Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 Hellmann's Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

NASCAR News: Allgaier Wins Tennessee Lottery 250 Xfinity Race

Justin Allgaier won the Tennessee Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway.

Allgaier, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, swept all the stages on his way to his third NASCAR Xfinity Series win of the year, his second at Nashville Superspeedway, and the 28th victory of his career, good for ninth all-time. Chevrolet has won 12 of the first 14 Xfinity Series races of the season – a Series first.

“There’s no cooler feeling than to win at a place like this,” said Allgaier in front of the grandstands with fireworks exploding behind the backstretch. “These fans are incredible. I really wanted to get a second guitar. [My daughters] can fight over one of them or both of them.”

By that point his daughters — Harper and Willow — and wife Ashley had run across the infield grass to join Dad at the start-finish line. Both children joined the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion in the car as he guided it to Victory Lane, where his car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. waited to congratulate him.

Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 Hellmann's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 Hellmann’s Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

“It was a really great run,” Earnhardt said. “Justin runs so good here. It’s no surprise to see him up there contending.”

Allgaier led a race-high 101 laps, including the final 48 circuits following a critical pass of Brandon Jones on the inside during the race’s final restart.

“JR Motorsports brought some incredible Chevrolets today,” Allgaier said. “That final restart was the key. Having clean air, and being out front … you have to make the most out of having good days. “This team never gives up. [My pit crew] deserves this more than anything. This [car] was on rails.”

Allgaier, the Xfinity Series points leader, beat rookie Connor Zilisch, his JR Motorsports teammate, to the checkered flag by 1.289 seconds. Sam Mayer was third, followed by Sheldon Creed in fourth and NASCAR Cup Series star Ross Chastain in fifth.

“[Justin] had the clean air at the end and I couldn’t quite get there,” said Zilisch, who led 18 laps. “Really good job by Justin there on that final restart.”

“Overall, we had a really solid day,” said Mayer. “Unfortunately, we didn’t execute on pit road and we got shuffled back on some restarts. Being disappointed in a third-place finish is good long term.”

Allgaier, 38, from Springfield, Illinois, averaged 111.006 mph around the 1.33-mile concrete oval, completing 188 laps in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 9 seconds. Six caution periods took up 39 laps while seven leaders exchanged the lead eight times.

Earlier Saturday, rookie William Sawalich, driving the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, earned his second career pole, with a lap of 155.152 mph (30.86 seconds) during Wilson County Convention and Visitors Bureau Qualifying. Sawalich led 37 laps but finished 35th after losing engine power.

Among other notables, former NASCAR Cup Series drivers Aric Almirola and Harrison Burton finished sixth and 13th, respectively, while Jeffrey Earnhardt placed 20th.

At the end, everyone was looking up at Allgaier, who was soaking in the time with his loved ones — and maybe thinking about where to put the latest family trophy.

“To have my daughters and wife here — these are the moments that are really, really special,” Allgaier said.

TENNESSEE LOTTERY 250 RESULTS

Fin Str No. Driver Team Laps Led Laps Status
1 4 7 Justin Allgaier Hellmann’s Chevrolet 101 188 Running
2 10 88 Connor Zilisch # Blues Hog Chevrolet 18 188 Running
3 3 41 Sam Mayer Audibel Ford 0 188 Running
4 5 0 Sheldon Creed Ollie’s Ford 25 188 Running
5 9 9 Ross Chastain(i) Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet 0 188 Running
6 8 19 Aric Almirola Young Life Toyota 0 188 Running
7 2 21 Austin Hill Bennett Transportation Chevrolet 0 188 Running
8 15 2 Jesse Love Titan Chevrolet 0 188 Running
9 6 1 Carson Kvapil # Bass Pro Shops/Clarience Tech Chevrolet 0 188 Running
10 14 8 Sammy Smith Pilot Chevrolet 0 188 Running
11 21 17 Corey Day HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 0 188 Running
12 17 25 Harrison Burton DEX Imaging Ford 0 188 Running
13 13 20 Brandon Jones Menards/Charbroil Toyota 3 188 Running
14 7 48 Nick Sanchez # Pickers Vodka Chevrolet 0 188 Running
15 16 27 Jeb Burton Hawkins Homes/Screaming Eagle Chevrolet 0 188 Running
16 31 44 Brennan Poole Macc Doors/Ez-Lift Garage Door Chevrolet 0 188 Running
17 26 11 Josh Williams Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet 0 188 Running
18 18 51 Jeremy Clements All South Electric Chevrolet 1 188 Running
19 34 24 Jeffrey Earnhardt K9 Grass Toyota 0 188 Running
20 30 70 Thomas Annunziata Bayshore Mortgage Chevrolet 0 187 Running
21 11 39 Ryan Sieg Sci Aps Ford 0 187 Running
22 36 91 Myatt Snider Tree Top Chevrolet 0 187 Running
23 37 14 Logan Bearden T3 Vodka Chevrolet 0 187 Running
24 38 45 Mason Massey Brunt Chevrolet 0 187 Running
25 24 54 Taylor Gray # Operation 300 Toyota 0 187 Running
26 28 28 Kyle Sieg Shannon Speck’s Electric Ford 0 187 Running
27 33 7 Nick Leitz Doobie Chevrolet 0 187 Running
28 32 53 Mason Maggio Flitz Polish Ford 0 187 Running
29 23 42 Anthony Alfredo Dude Wipes Chevrolet 0 187 Running
30 27 31 Blaine Perkins WERNER Chevrolet 0 187 Running
31 35 5 Kris Wright First National Bank Corp Chevrolet 0 187 Running
32 22 99 Matt DiBenedetto Sci Aps Chevrolet 0 186 Running
33 20 26 Dean Thompson # MCM Transportation Toyota 0 184 Running
34 1 18 William Sawalich # Starkey Toyota 37 163 Engine
35 12 16 Christian Eckes # Celsius Chevrolet 0 98 Accident
36 25 71 Ryan Ellis Tablo TV/Rich Mar Florist Chevrolet 0 98 Accident
37 29 4 Parker Retzlaff Dove MenCare Chevrolet 0 35 Accident
38 19 10 Daniel Dye # Race to Stop Suicide Chevrolet 3 188 Running

Average Speed of Race Winner:  111.006 mph.

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 15 Mins, 9 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.289 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  6 for 39 laps.

Lead Changes:  8 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   W. Sawalich # 1-37;J. Allgaier 38;D. Dye # 39-41;J. Clements 42;J. Allgaier 43-94;S. Creed 95-119;C. Zilisch # 120-137;B. Jones 138-140;J. Allgaier 141-188.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Justin Allgaier 3 times for 101 laps; William Sawalich # 1 time for 37 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 25 laps; Connor Zilisch # 1 time for 18 laps; Daniel Dye # 1 time for 3 laps; Brandon Jones 1 time for 3 laps; Jeremy Clements 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top 10: 7,51,99,21,10,00,41,1,20,88

Stage #2 Top 10: 7,00,19,88,9,41,21,1,16,10