The 2019 ToyotaCare 250 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race held on April 12, 2019, at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 250 laps on the 0.75 mile (1.2 km) asphalt short track, it was the eighth race of the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. This was the season's second Dash 4 Cash race.
Background
Track
Richmond Raceway is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races. Richmond Raceway is also one of only a few tracks to host all of its events at night.
Dash 4 Cash At this race, Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Cole Custer, and Chase Briscoe were the four drivers eligible for the Dash 4 Cash extra prize money as they placed in the top 4 in the previous race.
Entry list Amongst the drivers entered for the race were Elliott Sadler, a previously dominant driver in the series who came out of retirement for the race, and three drivers all making their Xfinity debuts: Dillon Bassett, Tyler Matthews and Colin Garrett. Driver Team Manufacturer 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 0 Garrett Smithley JD Motorsports Chevrolet 01 Stephen Leicht JD Motorsports Chevrolet 1 Michael Annett JR Motorsports Chevrolet 2 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Ross Chastain JD Motorsports Chevrolet 5 Matt Mills (R) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 07 Ray Black Jr. SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 08 Gray Gaulding (R) SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 8 Zane Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 9 Noah Gragson (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Elliott Sadler Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 11 Justin Haley (R) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 13 Timmy Hill MBM Motorsports Toyota 15 Tyler Matthews (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet 17 Kyle Weatherman (R) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 18 Riley Herbst Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Kaz Grala Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 23 John Hunter Nemechek (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet 35 Joey Gase MBM Motorsports Toyota 36 Donald Theetge DGM Racing Chevrolet 38 Jeff Green RSS Racing Chevrolet 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 42 Chad Finchum MBM Motorsports Toyota 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 52 David Starr Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 66 Colin Garrett (R) MBM Motorsports Toyota 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet 78 Vinnie Miller B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 86 Mason Diaz (R) Brandonbilt Motorsports Chevrolet 89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Chevrolet 90 Dillon Bassett (R) DGM Racing Chevrolet 92 Josh Williams DGM Racing Chevrolet 93 Brandon Brown (R) RSS Racing Chevrolet 98 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 99 B. J. McLeod B. J. McLeod Motorsports Toyota
Practice Noah Gragson was the fastest in the only practice session with a time of 22.542 seconds and a speed of .
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 9 Noah Gragson (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 22.542 119.776 2 98 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 22.657 119.168 3 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 22.696 118.964
Qualifying Qualifying was canceled due to rain, so the starting lineup was determined by owner's points standings at the time of the race, giving the pole to Riley Herbst.
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 18 Riley Herbst Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 0.000 2 2 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 0.000 3 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 0.000 4 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 0.000 5 22 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 0.000 6 1 Michael Annett JR Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 7 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 8 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 0.000 9 98 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Racing Ford 0.000 10 8 Zane Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 11 23 John Hunter Nemechek (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet 0.000 12 9 Noah Gragson (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 13 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 0.000 14 11 Justin Haley (R) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 0.000 15 4 Ross Chastain JD Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 16 86 Mason Diaz (R) Brandonbilt Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 17 08 Gray Gaulding (R) SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 0.000 18 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 0.000 19 07 Ray Black Jr. SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 0.000 20 0 Garrett Smithley JD Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 21 36 Donald Theetge DGM Racing Chevrolet 0.000 22 52 David Starr Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 0.000 23 15 Tyler Matthews (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 24 66 Colin Garrett (R) MBM Motorsports Toyota 0.000 25 42 Chad Finchum MBM Motorsports Toyota 0.000 26 78 Vinnie Miller B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 27 10 Elliott Sadler Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 0.000 28 35 Joey Gase MBM Motorsports Toyota 0.000 29 5 Matt Mills (R) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 30 99 B. J. McLeod B. J. McLeod Motorsports Toyota 0.000 31 38 Jeff Green RSS Racing Chevrolet 0.000 32 01 Stephen Leicht JD Motorsports Chevrolet 0.000 33 90 Dillon Bassett (R) DGM Racing Chevrolet 0.000 34 93 Brandon Brown (R) RSS Racing Chevrolet 0.000 35 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet 0.000 36 17 Kyle Weatherman (R) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 0.000 37 13 Timmy Hill MBM Motorsports Toyota 0.000 38 21 Kaz Grala Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 0.000Did not qualify 39 92 Josh Williams DGM Racing Chevrolet 0.000Withdrew 40 89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Chevrolet 0.000 Morgan Shepherd initially qualified for the race, but withdrew so that Kaz Grala's fully funded 21 would qualify for the race.
