Ty Gibbs appeared on his way to the victory in Saturday’s race until a wreck and caution with one of 67 laps remaining sent the race into a two-lap overtime.
On the restart, Allmendinger ran Gibbs hard into Turn 1 and was able to clear him for the lead off Turn 2. Another caution for a wreck sent the race into a second overtime.
On the next restart, Allmendinger was able to hold off Gibbs in Turn 1 and cleared for the lead and with no more cautions, held on for the win by 0.582 seconds.
The win is the fifth this season for Allmendinger, who remains the top seed in the series playoffs. Allmendinger has won all four Xfinity Series races on the Charlotte since its debut in 2019.
“We were having some steering issues. I’d never use it as an excuse but it was hurting us more than it should’ve,” Allmendinger said. “We tried something new and it started to slow us down.
“I don’t want to complain, but when it’s time to get after it, I’m going to give our guys a shot … Four in a row here, how special!”
Asked about getting around Gibbs on the start of the first overtime, Allmendinger said, “He was really good, I was able to hang with him on the outside. I was committed, even if we were going to wreck.
“I probably used Ty up a little bit on a restart but I’d expect him to do the same going for a win.”
Joining Allmendinger in the semifinal round of the playoffs are Noah Gragson, Gibbs, Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry, Sam Mayer and Brandon Jones. Jones claimed the final transfer spot by two points over Ryan Sieg.
The next round kicks off next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Eliminated from further contention in the playoffs were Sieg, Riley Herbst, Jeremy Clements and reigning series champion Daniel Hemric.
Gragson finished third in the race, James Davison, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, was fourth and Allgaier rounded out the top-five.
Stage 3
Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, several lead-lap cars pit but Sheldon Creed remained on the track and inherited the lead. Jones was first off pit road among those who pit.
On the restart on Lap 44, Creed led the way followed by Gibbs, Gragson and Allmendinger.
Gibbs out-braked Creed entering the backstretch chicane on Lap 45 and reclaimed the lead.
On Lap 46, Jeb Burton spun and Marco Andretti slammed into him to bring out the fourth caution of the race.
“I hurt my wrist again,” Andretti said on his team radio after his incident. Andretti broke his wrist in a crash at the SRX Series finale at Sharon Speedway in late July.
The race returned to green on Lap 49 with Gibbs out front followed by Creed, Allmendinger and Sage Karam.
NASCAR displayed a caution on Lap 51 for debris near the backstretch chicane following incidents involving Preston Pardus, Herbst and Davison. Herbst and Davison had made contact in the restart on Lap 49.
The race returned to green on Lap 53 with Gibbs still out front.
On Lap 55, Herbst spun around in the backstretch chicane after being hit by Berry but he was able to get his car restarted and back on the track.
NASCAR was forced to display a caution on Lap 45 for debris after Allgaier hit a sign on the backstretch.
On the restart on Lap 59, Gibbs remained out front followed by Allmendinger, Creed and Karam.
The caution came out again for debris on the track following a multiple-car pile-up in Turn 2 and Karam got into Creed and spun him out in Turn 7.
The race returned to green with six laps remaining and Gibbs still out front followed by Allmendinger, Karam, Gragson and Allgaier.
On Lap 64, Karam went for a spin in Turn 6 and hit the tire barrier. He fell off the pace and had to pit for repairs.
Debris dropped on the track by Joe Graf Jr. after hitting the wall with one lap to go sent the race into a two-lap overtime.
Gibbs led the way on the restart followed by Allmendiner, Gragson and Allgaier.
Allmendinger powered around Gibbs off Turn 2 to reclaim the lead.
Herbst spun off the course and hit the wall through the infield course and could not refire his No. 98 Ford, which forced NASCAR to throw a caution and send the race into a second overtime.
Allmendinger led on the restart followed by Gibbs, Gragson, Allgaier and Davison.
Stage 2
Jones cruised to the Stage 2 win by 2.7 seconds over Herbst.
Mayer was third, Allgaier was fourth and Davison rounded out the top-five.
Following the break between Stages 1 and 2, most of the lead-lap cars pit but Karam remained on the track and inherited the lead. Gibbs was first off pit road among those who pit.
The race returned to green on Lap 23 with Karam followed by Gragson, Creed and Jones.
Gragson grabbed the lead on the restart only to see Creed get around him in Turn 6 to lead the lap.
On Lap 27, Jones got around Gragson in Turn 10 to move into second, 3.2 seconds behind Creed.
Gibbs got past Jones to take over the second spot on Lap 30 as Creed expanded his lead to 4.3 seconds.
On Lap 37, several lead-lap cars elected to make a green-flag pit stop prior to the end of the stage, including Gragson, Allmendinger, Karam and Clements.
Jones moved into the lead on Lap 38 as both Creed and Gibbs both elected to pit under green.
Stage 1
Allmendinger led all 20 laps and held off a late charge from Gibbs to take the Stage 1 win.
Mayer was third, Austin Hill fourth and Herbst completed the top-five.
Allmendinger started on the pole and took command of the race early.
On Lap 2, Hemric ran off course and hit the tire barrier and was forced to make a green-flag pit stop for repairs.
J.J. Yeley spun off course near Turn 7 on Lap 8 but was able to return to the track and the race.
On Lap 10, Kris Wright, who had recently made a pit stop with his No. 68 stuck in second gear, wrecked in Turn 1 to bring out the first caution of the race.
Only a handful of cars elected to pit and Allmendinger stayed out and in the lead when the race returned to green on Lap 12.
With five laps to go in the stage, Allmendinger remained out front but with Gibbs close behind and Allgaier in third.
On Lap 16, Andretti tried to make a move on Daniil Kvyat entering the backstretch chicane, wheel-hopped and spun out. He was able to return to the track without a caution.
Several lead-lap cars elected to make green-flag stops prior to the conclusion of the first stage on Lap 18.
Gragson started from the rear of the field for moving to a backup car following a wreck in practice on Saturday.