Phoenix Raceway is known for its thrill and unpredictability. Last year, we witnessed Joey Logano’s dramatic crash on lap 204, triggered by a rear hit from John Hunter Nemechek, which resulted in him collecting four cars as he smashed into the wall. We also saw Anthony Alfredo intentionally wreck Stefan Parsons during the Xfinity championship race. However, it’s not just the racers that make the headlines. Who can forget when the pace car crashed into the sand barriers while leading the pack after the first stage break, causing a red flag in last year’s championship race?
This year, Phoenix was once again buzzing with anticipation. Justin Allgaier seemed poised to clinch victory in the GovX 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, representing the No. 7 JRM team. However, in a cruel twist of fate, an untimely caution with just three laps to go allowed veteran JGR driver Aric Almirola to challenge the race leader. This exciting turn of events became a hot topic of conversation in the racing community, particularly following the clean race at COTA the previous Sunday.
At the overtime restart, Allgaier’s lead was neutralized as the pack bunched up. Alex Bowman, along with Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Brandon Jones and Aric Almirola, were in hot pursuit. The thrilling finish saw Allgaier nearly push Almirola’s No. 19 Toyota Camry into the wall. Bowman, driving the No. 17 HMS Chevy, managed to snatch the lead and the white flag, with only the No. 19 car to worry about.
On the final lap, Almirola knew he had to be aggressive to secure the win. Mimicking Allgaier’s tactics, he stayed on Bowman’s rear bumper and forced his car up into the wall on the final corner, securing a victory in a three-wide photo finish. Bowman was evidently disappointed, saying, “I would’ve hoped that he would’ve given me a lane on exit, but he just exited like I wasn’t there.”
In the previous week’s COTA race, Christopher Bell chose not to shove Kyle Busch out of the way, as Almirola had done to Bowman. Instead, Bell opted for a clean and respectful race, a decision that Busch later praised. Reacting to this, Rick Hendrick’s driver, William Byron, who was set to race the next day, agreed with Busch’s sentiments about the importance of maintaining respect on the track.
This controversy between Bowman and Almirola has sparked a debate about the thin line between foul play and hard racing. While Almirola and Bowman are both running partial schedules in the Xfinity Series, it’s clear that the final restarts are no-holds-barred.
This incident could potentially ignite a new rivalry in NASCAR. Almirola appears ready to take any measure to win a race, while Bowman advocates for clean and fair racing. Almirola defended his aggressive move, stating, “I knew I was going to use him up a little bit… I feel like it was warranted. I didn’t think I did anything overly egregious; I just throttled up.”
As the season continues, these contrasting racing styles could lead to more on-track fireworks. Should Bowman decide to give Almirola a taste of his own medicine in the future, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to the NASCAR community. The unfolding drama between these two drivers is likely to keep fans on the edge of their seats.