The 2025 Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 was the 8th stock car race of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 43rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, a permanent egg-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 147 laps to complete.
Brandon Jones, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would take over the lead on the final restart, leading the final 11 laps to earn his sixth career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his first of the season, snapping a 98-race winless streak. Justin Allgaier was dominant for a majority of the race, winning the second stage and leading a race-high 56 laps, ending up with a third place finish. To fill out the podium, Chase Elliott, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would finish in 2nd, respectively.
Report Background
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.
Surface issues Darlington Raceway was last repaved following the May 2007 meeting (from 2005 to 2019, there was only one meeting; the second meeting was reinstated in 2020), and from 2008 to 2019, there was one night race. In 2020, a day race returned to the schedule, and instead of two races (one Xfinity and one Cup) during the entire year, the track hosted six races (three Cup, two Xfinity, and one Truck). The circuit kept repairing the circuit with patches during each summer before the annual Cup race in September. The circuit's narrow Turn 2 rapidly deteriorated with cracks in the tarmac allowing water to seep in the circuit. In July 2021, the circuit repaved a six hundred foot section at the entrance of Turn 2 and ending at the exit of the turn to repair the tarmac and resolve the issue for safety and to reduce the threat of weepers and surface issues in that section of the circuit.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMakeThrowback00Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamFord1Carson Kvapil (R)JR MotorsportsChevroletJamie McMurray's paint scheme that won him the 2010 Daytona 500.2Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Parker RetzlaffAlpha Prime RacingChevroletErnie Irvan's No. 4 Kodak paint scheme from the early 1990s.5Kris WrightOur MotorsportsChevrolet07Nick LeitzSS-Green Light RacingChevroletScott Riggs' No. 10 Valvoline paint scheme that ran in the 2006 and 2007 seasons.7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1949 Heritage retro scheme.8Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevroletTony Stewart's 3 Doors Down paint scheme that raced in the 2003 Cabela's 250.9Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel Dye (R)Kaulig RacingChevroletAdam Petty's No. 45 Spree paint scheme that raced in 1999.11Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevroletMark Martin's No. 01 U.S. Army paint scheme that raced in the 2007 season.14Garrett SmithleySS-Green Light RacingChevroletTerry Labonte's MW Windows Busch Series paint scheme that ran in the 1993-1995 seasons.16Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet17Chase Elliott (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet18William Sawalich (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyotaKyle Busch's NOS Energy Drink paint scheme that won 10 races in 2016.19Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyotaHonoring Bell's racing mentor, Rick Ferkel, representing his well-known car design.20Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyotaMatt Kenseth's Dollar General paint scheme that ran in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet25Harrison BurtonAM RacingFordJeff Burton's No. 99 Citgo paint scheme that ran in the 2001 season.26Dean Thompson (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyotaJamie McMurray's Irwin Tools paint scheme that won him the 2009 AMP Energy 500.27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevroletWard Burton's No. 31 Hardee's paint scheme that ran in the 1994 and 1995 seasons.28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFordRicky Rudd's No. 28 Havoline paint scheme that raced to his final Cup Series win at the 2002 Dodge/Save Mart 350.31Blaine PerkinsJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet32Austin GreenJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Greg Van AlstJoey Gase MotorsportsChevroletRyan Reed's No. 16 Lilly Diabetes paint scheme that won him the 2015 Alert Today Florida 300.39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFordDale Jarrett's No. 88 Ford Credit reverse paint scheme that raced in the 1999 The Winston.41Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamFordKurt Busch's Haas Automation paint scheme that won him the 2017 Daytona 500.42Anthony AlfredoYoung's MotorsportsChevroletSterling Marlin's No. 40 Coors Light paint scheme that ran in the 2005 season.44Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevroletJeff Gordon's No. 24 DuPont/Looney Tunes paint scheme that raced in the 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400.45Mason MasseyAlpha Prime RacingChevroletJimmy Spencer's No. 23 No Bull 5 paint scheme that ran in the 1998 season.48Nick Sanchez (R)Big Machine RacingChevroletBobby Unser's Jorgensen Eagle paint scheme that won him the 1975 Indianapolis 500.51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevroletHarry Gant's No. 33 Skoal Bandit paint scheme that raced in the 1985 season.53David StarrJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet54Taylor Gray (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota70Leland HoneymanCope Family RacingChevroletJeff Green's No. 10 Nesquik paint scheme that raced in the 2000 season.71Ryan EllisDGM RacingChevroletEllis' U.S. Legend Car paint scheme that raced in 2001.74Dawson CramMike Harmon RacingChevrolet88Connor Zilisch (R)JR MotorsportsChevroletBuddy Baker's Crisco paint scheme that raced in the 1987 season.91Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet99Matt DiBenedettoViking MotorsportsChevroletJeff Burton's No. 99 Exide paint scheme that ran in the 2000 season.Official entry list
