NOAPS Race Recap: Nu Way 225

The Nu Way 225 at World Wide Technology Raceway was the second race of the Chase for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Carson Kvapil and Jesse Love got the race started from the front row. Sheldon Creed and Corey Day started on the second row. Points leader Justin Allgaier started the race in fifth. The stage lengths were 45 laps for the first and second stage, with the final stage being 90 laps.

Kvapil Wire to Wire

Kvapil got a great launch on the outside line and took the lead into turn one. Love slid in behind him in second. They pulled away from Day, in third, by almost a second.

Allgaier slid a spot to sixth after being passed by William Sawalich.

The first caution came out when Taylor Gray got into the side of Rajah Caruth and turned around in turn one. He and Rajah Caruth were battling for the position when Gray got into the turn a bit hot and lost it.

On lap 17, Kvapil and Love restarted the race on the front row. Kvapil, again, got a great restart and was able to retake his lead.

Day made the most of a bad restart for Love and was able to take the runner-up spot.

Kvapil was again able to pull away by over a second.

Allgaier passed his way to third. He caught and made quick work of Love to take the spot.

Jesse Love complained of an issue shifting back up into fourth gear.

Kvapil led them to the green-white-checkered flag, winning stage one in the Nu Way 225! Day, Allgaier, Hill, and Love rounded out the top five.

Red Flag

A major incident under the yellow saw a pileup at the entrance of pit road. Day had the very first pit stall and was able to get to his stop. William Sawalich seemed to check up while trying to get into his pit stall. That sent the cars behind him into a frenzy and stacked up the field. Jeremy Clements, Rajah Caruth, Nick Sanchez, Harrison Burton, Brandon Jones, and Dean Thompson all received significant damage. Crew members servicing Brent Crews were hit in the, pardon my language, kerfuffle. The race was red-flagged to allow for cleanup and to get cars unstuck.

I Love Love

Kvapil and Love restarted the race on the front row. Kvapil had a good jump and took the lead on the back stretch. Love slid behind him in second.

After restarting in seventh, Sam Mayer powered his way around Sheldon Creed and Sawalich.

On lap 70, Austin Hill complained of a loose wheel and was forced to pit.

A few laps later, the caution came out when Anthony Alfredo blew his left front tire. He limped to the pits, and the caution was thrown for debris he left on the track.

With 12 to go in the stage, Kvapil and Love restarted the race. They drove side by side for almost an entire lap. Love showed his power after taking the lead into turn three.

Mayer and Kvapil stayed at the rear bumper of Love.

With seven to go in the stage, the top three cars were within three tenths of a second of each other. Kvapil got to the inside of Love; Mayer got to the inside of the two of them. Love was able to pull back ahead, leaving Mayer and Kvapil side by side behind him.

On lap 87, Mayer completed the pass for second. Love held the lead to the end to win stage two in the Nu Way 225! Mayer, Kvapil, Creed, and Sawalich finished behind him.

Justin Allgaier had a slow pit stop and fell several positions.

The Champ Shows Out

Love and Hill got the third stage started with Hill getting a better restart. He took the lead into turn one. However, he was unable to hold onto it and slipped in the middle of the turn. Love took the lead, and Hill had to settle in second.

Hill held strong on the older tires, but did begin to fall back. Mayer and Day both got around him, and he fell to fourth. Shortly after that, Kvapil and Sawalich were next to get around Hill.

Up front, Love pulled away from Mayer by over a second. He set the fastest lap and continued to pull away.

Hill continued to fall back with Allgaier and Creed catching his rear bumper. He stayed in the outside line in order to hold them off. Eventually, Allgaier was able to take sixth with a big push from Gray. Next, Gray got to the inside of Hill. He and Parker Retzlaff sent Hill continuing down the leaderboard.

Closer to the front, Kvapil ran down Day and made the pass for third.

Love continued to pull away from the field, gapping Mayer by over two and a half seconds.

Kvapil wrangled and got around Mayer to take the runner-up spot.

On lap 127, Lavar Scott backed into the outside wall. He got loose underneath Brandon Jones. Luckily, Jones was able to get away from it without incident.

48 to go

At the front, Love and Kvapil got the race restarted. Love retook his lead from the inside line.

Unfortunately, that restart brought the feuding Day and Sawalich together. Day washed up the track and into Sawalich. Allgaier caught the rear bumper of Day and began to push him into Sawalich. Sawalich had enough and turned left and into Day on the backstretch. Day was sent nose first into the inside wall.  With 46 to go, the sixth caution came out.

That ended the race for Day and gave Sawalich some tire smoke. Allgaier also got some damage after Day came across his nose.

On the restart, Love and Kvapil raced side by side into turn one. Love got loose and slid back to third with Kvapil and Creed scampering away.

The damage on the front bumper of Allgaier began to hurt him. He fell to tenth but was passed by Kyle Sieg. Thompson was next to get around Allgaier.

Out front, Creed did not allow Kvapil to get away. He patiently hunted for his opportunity to pass.

Meanwhile, Brandon Jones and Ryan Sieg got by Allgaier.

Race to the Finish

With 30 to go, the seventh caution came out. Brad Perez got into the side of Josh Bilicki, and they both turned around. Joey Gase was caught up in the incident.

Back to green, Kvapil and Love restarted the race. Creed pushed Kvapil back out front. Love could not stay in second and settled in third.

Mayer got to the inside of Love to battle for the podium. Love held him off and caught the rear of Creed. He quickly took the spot into turn three.

Love took the quickest lap of the night.

With late-race speed and 17 to go, Love caught the leader. He used his bumper to force Kvapil up the track. Love drove underneath and around to take the lead.

Behind him were Kvapil, Mayer, and Creed three-wide. Kvapil fell behind Creed and Mayer, then Gray drove to and around Kvapil to take fourth. Love pulled away by almost a second. Kvapil continued to fall, losing another position to Hill. Kvapil stayed on the bumper of Hill and even got back around him.

Hill made another unscheduled pit stop.

Love stayed the course to get the checkered flag and win the Nu Way 225! Teammates, Creed and Mayer, finished on the podium. Gray and Kvapil rounded out the top five.

Marvin’s Minute:

After the points reset, the standings got really tight. Allgaier had two angry teenagers in front of him and paid the price. That allowed Sheldon Creed to take the championship lead. These new points rules do not allow for errors.

With the negative out of the way, what a great time to get your first win of the season. Leading 70 laps and getting the win means a lot for the repeat hopeful. The series continues the Chase next week at Bristol on Friday night!