Phoenix Raceway delivered yet another heart-pounding NASCAR Xfinity Series showdown, featuring intense battles, strategic pit stops, and a dramatic overtime finish. With past races at Phoenix known for their nail-biting conclusions, this year’s GOVX 200 did not disappoint. From Alex Bowman’s early dominance to Aric Almirola’s last-lap heroics, this race had everything fans could hope for. Let’s break down the action from the desert!

Welcome to the 48th running of the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Phoenix Raceway (1999-2025). The Xfinity Series has had quite a few crazy finishes at this track, including overtime finishes in each of their last three races. Some other interesting news and notes before we get started….

11 of the last 12 races at Phoenix were won from a top-eight starting position. The eventual Phoenix race winner finished no worse than fourth in either stage in each of the last nine races. The driver leading the most laps has won the last six Phoenix races. And only one of the last 10 Phoenix races was won by a Chevrolet driver (Noah Gragson in March of 2022).

With that being said, tighten those seat belts because the pace car has pulled off and here we go!!

Cup Series driver, Alex Bowman was on the pole for the GOVX 200 at Phoenix Raceway.  And Sheldon Creed was on the outside of the front row to lead the field and take the green at the start of this 200 mile (200 lap) race in the desert.  The first stage will last 45 laps.

Alex Bowman immediately cuts left and takes the dogleg along with the lead heading into Turn 1.  

On lap 24 of 45, Bowman (17) has already begun lapping traffic. Aric Almirola (19) is in second place.

With no instances or cautions in the first stage, Alex Bowman completed a flag to flag trip as the leader.  Aric Almirola, Justin Allgaier (7), Connor Zilisch (88), and Sheldon Creed (00) rounded out the top five. Sam Smith (8), Nicholas Sanchez (48), Brandon Jones (20), Jesse Love (2), and Sam Mayer (41) finished out the top 10. 

All of the leaders hit the pits at the end of the stage. In the race off of pit road, Aric Almirola (19) gains a spot on Alex Bowman (17) who comes out second out of those who pit. They were followed by Brandon Jones (20), Sheldon Creed (00), Justin Allgaier (7), Sammy Smith (8), Jesse Love (2), Austin Hill (21), and Taylor Gray (54). 

The #88 of Connor Zilisch, who finished the first stage in 4th position, had major issues in the pits, coming in too close to the pit wall (possibly even scraping it), and he would need to make multiple maneuvers to get the car in position for the crew to work on it. He drops 17 spots to the 21st position. 

The green flag flies to stat the second stage. Almirola holds off Bowman coming out of turn two, and he will lead his first lap coming to the start/finish line. 

CAUTION: The #42 of Anthony Alfredo is stalled on pit road.  NASCAR throws the caution, and once he gets help coming back around to his pit stall, we’ll get going again with Aric Almirola and Alex Bowman once again on the front row. Alfredo takes his car directly to the garage area. 

Daniel Dye (10), Parker Retzlaff (4), and Mason Massey (45) all pit under the caution.  Kris Wright (5) gets the free pass.

Restart on lap 62; Aric Almirola (19) takes the lead, with Alex Bowman behind him.

As the field comes around to complete the lap, the #21 of Austin Hill clipped the inside wall of Turn 3.  Hill was running in 7th position at the time.  He ricocheted off the inside wall and collides with Sheldon Creed (10) who was on Hill’s outside, and both of the cars slide to the outside wall.  Dean Thompson (26) collides with Austin Hill while trying to avoid the wreck on the high line. We are under caution once again for the cleanup.

On the restart, Alex Bowman takes the lead with Allgaier in second.  Allgaier, the Xfinity Series defending champion, won the last race here in Phoenix back in November for the title.  Aric Almirola battles back and gets behind Allgaier for second with Bowman in third.  

Lap 83, Aric Almirola takes the lead.  Lap 84, Justin Allgaier retakes the lead.  

At the end of Stage 2, it’s Justin Allgaier (7), Aric Almirola (19), Alex Bowman (17), Brandon Jones (20), Sammy Smith (8), Sam Mayer (41), Jesse Love (2), Taylor Gray (54), Travis Kvapil (1), and William Sawalich (18) rounding out the top 10. Caution is out for the end of the stage.

The race off of pit road has Justin Allgaier (7) coming out first, followed by Brandon Jones (20), Alex Bowman (17), Aric Almirola (19), Sammy Smith (8), Taylor Gray (54), Connor Zilisch (88), Jesse Love (2), Sam Mayer (41), and Ryan Sieg (39). 

PENALTY: Sam Mayer (41) for speeding on pit road.  He will go to the back of the longest line. Also, William Sawalich (18) and the #5 of Kris Wright both had speeding penalties. 

On the restart, it’s Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones starting off Stage 3.  Allgaier launches out to the lead with 100 laps to go. 

Lap 144 sees Aric Almirola get back the lead as he passes Justin Allgaier. 

Lap 146 Justin Allgaier takes back the lead from Aric Almirola.

CAUTION: Lap 147. Dawson Cram (74) makes contact with Sammy Smith. Cram has a flat right rear, which sends him backing into the outside wall as he spins out trying to get to the pits..  Smith does appear to have some damage, but looks like he can continue. 

Race off pit road sees Justin Allgaier out first, followed by Alex Bowman, Brandon Jones, Taylor Gray, Jesse Love, Nick Sanchez (48), Aric Almirola, Ryan Sieg, William Sawalich, an Connor Zilisch. 

We’re going green with 46 laps to go and Justin Allgaier once again shoots out to the lead with a great launch.

CAUTION IS OUT with four laps remaining! Nick Leitz (07) spins coming to the start/finish line and backs into the wall.  Justin Allgaier has got be be screaming “ARE YOU KIDDING ME” in his helmet. We will have overtime at Phoenix Raceway in the GOVX 200!  Leitz was running in the 27th position when he spun out.  

This is the fourth consecutive Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway that will go into overtime. Allgaier has dominated this race and has led the most laps. 

During the caution, the top 15 drivers chose to stay out and not put on fresh tires. 

Justin Allgaier will choose the inside lane of the front row, just has he did for prior restarts.  Aric Almirola will choose the outside. 

On the restart on lap 207, Allgaier leads with Almirola holding the outside. Heading into turn two, Allgaier gets loose.  Alex Bowman takes advantage and shoots through both Allgaier and Brandon Jones to take the lead. Almirola comes up to second place. 

White flag is in the air signaling we are on the final lap. It’s Aric Almirola chasing down Alex Bowman.  Coming to turn three, Bowman gives room as he can’t protect the line. Almirola comes to the inside, and then squeezes Bowman to the wall…..

It’s close at the checkered flag…..

And it’s Almirola with the win by 0.045 seconds! 

Alex Bowman finishes in the second position, Brandon Jones comes in third, followed by Ryan Sieg, Justin Allgaier, Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Christian Eckes, Jesse Love, and Nick Sanchez rounds out the top 10.  

The finish of 0.045 seconds was the second closest finish at Phoenix Raceway for the NASCAR Xfinity Series in track history.

The win was Joe Gibbs Racing’s 18th win at Phoenix Raceway.

The GOVX 200 at Phoenix Raceway kept the streak of overtime finishes alive, and Aric Almirola emerged victorious in a breathtaking drag race to the checkered flag. With just 0.045 seconds separating Almirola from Alex Bowman, it marked the second-closest finish in Xfinity Series history at this track. Justin Allgaier led the most laps but fell just short, proving once again how unpredictable and electrifying Phoenix Raceway can be. As the checkered flag waves, all eyes now turn five hours North to Las Vegas, where the Xfinity Series will continue its thrilling season next weekend!

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