The 2024 The LiUNA! was the 3rd stock car race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 28th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in North Las Vegas, Nevada, a permanent asphalt quad-oval shaped intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. John Hunter Nemechek, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, won the race leading a race-high 99 laps and earning his 10th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his first of the season. Nemechek's teammate, Chandler Smith, won both stages and led 74 laps, but fell back in the final stage and finished 3rd. To fill out the podium, Cole Custer, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, and Smith, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Report
Background
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada outside the Las Vegas city limits and about 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, is a complex of multiple tracks for motorsports racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. #DriverTeamMake00Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet2Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4Dawson Cram (R)JD MotorsportsChevrolet5Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet6Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet07Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet8Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet11Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet14J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet15Hailie Deegan (R)AM RacingFord16A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet18Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Aric AlmirolaJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord29Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet32Sage KaramJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet38C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord42Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet78B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet81Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Nick LeitzDGM RacingChevrolet97Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Friday, March 1, at 3:35 pm PST, and would last for 20 minutes. Brandon Jones, driving for JR Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.423, and a speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.423177.497200Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord30.425177.486331Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet30.525176.904Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, March 1, at 4:05 pm PST. Since Las Vegas Motor Speedway is an intermediate speedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with only one round. Whoever sets the fastest time in that round will win the pole.
Cole Custer, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 29.778, and a speed of .
No drivers would fail to qualify.
Qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed100Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord29.778181.281281Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.805181.178316A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet29.904180.578431Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet29.987180.078521Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.012179.928639Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord30.023179.862748Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet30.037179.77888Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.062179.629918Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota30.072179.5691019Aric AlmirolaJoe Gibbs RacingToyota30.165179.0151198Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord30.209178.7551220John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota30.232178.619139Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.289178.283141Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.292178.265152Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet30.292178.2651626Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota30.314178.1361751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet30.336178.0061844Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet30.519176.9391942Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet30.633176.2802091Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet30.666176.0912127Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet30.714175.8162214J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet30.809175.2732343Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet30.815175.2392478B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet30.961174.4132597Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet31.053173.896264Dawson Cram (R)JD MotorsportsChevrolet31.096173.6562728Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord31.155173.3272815Hailie Deegan (R)AM RacingFord31.250172.8002929Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31.305172.4963007Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet31.311172.4633192Nick LeitzDGM RacingChevrolet31.367172.1553211Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet31.597170.902336Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet31.862169.481Qualified by owner's points3438C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord32.234167.5253532Sage KaramJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet32.297167.198367Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet––375Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet––3835Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet––Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts181Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10220John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0321Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8498Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord7500Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord6616A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet577Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet4848Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet3939Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord2109Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts181Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10220John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0398Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord847Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet7516A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet6621Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet572Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4848Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet3900Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord21039Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord1 Stage 3 Laps: 110 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts11220John Hunter Nemechek (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20099Running02100Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord2000Running433281Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20074Running544521Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2006Running4651198Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord2000Running476316A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet2000Running427639Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord2000Running33888Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet2000Running299139Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet2000Running2910367Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet20011Running3811748Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet2000Running32121019Aric AlmirolaJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2000Running25131626Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota2000Running0143211Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet19910Running23152815Hailie Deegan (R)AM RacingFord1990Running2216375Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet1990Running2117152Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1990Running24181942Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet1990Running19191844Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1990Running18202728Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1990Running17212091Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet1990Running16222343Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1990Running15232127Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1980Running14242214J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1980Running13251751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1970Running1226918Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1970Running11273192Nick LeitzDGM RacingChevrolet1970Running10283007Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1960Running929336Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1950Running8303835Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1950Running7312929Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord1950Running6322478B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1950Running5333438C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord1940Running434264Dawson Cram (R)JD MotorsportsChevrolet1920Running335431Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1150Fuel Pump2363532Sage KaramJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1040Transmission1372597Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet270Engine138141Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet70Accident1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Austin Hill 148 2 2 Chandler Smith 126 (-22) 3 Riley Herbst 121 (–27) 4 4 A. J. Allmendinger 105 (–43) 7 5 Cole Custer 99 (–49) 4 6 Sheldon Creed 96 (–52) 2 7 Jesse Love 96 (–52) 3 8 Justin Allgaier 94 (–54) 1 9 Sammy Smith 86 (–62) 3 10 Brandon Jones 81 (–67) 4 11 Parker Kligerman 76 (–72) 2 12 Anthony Alfredo 71 (–77)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 113 2 Toyota 110 (–3) 3 Ford 88 (–25) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References