The 2024 Ag-Pro 300 was the 9th stock car race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 33rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama, a permanent asphalt quad-oval shaped superspeedway. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 113 laps, but was increased to 124 laps due to numerous NASCAR overtime attempts. In an action packed race with numerous lead changes, Jesse Love, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would take advantage of the lead on an overtime restart, and held off the field to earn his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win in his ninth career start. RCR continued to show their dominance at superspeedways, with Austin Hill leading a race-high 41 laps and Love leading 28 laps. Hill was involved in a wreck in the late stages, and ultimately finished 14th. To fill out the podium, Riley Herbst, driving for Stewart–Haas Racing, and Anthony Alfredo, driving for Our Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
This was also the third race of the Dash 4 Cash. Drivers who were eligible for the Dash 4 Cash were Sam Mayer, Ryan Sieg, Justin Allgaier, and A. J. Allmendinger, since they were the highest finishing Xfinity Series regulars following the race at Texas. Sieg would claim the $100K bonus cash after finishing 17th, two positions ahead of his closest competitor, A. J. Allmendinger.
Report
Background
Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking. The track currently hosts NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which is 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km).
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 RacingChevrolet14Mason Massey (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet15Hailie Deegan (R)AM RacingFord16A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet18Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26Jeffrey EarnhardtSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord29Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet32Jordan AndersonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet38Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord42Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet66David StarrMBM MotorsportsChevrolet81Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet97Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, April 19, at 4:30 PM CST. Since Talladega Superspeedway is a superspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers will be on track by themselves and will have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round move on to the second and final round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 will win the pole.
Austin Hill, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would advance from the preliminary round and set the fastest time in Round 2, with a lap of 52.723, and a speed of .
Garrett Smithley was the only driver who failed to qualify. Smithley had original made the race, but his time would be disallowed after a roof hatch came loose during his qualifying attempt. Mason Massey, who originally failed to qualify, would take his place on the grid.
Qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)121Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet52.793181.38852.723181.62922Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet52.906181.00052.871181.120348Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet52.880181.08952.996180.693400Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord53.196180.01453.150180.16958Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.237179.87553.184180.054620Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.237179.87553.217179.942781Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.256179.81153.241179.861898Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord53.214179.95353.267179.774911Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet53.186180.04753.328179.5681018Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.176180.08153.567178.767Eliminated in Round 1115Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet53.259179.801——1207Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet53.318179.602——1319Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota53.330179.561——1416A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet53.338179.534——151Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.346179.507——167Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.350179.494——1735Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet53.361179.457——1897Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet53.387179.370——1966David StarrMBM MotorsportsChevrolet53.429179.229——2091Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet53.436179.205——2131Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet53.450179.158——2251Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53.460179.125——239Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.468179.098——2439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord53.473179.081——2528Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord53.490179.024——2629Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord53.554178.810——2744Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet53.670178.424——2838Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord53.701178.321——2945Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet53.747178.168——304Dawson Cram (R)JD MotorsportsChevrolet53.757178.135——3115Hailie Deegan (R)AM RacingFord53.760178.125——3232Jordan AndersonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet53.771178.089——3342Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet53.932177.557——Qualified by owner's points3426Jeffrey EarnhardtSam Hunt RacingToyota53.942177.524——3527Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet53.970177.432——3692Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet53.984177.386——3743Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet54.192176.705——3814Mason Massey (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet54.433175.923——Failed to qualify396Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet53.388179.366——Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 25 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts12Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet10248Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet9321Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet8481Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7516A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet6620Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5797Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet489Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet3998Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord21000Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord1 Stage 2 Laps: 25 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts121Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1022Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet9316A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet8439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord859Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet6681Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5748Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet4898Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord3927Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet21000Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord1 Stage 3 Laps: 74 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts122Jesse Love (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet12428Running592898Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord12413Running403115Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet1246Running3443342Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet1240Running3352744Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1240Running3261018Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1240Running3172945Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1240Running3082838Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord1241Running2993527Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1240Running3010400Cole CusterStewart–Haas RacingFord1244Running29113814Mason Massey (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1240Running0123115Hailie Deegan (R)AM RacingFord1240Running25132528Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1240Running2414121Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet12441Running41151319Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1241Running0163692Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet1240Running21172439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord1247Running27181735Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1240Running19191416A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet1240Running3220911Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1240Running172158Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet1242Running16221897Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1241Running19232629Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord1230Running14241966David StarrMBM MotorsportsChevrolet1231Running1325781Chandler SmithJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1233Running24263743Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1230Running11272091Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet1200DVP1028304Dawson Cram (R)JD MotorsportsChevrolet1200Running929348Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet11710Accident21302131Parker Retzlaff Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1130Ignition7313232Jordan AndersonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1111Accident6321207Patrick EmerlingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1110Accident533239Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet654Accident1334620Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota651Accident8352251Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet650Accident236151Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet650Accident1373426Jeffrey EarnhardtSam Hunt RacingToyota460Engine138167Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet240Accident1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Chandler Smith 357 2 Cole Custer 343 (-14) 3 Austin Hill 341 (–16) 1 4 Jesse Love 316 (–41) 1 5 Justin Allgaier 278 (–79) 6 Riley Herbst 272 (–85) 7 A. J. Allmendinger 261 (–96) 8 Sammy Smith 241 (–116) 9 Parker Kligerman 236 (–121) 10 Sheldon Creed 231 (–126) 11 Ryan Sieg 224 (–133) 1 12 Anthony Alfredo 219 (–138)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 335 2 Toyota 325 (–10) 3 Ford 279 (–56) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References