12 months, as Gibbs gained final 12 months’s race within the dwindling weeks of the 2021 playoffs. That race can be aired on USA, the Motor Racing Community and Sirius XM NASCAR.

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