The 2024 Ambetter Health 302 was the 30th stock car race of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series, the fourth race of the Playoffs, the first race of the Round of 8, and the 7th iteration of the event. The race was held on October 19, 2024, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada, a permanent quad-oval shaped intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 201 laps to complete. A. J. Allmendinger, driving for Kaulig Racing, would hold off Ryan Sieg in a fierce battle for the win, and after the caution came out with six to go, he took advantage of the restart and cruised to victory for his 18th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his first of the season. Allmendinger was also the class of the field, leading a race-high 102 laps. With his win, he would also clinch a spot in the Championship 4. To fill out the podium, Justin Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, would finish in 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. (P) denotes playoff driver. (OP) denotes owner's playoff car.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2Jesse Love (R) (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet5Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet07Myatt SniderSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet8Sammy Smith (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet11Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet14J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingFord15Dylan LuptonAM RacingFord16A. J. Allmendinger (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet18Sheldon Creed Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet26Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord29Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Akinori Ogata (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet38Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord39Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord42Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Garrett SmithleyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet74Ryan VargasMike Harmon RacingChevrolet81Chandler Smith (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota91Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet92Dawson Cram (i)DGM RacingChevrolet97Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet98Riley Herbst Stewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice
The first and only practice session was held on Friday, October 18, at 3:35 PM PST, and would last for 30 minutes. Brandon Jones, driving for JR Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.155, and a speed of .
Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.155179.075219Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota30.366177.83038Sammy Smith (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet30.404177.608Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, October 18, at 3:10 PM PST. Since Las Vegas Motor Speedway is an intermediate racetrack, the qualifying system used is a single-car, one-lap system with only one round. Drivers will be on track by themselves and will have one lap to post a qualifying time, and whoever sets the fastest time will win the pole.
Brandon Jones, driving for JR Motorsports, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 29.439, and a speed of .
No drivers would fail to qualify.
Qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet29.439183.430200Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord29.478183.187381Chandler Smith (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota29.547182.76041Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet29.566182.64258Sammy Smith (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet29.575182.58767Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet29.616182.334798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord29.627182.26682Jesse Love (R) (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet29.635182.217916A. J. Allmendinger (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet29.724181.6711028Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord29.741181.5681148Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet29.747181.5311220Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota29.810181.1471319Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota29.859180.8501426Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota29.875180.7531527Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet29.886180.6871697Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet29.990180.0601721Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet30.058179.653185Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet30.100179.4021951Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet30.161179.0392031Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet30.167179.0042115Dylan LuptonAM RacingFord30.180178.9262239Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord30.215178.7192311Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet30.283178.3182438Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord30.310178.1592542Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet30.371177.8012692Dawson Cram (i)DGM RacingChevrolet30.489177.1132791Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet30.541176.8112814J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingFord30.545176.7882974Ryan VargasMike Harmon RacingChevrolet30.817175.2283010Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet30.907174.7183145Garrett SmithleyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet30.955174.4473244Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet30.980174.3063307Myatt SniderSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet31.184173.166Qualified by owner's points3443Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet31.196173.0993529Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord31.242172.8443653Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet31.374172.1173735Akinori Ogata (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet32.030168.5923818Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota––Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts100Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1027Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet9398Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord8416A. J. Allmendinger (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet7518Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota6628Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord572Jesse Love (R) (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4821Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet399Brandon Jones JR MotorsportsChevrolet2101Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet10216A. J. Allmendinger (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet9328Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord849Brandon Jones JR MotorsportsChevrolet7581Chandler Smith (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota6600Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord5720Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota482Jesse Love (R) (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3998Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord21019Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1 Stage 3 Laps: 111 Pos.St.#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1916A. J. Allmendinger (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet201102Running5621028Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord2012Running48367Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet20142Running534381Chandler Smith (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2010Running3951148Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet2010Running32682Jesse Love (R) (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2013Running387798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord2014Running408200Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord20131Running4493818Sheldon CreedJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2010Running34101721Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2010Running30111426Corey Heim (i)Sam Hunt RacingToyota2010Running0123010Daniel Dye (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet2010Running0131220Aric Almirola (OP)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2010Running281441Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running24152311Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet2010Running22162438Matt DiBenedettoRSS RacingFord2010Running211719Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet20111Running29181951Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2010Running1919185Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running18202791Kyle WeathermanDGM RacingChevrolet2010Running17213244Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2010Running16222031Parker RetzlaffJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2010Running15233307Myatt SniderSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2010Running14241527Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2010Running13252814J. J. YeleySS-Green Light RacingFord1990Running12262239Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1990Running11272115Dylan LuptonAM RacingFord1980Running10283443Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1980Running9293145Garrett SmithleyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1980Running8303653Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1980Running7313529Blaine PerkinsRSS RacingFord1980Running63258Sammy Smith (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1975Running5331319Taylor Gray (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1970Running0342974Ryan VargasMike Harmon RacingChevrolet1970Running3353735Akinori Ogata (i)Joey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1960Running0362692Dawson Cram (i)DGM RacingChevrolet1930Running0372542Leland Honeyman (R)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet1300Electrical1381697Shane van Gisbergen (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet770Fuel Pump1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Justin Allgaier 3,088 2 Cole Custer 3,072 (-16) 1 3 Chandler Smith 3,064 (–24) 1 4 A. J. Allmendinger 3,063 (–25) 2 5 Austin Hill 3,056 (–32) 1 6 Jesse Love 3,051 (–37) 2 7 Sam Mayer 3,041 (–47) 8 Sammy Smith 3,011 (–77) 1 9 Sheldon Creed 2,131 (–957) 1 10 Riley Herbst 2,126 (–962) 1 11 Parker Kligerman 2,112 (–976) 3 12 Shane van Gisbergen 2,103 (–957)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,118 2 Toyota 1,064 (-54) 3 Ford 964 (–154) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References