Justin Haley took the lead on the last lap and nipped Kualig Racing teammate AJ Allmendinger at the finish line to win Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
The victory is the sixth in the last eight superspeedway races for Kaulig Racing. All four of Haley’s Xfinity wins are on superspeedways. This was Haley’s first win of the season.
“What an incredible day,” Haley told NBCSN’s Marty Snider after the race. “This season has been so hard.”
MORE: Results from Saturday’s race
The Kaulig Racing cars were three-wide for the lead off Turn 4.
Allmendinger finished second for Kaulig Racing. He was followed by Justin Allgaier, Kaulig Racing’s Jeb Burton and Daniel Hemric.
“As much as I wanted to win, that was pretty freaking cool,” Allmendinger told NBCSN’s Dave Burns about the finish.
Allmendinger also took over the points lead from Austin Cindric with the finish.
The race resumed Saturday afternoon. It was stopped after 19 laps by rain and lightning Friday night. Shortly after the race resumed, a push from Myatt Snider sent Cindric into the wall, ending Cindric’s race. Cindric finished 39th.
An emotional day for @Justin_Haley_.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 28, 2021
The @KauligRacing driver talks about the finish, and the win, at @DAYTONA. #NASCAR #XfinitySeries pic.twitter.com/LrQwLCtZ3V
STAGE 1 WINNER: Justin Haley
STAGE 2 WINNER: Jeb Burton
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Kaulig Racing finished first (Justin Haley), second (AJ Allmendinger) and fourth (Jeb Burton). Allmendinger and Burton have finished in the top five in all three superspeedway races this season. ... Riley Herbst placed 10th. It is his third top 10 in a row, his longest streak of the season. He continues to hold the final playoff spot, extending his advantage by 27 points on Michael Annett. Herbst now leads Annett by 68 points for that final playoff spot.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Austin Cindric was eliminated after a push from Myatt Snider sent him into the wall, ending his race a few laps after the race resumed Saturday. Cindric finished 39th and lost the points lead.
NOTABLE: Kaulig Racing has won the past two Xfinity races. AJ Allmendinger won last weekend at Michigan.
NEXT: The series races Sept. 4 at Darlington Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN)