NOAPS Race Recap: Championship Race

NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series concluded its season in the Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sheldon Creed, fifth in points, was joined by Austin Hill on the front row for the start. Championship leader Justin Allgaier started the race in 11th. Jesse Love started fourth, Corey Day seventh, and Carson Kvapil third. They were the only drivers mathematically eligible for the championship. Stages one and two were 45 laps each, with the final stage being 110.

Day is Done

Creed cleared Hill quickly on the drop of the green flag. He took the lead into turn one. Love and Kvapil swapped places in third and fourth.

Sam Mayer was the big mover early. He started in 12th and joined the top five on lap four. He challenged Kvapil for fourth and made the pass in turns three and four.

The first caution came out when Day tried to clear himself on the backstretch. He moved up the track and into the front bumper of Rajah Caruth. Day turned nose-first into the outside wall and sustained severe damage. His race was effectively over on lap eight.

Creed and Love restarted on the front row. Mayer pushed Creed out front but challenged him for the lead out of turn two. Creed held on, but Mayer had more momentum. Creed held tight to his lead.

Mayer and Creed pulled away from the field by over three seconds.

With 13 to go, Mayer made a move for the lead into turn one. He slid in front of Creed to take the position. Mayer immediately put over a second and a half on his teammate.

With seven to go, Carson Kvapil complained of an alternator issue.

Allgaier began to have tire issues with three laps to go. He held on to seventh to end the stage.

Mayer held on to the lead to win stage one in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race. Creed, Love, Hill, and Kvapil rounded out the top five.

Kvapil made a battery change under the caution.

Creed Fast Early, Mayer Sweeps Late

Love and Mayer restarted on the front row. Creed pushed Love out front and was able to challenge for the lead into turn three. He took the lead out of four.

Allgaier climbed to third but Mayer began to hound him. Mayer finished the pass, but Allgaier did not give up. He could not challenge again and settled for fourth. Allgaier was able to gather himself back up and fight Love and Mayer for second.

Creed could not build a lead and sat less than half a second in front of the battle. Love, Mayer, Allgaier, and Hill stayed behind the leader.

Creed was able to pull away as the run went long.

Mayer caught and began to fight Love for second. He took the position as they fought lapped traffic. Mayer caught Creed with 15 to go in the stage.

Mayer took the lead with 12 to go, and pulled away from the field. He maintained his lead at over two seconds.

Jeb Burton brought out the third caution after getting turned around in turn three.

That ended the stage with Sam Mayer getting the sweep in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Championship Race. Creed, Love, Allgaier, and Hill finished the stage in the top five.

Leaving it All Out There

Love and Creed restarted from the front row. Allgaier took the outside line to pass Love into turn one. Love took the spot back quickly.

Creed had Love chomping at the bit behind him.

Mayer, who restarted in 18th, moved through the field easily. He climbed to sixth early in the stage. He rode Hill’s rear bumper for half a lap before driving underneath and making the pass.

Up front, Creed pulled away from Love by a second. He and his teammate were the fastest two on the track.

Mayer made quick work of Allgaier for fourth.

Kvapil battled Love for second, which helped Creed scamper away to a second and a half. Once Kvapil passed Love, he began to track the leader down.

Lapped traffic helped Kvapil reel in the leader. He got side by side with Creed on the frontstretch but could not get the pass. They swapped the lead with 68 to go.

The jockeying for position allowed Love and Mayer to close in.

Kvapil drove to the bottom of the track and cleared Creed for the lead out of turn two.

Love caught the wall which allowed Mayer to battle for third.

Wild Pit Cycle

Allgaier made an early pit stop with right-side tire issues on lap 139.

Love was next to pit two laps later. Creed followed by pitting next time around. Kvapil and Mayer pitted also.

The fourth caution came out when Andrew Patterson got into the put wall barrels. He was trying to get onto pit road and lost control of his car.

NASCAR red flagged the race with 55 to go to allow for track clean-up. Brandon Jones was the leader when the caution came out.

With 49 to go, Kvapil and Mayer restarted on the front row. Love fell from third to eighth. Kvapil and Mayer pulled out front. Mayer got to the right-rear of Kvapil and took the lead.

Jones did not let them get away and stayed right behind them. He got around Kvapil and started to battle for the lead. Mayer got into the outside wall, which allowed Jones to get alongside of him. He took the lead into turn one. Mayer fought back but did not have enough to hold on.

The Race Is On

Kvapil got around Mayer for second. He wasted no time and began to battle Jones for the lead. Jones got into the wall but Kvapil could not get around him. Kvapil forced the issue after sending it deep into turn three to make the pass.

Love cleared Allgaier, dropping him to sixth.

With 15 to go, Jones and Mayer were within a second of Kvapil. The top three battled through lapped traffic effectively.

Jones got by Kvapil to retake the lead with 13 to go.

Mayer was forced to pit with a right rear tire going down.

Jones pulled away from Kvapil by over two and a half seconds.

Brandon Jones took the white and the checkered flag to win the Championship Race. Kvapil, Brent Crews, Creed, and Love rounded out the top five.

Justin Allgaier finished in seventh, earning him the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Championship!

Marvins Minute:

When the points reset and brought the field back to Allgaier, it gave them a chance. Allgaier did not look back and took care of business. He is now a 2x champion. His experience, ability, and a great team behind him earned him the title. A very well-deserved trophy.

Brandon Jones got his first win since July, so I am happy for him. He is a very talented driver who got a great win to end the season. He fought a stacked top five who continued to take shots at him. Jones held on to get it done.

A short offseason for the series but the season begins on February 20th!