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Almirola Seals Dramatic Overtime Victory at Phoenix Xfinity Series Race: A Last-Lap Thriller Recap

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 9, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
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Almirola Seals Dramatic Overtime Victory at Phoenix Xfinity Series Race: A Last-Lap Thriller Recap

Mar 8, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Aric Almirola (19) finishes ahead of driver Alex Bowman (17) and driver Brandon Jones (20) for the victory of the GovX 200 at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In an adrenaline-charged finish on Saturday, seasoned racer Aric Almirola seized victory at the Phoenix Raceway in the GOVX 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series. The Tampa native, who led 25 laps during the race, made a spectacular last-lap dash to the finish line, muscling past Alex Bowman in a thrilling door-to-door battle. The margin of victory was a mere 0.045 seconds, marking the second closest finish in the track’s storied history.

Almirola, who pilots the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, was a force to reckon with, emerging victorious from a nerve-wracking four-wide battle for the lead in the final two laps. His final push to the checkered flag, just 200 feet from the finish line, was decisive in securing the win. Remarkably, this was the only lap he led in the final 50 of the 208-lap race.

The Xfinity Series win was Almirola’s eighth in his career and a testament to his enduring talent and skill. The 40-year-old has been racing part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing since retiring from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition two years ago. Speaking post-victory, Almirola revealed his winning strategy, “I knew I was going to use him up a little bit, but was trying to win the race. I didn’t feel like I did anything overly egregious. I just throttled up, and it was a drag race to the start-finish line.”

Fellow racer Alex Bowman, driving the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, showed his mettle by starting on pole, leading the first 70 laps, and winning the opening stage. However, Bowman expressed dissatisfaction with the aggressive contact with Almirola’s Toyota during the final laps. “He just exited like I wasn’t there. I got shoved into the fence, and the race car is destroyed,” said the frustrated Arizona native.

Almirola’s teammate, Brandon Jones, secured a commendable third-place finish, followed by owner-driver Ryan Sieg and reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier. Allgaier, driving the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, led 130 laps, the highest in the race, and was leading the pack during the final overtime restart. The outcome was a tough pill to swallow for him, especially considering his tire problems during last year’s race.

The top 10 finishers also included JGR rookie Taylor Gray, Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer, Kaulig Racing rookie Christian Eckes, Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love, and Big Machine Racing rookie Nick Sanchez.

The race was marred by a significant accident on lap 63 involving Austin Hill, Sheldon Creed, and Dean Thompson. Hill, who won the Daytona season opener, admitted to misjudging the lower wall, causing the crash. The incident affected the championship standings, pushing Hill down to fourth place.

As the dust settles on an action-packed race, the NASCAR Xfinity Series prepares to reconvene next Saturday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the LiUNA! race. The defending champion, John Hunter Nemechek, is expected to put on quite a show.

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