Gragson had dominated much of Saturday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway but a late-race caution for an accident sent the leaders to pit road and bunched the field one final time.
Gragson’s No. 9 JR Motorsports team got him off pit road first and he easily cleared for the lead on the restart with five of 200 laps remaining. He held off a late charge by Gibbs by 0.550 seconds to earn his eighth win of the 2022 season.
Even more important, the victory automatically allows Gragson to compete for the series championship in two weeks at Phoenix, regardless of how he finishes next weekend at Martinsville, Va.
“We just kicked their ass baby, let’s go,” said Gragson, who led 127 laps. “I wanted this one so bad after the last three years. Words can’t describe how thankful I am for everybody at JR Motorsports. It’s just unbelievable.
“Man, I’m worn out. I was driving my ass off there. It takes a lot of focus to run the fence like that. The pit crew did a great job. I’m just really grateful.”
Gragson joins JRM teammate Josh Berry – who won last week’s race at Las Vegas – in the Championship 4. The final two positions will be determined next weekend at Martinsville.
The four drivers lowest in points in the semifinal round and most in danger of missing the cutoff are Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Sam Mayer and Brandson Jones.
A.J. Allmendinger finished third in the race, Daniel Hemric was fourth and Mayer rounded out the top-five.
Completing the top-10 were Trevor Bayne, Chandler Smith, Riley Herbst, Hill and Allgaier.
Stage 3
Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, the lead-lap cars all pit with Gragson first off pit road.
On the restart on Lap 97, Gragson was followed by Hill, Allmendinger and Mayer.
Hill got around Gragson on Lap 98 to retake the lead. On Lap 101, Bayne went to the inside of Hill in Turns 1 and 2 to return to the race lead.
After hounding Bayne for several laps, Gragson passed him to reclaim the lead on Lap 125.
On Lap 142, Hill was the first of the lead-lap cars to hit pit road for a round of green-flag pit stops for new tires and fuel to make it to the end of the race.
Bayne was penalized for speeding on pit road during his stop and had to serve a pass-through penalty.
Once the cycle of stops was completed on Lap 145, Gragson returned to the lead. He was followed by Hill, Allmendinger and Gibbs.
Hill elected to pit again on Lap 153 under green after he reported a vibration and was concerned he had a loose wheel, which his team confirmed. He returned to the track in 17th and a lap down.
With 25 laps to go, Gragson had built up an 8.5-second lead over Allmendinger with Berry in third.
Jones and Hill got into each other on the track – with both suffering damage – but no caution was called.
On Lap 188, Stefan Parsons wrecked in an incident with Kyle Sieg to bring out the fourth caution of the race.
All of the lead-lap cars elected to pit with Gragson first off pit road. When the race resumed with five laps remaining, Gragson was followed by Allmendinger, Hemric, Gibbs and Hill.
Stage 2
Gragson cruised to the Stage 2 victory of Allmendinger by almost 3.5 seconds, his series-leading 16th stage win of the 2022 season.
Hill finished third, Bayne was fourth and Mayer rounded out the top-five.
Following the break between Stages 1 and 2, the lead-lap cars all pit with Landon Cassill first off pit road.
On the restart on Lap 51, Cassill was followed by Gibbs, Gragson and Hill.
Gibbs powered to the lead shortly after the restart.
Gragson got back around Gibbs on the outside on Lap 53 to reclaim the lead.
Hill got momentum off of Turn 2 on Lap 55. He got loose in Turns 3 and 4 but completed the pass for the race lead.
On Lap 68, Berry tagged the wall and was forced to pit under green for repairs.
Gragson ran the top line around Hill in Turns 1 and 2 and returned to the lead on Lap 71.
With 10 laps to go, Gragson had built a 1.7-second lead over Allmendinger and Hill ran third.
On Lap 88, Allgaier hit the wall and suffered a flat right-front tire which forced him to pit under green.
Stage 1
Gragson claimed the Stage 1 win under caution following a late-stage caution. It was his 15th stage victory of the 2022 season.
Cassill was second, Gibbs third, Bayne fourth and Allmendinger rounded out the top-five.
Bayne started on the pole and quickly cleared for the lead.
On Lap 3, J.J. Yeley got into Herbst as the field went four-wide on the backstretch to bring out the first caution.
The race returned to green on Lap 8 with Bayne out front followed by Gragson and Gibbs.
On Lap 23, Gragson got around Bayne to take the lead for the first time in the race.
With 20 laps remaining in the stage, Gragson had built a half-second lead over Bayne with Gibbs in third.
With five laps to go, Gragson had built a nearly 5-second lead over Cassill with Gibbs still in third.
On Lap 42, C.J. McLaughlin spun out in Turn 3 after Mason Massey hit the wall to bring out the caution.