TC Daily Pit Stop: Weekend Update, Almirola and Heim Score Xfinity and Truck Wins, Bell on Cup Pole at Kansas
TC Daily Pit Stop: Sunday, September 29, 2024
Thoughts are with those affected by Hurricane Helene: We apologize for the lack of newsletters over the last few days as we suffered power and internet issues that kept us from properly sending the Daily Pit Stop out, but our technical issues pale in comparison to the problems suffered by so many families who were in the path of Helene. We’re thinking of everyone who was affected by the storm.
Christopher Bell Continues Kansas Qualifying Dominance with Cup Series Pole
Christopher Bell will kick off the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs from the pole position in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. Bell, the final driver to take a lap in the final round of Saturday’s qualifying session, cranked out a lap time of 30.111 seconds (179.336 mph), which was enough to top his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs for the pole.
Sunday’s race is set to go green at 3:05 PM ET. The official race broadcast will begin on USA Network at 3 PM ET.
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STARTING LINEUP
Aric Almirola Overcomes Laundry List of Problems to Win Playoff Opener at Kansas
Multiple issues on pit road, and scraping the outside wall late in the day couldn't keep Aric Almirola from being within striking distance of a race win in the closing laps of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway.
As Cole Custer and Chandler Smith engaged in a spirited battle for the lead for more than 20 laps, Almirola quietly bided his time and let his competitors use up their stuff. After Custer finally emerged with the lead with six laps to go, Almirola got by him for the lead, and race win two laps later.
Almirola cruised to his second win of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
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Post-Race Resources
More NASCAR Headlines:
Playoff Contender Justin Allgaier Pounds Inside Wall at Kansas: Justin Allgaier, the No. 1 seed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs found trouble on Lap 70 of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Playoff race at Kansas, and would DNF after another crash on the ensuing restart. Allgaier would drop outside of the Playoff cutline by the end of the race.
Custer: Chandler Smith is “Gonna Pay the Consequences” for Putting Him in Fence: Cole Custer was irate with Chandler Smith after Saturday’s race, where the two battled for many laps for the race lead. Custer wasn’t upset about being raced hard, he was upset that in the middle of the battle, Smith pinched him into the outside wall. Custer says Smith will pay for that move down the road.
Ty Dillon Running Full-Time for Kaulig Racing in 2025; Driving No. 10: Ty Dillon will officially return to the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2025 as the driver of the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing.
Corey Heim Completes Sweep at Kansas, Dye & Rhodes Eliminated: Corey Heim took his sixth win of the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season as he passed Ty Majeski, who ran out of fuel on the final lap. Daniel Dye and Ben Rhodes were eliminated from Playoff contention in the race.
NASCAR TRIVIA:
NEED A HINT?
Not a Kansas Speedway pole winner
Isn’t a watermelon truther
Was rumored to be getting replaced in 2025
DID YOU GET OUR LAST QUESTION CORRECT?
Q: Which driver won the first two NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway?
A: Jeff Gordon. 68% got it correct! Good work.