Xfinity Series: Nick Sanchez wins big in Atlanta

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: Brittney Wilbur / Digital Media

Nick Sanchez recovers after a stage 2 spin to achieve his first career win and secure his place in the playoffs.

As it unfolded

Sheldon Creed lined up on the pole alongside the Spring race Atlanta winner, Austin Hill. The start was delayed due to lightning, but when it finally started, Creed broke ahead as teammate Sam Mayer challenged Hill for second.

Connor Zilisch had a good start and made it three wide for third between Mayer and Bradnon Jones, who got shoved back out of the top five on lap 3.

The first caution came on lap 4 involving William Sawalich, Josh Williams, Parker Retzlaff, Christian Eckes, and Blaine Perkins. Eckes tapped the back of Perkins, spinning him out and collecting the other drivers.

Credit: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

On the same lap, a separate incident happened. Dean Thompson spun on the inside after contact with Kyle Sieg while trying to avoid the crash. 

Creed and Hill led the way back to green with Zilisch and Jesse Love behind them on lap 16. Both stayed side by side for the first turn, but Creed pulled away. Love had a moment, falling back a couple of places.

Zilisch moved up to second after giving an extra push to Creed on lap 18. 

Hill also fell back out of the top 10 after staying on the bottom lane. Hill had an apparent fuel pressure issue.

By lap 26, the top six, Creed, Zilisch, Mayer, Love, Taylor Gray, and Ryan Sieg, had pulled away from the rest of the field by about a second. 

Further back, Aric Almirola was in a heated battle with Sanchez, Justin Allgaier and Leland Honeyman for seventh.

A second caution was thrown on lap 34 for weather in the area. About 90 minutes later, the red flag was lifted. Many front-runners opted to pit before the choose while 13 drivers stayed out. 

Mayer and Gray led the field to green with R. Sieg and Love behind with five to go in the stage. Love pushed Mayer ahead and battled with Gray for second.

A third caution comes on the restart lap. Love got a bump from Sanchez behind, was squeezed up by Gray, and hit the wall. R. Sieg, Perkins, Creed, Allgaier, Eckes, Katherine Legge, Patrick Staropoli, Anthony Alfredo, Jeb Burton, and Sammy Smith. Creed was almost able to get through unscathed, but Smith spun back onto the track, right into Creed’s path.

The stage ends under caution and gives Gray his first career stage win.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)

2. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)

3. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing) 

4.  No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

5. No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)

6. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

7. No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)

8. No. 70 - Leland Honeyman (Cope Family Racing)

9. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

10. No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)

After a round of pit stops, Zilisch cycled to the lead. Mayer gets off pit road first as Gray fell two places.

Rookie teammates, Zilisch and Carson Kvapil, lead the field to green on lap 55. The two are neck and neck through the opening laps. 

Almirola made his way up to third right behind the teammates who were still side by side.

On lap 62, Zilisch got the head and cleared for the lead.

Sanchez goes for a spin through the grass on lap 68 after being tagged by Matt DiBenedetto and brought out another caution.

Credit: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

Zilisch and DiBenedetto line up for the restart on lap 74, and Kvapil gives Zilisch a push. Both move up to the lead and second.

Love had also recovered up into the top five on this restart. 

On lap 81, another caution comes out as Harrison Burton checked up from Love moving up, and Honeyman hit the back of him. On H. Burton’s way down the track, he clipped the back of Daniel Dye.

Under caution, some drivers pit, including race leader Zilisch. He had a slow stop, and Gray came off pit road first.

Kvapil and Jones assume the lead for the closing laps of the stage. Jones gets ahead just as another caution is thrown for Jeremy Clements, who lost power from fourth. 

This caution takes it to the end of the stage.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

2. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

3. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

4. No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)

5. No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)

6. No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)

7.  No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

8. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)

9. No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing)

10. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)

Almost all of the drivers pit, putting Gray and Almirola on the front row. Coming off pit road first, Mayer makes up 11 places, and Zilisch makes up 8 places.

Drivers went back to green on lap 93, and Gray gets ahead initially, but Almirola comes back to take the lead.

By lap 110, the top 10 were running in a train ahead of the rest of the field. On that lap, Love tried to drop down to pass a few cars. He got up to eighth, and just as he was about to pass Zilisch, he was blocked as Zilisch dropped right in front of Love.

The seventh caution of the night came on lap 126 as CJ McLaughlin spun off turn 4 and stopped at the entrance of pit road.

Quite a few drivers opt to pit. The highest of these runners were Kvapil and Zilisch. Sanchez got off pit road ahead of both.

Almirola and Mayer line up for the restart with Gray and Thompson on the row behind. 

The race goes back to green on lap 130 and the front row stays side by side. Thompson gave Mayer a big push, but Mayer was not able to make the move stick. Gray also gave a push to Almirola and moves the two up to 1-2. 

Another caution comes out on lap 134 for debris on track. Mason Maggio was also slow on the track with a blown tyre.

For this restart, Sanchez lines up alongside Almirola. With 24 to go, the race goes back to green. 

Love and Gray give the front row pushes, and Almirola goes up to the lead. However, Sanchez moved up to stay by Almirola’s side.

Sanchez took the lead on lap 143, and Love used the side draft to move into second before charging for the lead. Behind them, Zilisch surged up to fourth and fought with Almirola for third. 

The ninth caution comes out for debris on the track again as McLaughlin goes into the garage.

Sanchez and Love are at the front for the restart with 7 to go. Almirola and Kvapil line up behind.

Both drivers get big pushes, but Love got the early lead. Sanchez goes sideways, but it worked in his favor to get him to second. Love fell back as Kvapil moved up to second and Sanchez retook the lead. 

Zilisch then challenged his teammate for second with 4 to go before sticking to the inside lane and falling back.

At the checkered flag and after spinning through the grass earlier in the race, it’s Nick Sanchez’s first career victory. 

Provisional Results

1.  No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

2. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

3. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)

4. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

5. No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)

6. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

7. No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)

8. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing) 

9. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)

10. No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing)

11. No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)

12. No. 70 - Leland Honeyman (Cope Family Racing)

13. No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing) 

14. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

15. No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)

16. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing) 

17. No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)

18. No. 35 - Joey Gase (Joey Gase Motorsports) 

19. No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)

20. No. 45 - Mason Massey (Alpha Prime Racing)

21. No. 71 - Ryan Ellis (DGM Racing + JIM)

22. No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing)

23. No. 14 - Garrett Smithley (SS-Green Light Racing) 

24. No. 07 - Nick Leitz (SS-Green Light Racing)

25. No. 5 - Kris Wright (Our Motorsports)

26. No. 21 -  Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing) +5 laps [FL]

27. No. 53 - Mason Maggio (Joey Gase Motorsports) +10 laps

28. No. 91 - CJ McLaughlin (DGM Racing x JIM) [DNF]

29. No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports) [DNF]

30. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing) [DNF]

31. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports) [DNF]

32. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team) [DNF]

33. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [DNF]

34. No. 32 - Katherine Legge (Jordan Anderson Racing) [DNF]

35. No. 24 - Patrick Staropoli (Sam Hunt Racing) [DNF]

36. No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing) [DNF]

37. No. 4 - Parker Retzlaff (Alpha Prime Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing) [DNF]

Next week, NASCAR Xfinity heads to Chicago! Tune in Saturday, July 5, at 15:30 EST (20:30 BST).