JR Motorsports Race Report
Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023
Race 29 of 33: Drive For The Cure 250 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval
Track Specs: 2.28-mile road course / 67 laps
Race Winner: Sam Mayer Points position: 4th (-35)
Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet, set himself up to be victorious today at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, qualifying on the pole and leading for a race-high 50 laps en route to his third victory of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Mayer, facing a must-win situation in order to advance to the Round of 8, captured to checkered flag to secure his spot in the penultimate round of the NXS Playoffs. After the reseeding, today’s victory puts the young driver fourth in points, just 35 markers behind the playoff leader with three races remaining in the Round of 8.
Race Rundown
· The Franklin, Wis. native earned his first pole of the 2023 season early Saturday morning in his qualifying session at the Roval and lined up with teammates Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry right behind. As the green flag fell, Mayer held strong side-by-side with Allgaier and eventually slipped into the second spot just a few turns after the restart.
· Mayer remained close behind his teammate until he made a pass for the top spot on lap 6 of Stage One. He reported to crew chief Mardy Lindley that he was a little snug both ways but felt it would ride itself out. With just a few laps left in the stage, Lindley called the young driver down pit road under green for four tires and fuel that sent Mayer off for an eighth-place Stage One finish.
· After the pit cycle rolled through under the stage break, Mayer restarted the second Stage back on top in the first position. A battle to hold the lead with teammate Berry was resolved and the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet held onto first.
· The young driver continued on with the lead for the majority of the stage until Lindley called the No. 1 Chevrolet down pit road with two laps to go for four fresh tires and some Sunoco fuel. Mayer continued to let the team know he wanted no changes on his No. 1 Camaro. As Mayer fled back onto the track, a late caution in Stage Two led the field to the green-white-checker and Mayer concluded with a seventh-place Stage Two finish.
· Pit strategy set the Franklin, Wis. native up to restart once again in the top spot. Mayer took off as he cleared the field and started to pull away. With 17 laps to go in the Saturday afternoon event the young driver was cruising through the loops of the Roval until a debris caution with 12 laps remaining slowed the field.
· Mayer and the No. 1 Chevrolet rolled down pit road for one last set of four Goodyear tires and some fuel that set him back a few spots to sixth for the restart. The yellow flag fell as a pile up in Turn 1 on the restart allowed Mayer the chance to slide up to second behind Cole Custer.
· With four laps to go, Mayer made a pass for the lead and was able to excel and hold the lead as he crossed the finish line for his third career NXS win at the Roval. This victory advanced Mayer into the Round of 8 of the NXS playoffs and boosted him up to fourth in the NXS playoff point standings.
Sam Mayer, driver No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet team
“What an absolutely amazing day for this No. 1 JR Motorsports team. We knew we had one job to do today and that is exactly what we accomplished. Starting off with the pole and ending with this Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet in Victory Lane and advancing to the new round is just unbelievable. I am so extremely proud of this team and all the hard work they put in each and every day to get us here. We are going to continue this momentum and bring what we have to Vegas!”
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