Practice #1 : Richmond Raceway

• Richmond Raceway
• 42nd Annual ToyotaCare 250
• Pole Winner: Ty Gibbs
• Age: 19
• Team : No. 54 - Monster Energy Toyota
• Owner: Coy Gibbs
• Crew Chief: Chris Gayle
• Ty Gibbs won the Pole Award for the 42nd Annual ToyotaCare 250 with a lap of 22.161 seconds, 121.836 mph.
• This is his third pole in 25 NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
• This is his second pole and fourth top-10 start in 2022.
• This is his first pole in two races at Richmond Raceway.
• John Hunter Nemechek (second) posted his second top-10 start of 2022 and his second in five races at Richmond Raceway.
• Noah Gragson (third) posted his fifth top-10 start at Richmond Raceway. It is his fifth in seven races this season.
• Austin Hill (fourth) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

• Saturday, April 2nd, 2022
• NASCAR Wire Service - Holly Cain

Ty Gibbs Pushes Past Teammate John Hunter Nemechek for Richmond Win

Ty Gibbs bumped his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate John Hunter Nemechek out of the lead on the final lap to claim his third NASCAR Xfinity Series race win of the season - by a mere .116-seconds over Nemechek in the ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway.

The two JGR drivers dominated the afternoon - combining to lead all but one of the 250 laps on the .075-mile track - the first short track test of the season. Nemechek paced the field for a race high 135 laps in the No. 18 JGR Toyota and was within checkered flag sight when Gibbs got into him, pushing Nemechek's Toyota high up the track and then motoring on for his series best third win of the season and seventh of his young career.

In his previous two victories (at Las Vegas and at Atlanta) this season, the 19-year old Gibbs had led only 14 total laps. He was out front 115 on Saturday.

"I definitely deserve one back but we're racing for wins and they are hard to come by so you have to take it," said Gibbs, after climbing out of his No. 54 JGR Toyota.

"Short track racing," he added with a smile. "Got our third win so want to keep it going. What a great car."

"I deserve one back for sure but we're racing for wins and I've got to do what I can to win."

The second-generation driver Nemechek, who races full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, climbed out of his car and offered a smile to the television cameras, but the 23-year old was clearly miffed at his teammate.

"Him and I will settle it one day," Nemechek said. "I don't want to say too much and get myself in trouble. Just got drove through. He didn't even try and make the corner there.

"But racers never forget, that's for sure."

It was a career day for another teenager as well. Not only did 18-year old JR Motorsports driver Sam Mayer earn a career best third place finish but he also secured the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash incentive prize offered by series sponsor Xfinity.

"By the end of the day our Chevrolet Camaro was as fast as Xfinity internet, so that's a really good, feels-good moment for us and obviously, my career best finish," Mayer said. "Unbelievable. This team definitely deserves it."

Now the top four eligible drivers from Saturday's race in Richmond - Mayer, race winner Gibbs, fourth place finisher A.J. Allmendinger and fifth-place finisher Riley Herbst will have an opportunity to contend for the prize money next weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Although he won't be eligible for bonus money, reigning series champion Daniel Hemric had to be happy with his results on Saturday. Hemric rallied from the rear of the starting grid to finish sixth, followed by Josh Berry, Brandon Brown, Ryan Sieg and Parker Retzlaff.

Noah Gragson came into the weekend leading the points standings, but his No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet suffered brake problems all afternoon and ultimately finished 21st, a lap down. The misfortune cost him the championship lead. Allmendinger, the only driver to have Top-10 finishes in all seven races this year, now leads Gibbs and Gragson atop the standings by 20 points.

• Drivers Entered: 42 (4 drivers will not make the race)
• Laps Scheduled: 250
• Margin of Victory: 0.116 Seconds
• Time of Race: 1 Hours 58 Minutes 3 Seconds
• Average Speed: 95.299
• Cautions: 3 for 24 laps
• Lead Changes: 8
• Green Flag Passes: 879 (3.9 passes per green flag lap)

• Richmond Raceway
• 42nd Annual ToyotaCare 250
• Race Winner: Ty Gibbs
• Age: 19
• Team : No. 54 - Monster Energy Toyota
• Owner: Coy Gibbs
• Crew Chief: Chris Gayle
• Ty Gibbs won the 42nd Annual ToyotaCare 250, his seventh victory in 25 Xfinity Series races.
• This is his third victory and fourth top-10 finish in 2022.
• This is his first victory and second top-10 finish in two races at Richmond Raceway.
• John Hunter Nemechek (second) posted his third top-10 finish in five races at Richmond Raceway. It is his second top-10 finish in 2022.
• Sam Mayer (third) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Richmond Raceway.
• Austin Hill (18th) was the highest finishing rookie.
• AJ Allmendinger leads the point standings by 20 points over Ty Gibbs.
• Mayer won the Dash 4 Cash as the highest finishing eligible driver. Gibbs, Mayer, Allmendinger and Riley Herbst qualify for next week's Dash 4 Cash at Martinsville Speedway.