Xfinity: Busch, Allgaier Big Winners at Indianapolis
By Alex Herbst
Another week, another victory for Kyle Busch, this time in the Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis. But there was a race within the race today too at IMS.
Having joined the Sprint Cup Series for many years by racing in Indianapolis, the Xfinity Series is still in the early stages of history at its new home in town, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And so far, that part of the history of this series and the historic track has been dominated by one driver – Kyle Busch. The 2016 edition was no different.
In its first year with heat races for the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash, there would be two twenty lap heat races followed by a sixty lap main event. Kyle Busch won the pole for Heat #1, with Erik Jones on pole in Heat #2. Both drivers would easily control both of the 20-lap qualifying races, setting up for another Joe Gibbs Racing winning weekend.
The main event was a easy cruise for Busch and JGR as well. The driver of the #18 Toyota led all but one lap on the day, when he needed to pit under green just ahead of halfway. Even with two late-race cautions and a jumbling of the strategy of those teams behind Busch, there was no stopping the winningest driver in Xfinity Series history today in his quest to win the Lilly Diabetes 250.
However, there was still a race within the race, a battle for a $100,000 bonus in the Dash 4 Cash. Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, Elliott Sadler, and Justin Allgaier would all be eligible for the prize due to their strong qualifying runs in the heat races. In the end, Allgaier would come across the line ahead of his competitors, winning the final bonus of 2016.
Despite a non-Xfinity regular winning, Daniel Suarez and Elliott Sadler were able to lock in their spots in the first-ever Chase for the series. Just eight races remain until the top twelve drivers in the division begin their chase for the championship in Kentucky.
Here are the full results from the Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis:
- Kyle Busch, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, JR Motorsports
- Paul Menard, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
- Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, JR Motorsports
- Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, JR Motorsports
- Daniel Suarez, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Joey Logano, Ford, Team Penske
- Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing
- Jeb Burton, Ford, Biagi Den-Beste Racing
- Ryan Reed, Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
- Darrell Wallace Jr., Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing
- Blake Koch, Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
- Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, Clements Family Racing
- Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, RSS Racing
- JJ Yeley, Toyota, Tri-Star Motorsports
- Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, JGL Racing
- Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, JD Motorsports
- Erik Jones, Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, JD Motorsports
- David Starr, Chevrolet, RSS Racing
- Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, JD Motorsports
- B.J. McLeod, Ford, B.J. McLeod Motorsports
- Brandon Gdovic, Chevrolet, Performance Tech Racing
- Joey Gase, Chevrolet, Means Racing
- Mario Gosselin, Chevrolet, King Autosport
- Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, Obiaka Racing
- Stanton Barrett, Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing
- Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, DCR Racing
- Ray Black Jr., Chevrolet, SS Green Light Racing
- Harrison Rhodes, Toyota, MBM Racing
- Mike Harmon, Dodge, Harmon Racing
- Jeff Green, Toyota, Tri-Star Motorsports
- Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Shepherd Racing Ventures
- Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, Tri-Star Motorsports
- Timmy Hill, Dodge, MBM Racing
- Todd Peck, Ford, Rick Ware Racing
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The next race for the NASCAR Xfinity Series is the second stop of the year in the corn belt. See the U.S. Cellular 250 from Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 30 at 8:00 pm eastern live on NBCSN, NBC Sports Live Extra and the NBC Sports app.