JR Motorsports Race Report Friday, Aug. 25, 2023 Race 24 of 33: Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway Track Specs: 2.5-mile tri-oval/ 100 laps Race Winner: Justin Allgaier Mayer’s finish: 19th Point’s position: 5th (-164)
Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 1 Tim McGraw Standing Room Only Chevrolet succumbed to a 19th-place finish after a hard-fought battle inside the top 10 throughout the night, due to a late-race incident that collected the young driver and sent the team to battle repairs through the closing laps at Daytona International Speedway. The Franklin, Wis. native and No. 1 Jr Motorsports team was able to hold the Chevrolet together for a top-20 finish and keep their fifth-place position in the NASCAR Xfinity series point standings with two races remaining in the regular season.
Race Rundown
Mayer set the No. 1 Tim McGraw Standing Room Only Chevrolet to start 14th in line at the 2.5- mile tri-oval in Friday afternoon’s qualifying event. After multiple cars were sent to the back, the young driver ended up rolling to the green flag in the seventh position to start the 100-lap battle. A quiet Stage One allowed Mayer to draft and figure out his line.
With 11 laps to go in the stage, Mayer made a move to the bottom that pulled him back to 16th in line after not being able to hop back up top. The young driver played the side draft hard as he climbed back up the leaderboard for a 15th-place Stage One finish. Crew chief Mardy Lindley called the No. 1 Chevrolet down pit road under caution for four tires, fuel and a slight adjustment.
The 20-year-old driver took the top and restarted in the 14th position for the start of Stage Two. Mayer was put three-wide on the green-flag shuffle and drafted his way up to seventh. A lap-43 caution came out and Mayer reported “balance is perfect, let’s roll”. Once again, the No. 1 Chevrolet rolled up top for the restart where the Chevrolets took off. Mayer battled in the losing laps of Stage Two to put himself ninth in line to end the stage.
Lindley called the young driver down pit road for fuel only, allowing the team to pick up eight spots on pit road and line up first to lead the pack to the green at the start of the final stage. Mayer led the pack for multiple laps with the Chevys in line for support. The young driver battled to hold position as the drafting strategies picked up in the competition.
The fourth yellow flag of the night fell and the No. 1 Tim McGraw Standing Room Only Chevrolet held strong in the top five with eight laps to go. Mayer came over the radio to Lindley that he was feeling free but did not want to risk track position to pit.
A multi-car incident on the restart with three laps to go collected Mayer, causing damage to the right side. The No. 1 Chevrolet rolled down pit road for fresh tires and to repair the damage. Another caution put the pack into NASCAR’s version of overtime that sent Mayer down pit road again to patch up the damaged racecar and race to the finish. The young driver handled the closing laps well and the No. 1 Chevrolet crossed the line for a 19th-place finish at Daytona.
Sam Mayer, driver No. 1 Tim McGraw Standing Room Only Chevrolet team “We had a really fast No. 1 Tim McGraw Standing Room Only JR Motorsports Chevrolet today and I am disappointed we could not have the finish this car deserved. The car felt awesome all night and I am bummed to have it end this way but super happy for my teammate Justin (Allgaier) and we will pick our heads up and head to Darlington.”
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