. – Eligible for Dash 4 Cash prize money
Race
Summary Riley Herbst began on pole, but quickly lost the lead after two laps. Mason Diaz brought out the first caution after receiving a flat tire, eliminating him from the race. Christopher Bell led the most laps during stage 1, but Justin Allgaier managed to overtake him and win the stage. Bell spun out after contact from John Hunter Nemechek, but saved it. Noah Gragson also got tapped by Kaz Grala, but did not accumulate significant damage. Cole Custer overtook Allgaier, who pitted off-sequence with the others. Custer then won stage 2 and led the most laps.
Bell had issues on pit road after Nemechek spun out David Starr, causing him to fall behind. Austin Cindric briefly took the lead for seven laps after a caution caused by an accident involving Gragson, Grala, Gray Gaulding, and Justin Haley. Custer won the race after overtaking and holding off Cindric, also getting the extra Dash 4 Cash prize money.
At the next race, Custer, Cindric, Allgaier, and Tyler Reddick would be eligible for Dash 4 Cash.
Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 75
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 102 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 93 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste Ford 84 9 Noah Gragson (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 75 23 John Hunter Nemechek (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet 66 2 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 57 22 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 48 8 Zane Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 39 98 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste Ford 210 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1
Stage Two Laps: 75
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste Ford 102 22 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 93 23 John Hunter Nemechek (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet 84 8 Zane Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 75 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 66 9 Noah Gragson (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 57 98 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste Ford 48 2 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 210 11 Justin Haley (R) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 1
Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 100
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 4 00 Cole Custer Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste Ford 250 582 5 22 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 250 483 7 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 250 444 2 2 Tyler Reddick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 250 415 13 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 250 386 10 8 Zane Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 250 417 11 23 John Hunter Nemechek (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet 250 448 9 98 Chase Briscoe (R) Stewart-Haas Racing withBiagi-DenBeste Ford 250 359 1 18 Riley Herbst Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 250 2810 14 11 Justin Haley (R) Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 250 2811 15 4 Ross Chastain JD Motorsports Chevrolet 250 2612 27 10 Elliott Sadler Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 250 2513 6 1 Michael Annett JR Motorsports Chevrolet 250 2414 38 21 Kaz Grala Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 250 2315 33 90 Dillon Bassett (R) DGM Racing Chevrolet 250 2216 3 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 250 3017 17 08 Gray Gaulding SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 250 2018 32 01 Stephen Leicht (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet 250 1919 20 0 Garrett Smithley JD Motorsports Chevrolet 250 1820 34 93 Brandon Brown (R) RSS Racing Chevrolet 250 1721 19 07 Ray Black Jr. SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 250 1622 12 9 Noah Gragson (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 249 2723 28 35 Joey Gase MBM Motorsports Toyota 249 1424 23 15 Tyler Matthews (R) JD Motorsports Chevrolet 248 1325 21 36 Donald Theetge DGM Racing Chevrolet 247 1226 24 66 Colin Garrett (R) MBM Motorsports Toyota 247 1127 26 78 Vinnie Miller B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 246 1028 29 5 Matt Mills (R) B. J. McLeod Motorsports Chevrolet 245 929 22 52 David Starr Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 245 830 30 99 B. J. McLeod B. J. McLeod Motorsports Toyota 245 731 35 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet 243 632 36 17 Kyle Weatherman (R) Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 237 533 8 19 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 175 734 25 42 Chad Finchum MBM Motorsports Toyota 119 335 18 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 112 236 16 86 Mason Diaz (R) Brandonbilt Motorsports Chevrolet 63 137 37 13 Timmy Hill MBM Motorsports Toyota 15 138 31 38 Jeff Green RSS Racing Chevrolet 10 1 . – Won the Dash 4 Cash prize money and subsequently qualified for the Dash 4 Cash prize money in the next race.
. – Qualified for Dash 4 Cash prize money in the next race.
References