Practice For practice, drivers will be separated into two groups, A and B. Both sessions were 25 minutes long, and was held on Saturday, April 5, at 10:05 AM EST. Nick Sanchez, driving for Big Machine Racing, would set the fastest time between both sessions, with a lap of 29.859, and a speed of .
Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed148Nick Sanchez (R)Big Machine RacingChevrolet29.859164.694216Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet29.995163.94732Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.043163.685Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, April 5, at 11:10 AM EST. Since Darlington Raceway is an intermediate racetrack, the qualifying procedure used is a single-car, one-lap system with 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.
Christopher Bell, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 29.911, and a speed of .
Two drivers failed to qualify: Dawson Cram and Austin Green.
Qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed119Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota29.911164.408220Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota29.915164.38637Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet29.945164.221454Taylor Gray (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota30.008163.876541Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamFord30.040163.70261Carson Kvapil (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet30.054163.625710Daniel Dye (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet30.093163.413817Chase Elliott (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.096163.397916Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet30.196162.8561000Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamFord30.213162.764112Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.218162.737128Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet30.238162.630135Kris WrightOur MotorsportsChevrolet30.266162.4791425Harrison BurtonAM RacingFord30.269162.4631548Nick Sanchez (R)Big Machine RacingChevrolet30.283162.3881688Connor Zilisch (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet30.302162.2861739Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord30.312162.2331851Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet30.376161.8911921Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.392161.8062018William Sawalich (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota30.421161.6512199Matt DiBenedettoViking MotorsportsChevrolet30.430161.6042227Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet30.434161.5822344Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet30.462161.4342431Blaine PerkinsJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet30.470161.3922571Ryan EllisDGM RacingChevrolet30.494161.265264Parker RetzlaffAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet30.529161.080279Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet30.603160.6902814Garrett SmithleySS-Green Light RacingChevrolet30.659160.3972911Josh WilliamsKaulig RacingChevrolet30.696160.2033026Dean Thompson (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota30.715160.1043191Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet30.725160.0523242Anthony AlfredoYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet30.847159.419Qualified by owner's points3370Leland HoneymanCope Family RacingChevrolet30.939158.9453428Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord30.997158.6483545Mason MasseyAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet31.035158.4533607Nick LeitzSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet31.084158.2043753David StarrJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet31.289157.1673835Greg Van AlstJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet––Failed to qualify3974Dawson CramMike Harmon RacingChevrolet31.211157.5604032Austin GreenJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet31.265157.288Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts125Harrison BurtonAM RacingFord1027Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet9344Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet8428Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord7542Anthony AlfredoYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet6620Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5716Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet4891Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet399Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet01000Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamFord1
Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet10216Christian Eckes (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet939Ross Chastain (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0420Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7525Harrison BurtonAM RacingFord661Carson Kvapil (R)JR MotorsportsChevrolet5719Christopher Bell (i)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota0817Chase Elliott (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet092Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21000Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamFord1
Stage 3 Laps: 58