Forever A Champion: Allgaier’s Determined Road To Glory

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Many in the racing world collectively rejoiced Saturday night following the conclusion to the NASCAR Xfinity Series season, when Justin Allgaier finally earned the once elusive title of “champion.”

Nearly two decades of unrelenting pursuit, backed by heart and resilience, led to one of the most inspiring comeback stories in the history of the sport.

In 2008, Allgaier burst onto the scene as a high-level prospect for Team Penske in what was then known as the NASCAR Nationwide (now Xfinity) Series.

The fresh-faced 22-year-old racer from Illinois emerged as an impressive talent, winning rookie-of-the-year honors, then breaking through for his first victory in 2010, a season where he wound up placing fourth in the end-of-season standings.

Adopting the nickname “Lil Gator” as a play on words with his last name, along with his father’s “Gator” nickname and help from the infamous commercial he starred in at the beginning of his career, the legacy of Allgaier as he’s known now had only just begun.

What started out as the opportunity of a lifetime, quickly transitioned into a redemptive journey of overcoming constant adversity.

After two seasons, Verizon ended its sponsorship with Allgaier, causing funding to run dry and leading the young talent to lose his ride at Penske. In the years to follow, “Lil Gator” aligned with middle-of-the-pack team Turner Scott Motorsports, wheeling his way to two wins and a best finish of third in the developmental series through three full time campaigns.

In 2014, he began an abbreviated and unsuccessful stint in the NASCAR Cup Series spanning just two years for back-marker organization HScott Motorsports, continuing with team owner Harry Scott after the pair’s association at TSM previously.

Through the failures and shortcomings, Allgaier never wavered in his quest of becoming a champion in NASCAR – a quality that landed him a chance with JR Motorsports in 2016, back in the Xfinity Series.

Finally getting his opportunity to compete in top-tier equipment, the journeyman developed an identity as a weekly contender for wins, driven by heart and determination that made him synonymous with the No. 7 Chevrolet.

Nine seasons, 22 wins and seven Championship 4 appearances later, Allgaier has not only achieved his lifelong dream at 38 years old, but has commanded the respect of his peers, fans, the media, and anyone who’s crossed his path or followed his journey, courtesy of the commitment to his craft and how he’s carried himself for more than 15 years in NASCAR.

“I’ve got a lot of gray hairs because of this sport,” Allgaier said. “But I’ve been so lucky to have great teammates, to have great competitors. Yeah, you battle amongst each other time and time again, but at the end of the day I think all the other racers that I’m around really truly, they know what I believe about the sport and why I want to be here and why I race like I do … I put my heart and soul on the racetrack each and every lap.

“I think that when you get here to this sport, it’s not easy. Nobody has ever had an easy path to get here. Championships don’t come easy. Race wins don’t come easy. Just being on the racetrack as a whole doesn’t come easy. But I’ve had so many great people that I’ve been able to have conversations with and race with and be a part of their racing journeys, and they’ve been a part of mine.

“I think that a lot of people know how hard I work and how much I want this, and that makes this more special.”

Over the course of his career, Allgaier developed a reputation both on and off the racetrack for his class and respect for those around him. From the very beginning, whether for a competitor or a fan, the veteran has always made time for those seeking advice or just wanting to have a conversation, even at a point in his life where most competitors at his status would be resistant to setting that time aside.

There’s a reason why there was a never-ending parade of drivers either riding alongside Allgaier’s No. 7 on the cool-down lap or greeting him on stage to congratulate him on winning the championship.

There’s a reason why – even with many failed attempts – he was the first choice to be the substitute driver in the Cup Series for legends Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson.

Allagier is truly a one-of-a-kind individual who’s stayed true to himself and never stopped fighting to achieve his dream.

“He always carries himself with a lot of integrity,” Allgaier’s crew chief Jim Pohlman said. “That translates to a lot of people. When you’re very personable and you talk to people and you spend the time to say, ‘Hello, how are your kids, how is it going?’ … that goes a long way with people. And that’s just who Justin is.

“After the race, I was super proud because there’s a lot of people that call him a friend. There’s a lot of people that call him the most popular driver. And man, he’s worked really hard to be called the champion, and for him to be able to come through with that is — man, it closes the door on a lot of stuff for him. Puts him to the next level, gets it out of his mind.”

Allgaier’s road to becoming a champion may have taken longer than expected, but allowed for the moment to be even more special, surrounded by family and friends. In between his journey to winning a title in NASCAR, he and wife Ashley welcomed two daughters – Harper and Willow – into the world.

The fact they were able to witness their father achieve his dreams and how he was able to do it is something every parent hopes they’re able to see.

And oh, by the way, championship weekend was a microcosm of Allgaier’s entire career, packed into one 36-hour gauntlet.

The weekend began with Allgaier wrecking his primary car less than five minutes into practice, forcing him into a back-up and lining him up for the series finale from the rear of the field.

After charging up to the top five before halfway, the eventual champion got nailed for a restart violation on lap 101 for changing lanes before the start-finish line, then got caught speeding on pit road while serving his pass-through penalty, putting him nearly two laps down early in the final stage.

Just when it seemed like Allgaier was bound for yet another heartbreaking defeat, the No. 7 team caught a timely caution – when Anthony Alfredo cut a tire and hit the wall in turn one – and got back on the lead lap.

In the end, Allgaier made his way to the front, executed a pair of immaculate restarts – including the first overtime attempt where he passed rivals Austin Hill and Cole Custer to take control of the title fight for good – and survived a second try at overtime to win his first championship.

Allgaier’s performance in the championship race at Phoenix Raceway was a culmination of an entire career built on perseverance in one event.

Following one of the greatest comebacks in NASCAR history, he was able to teach his daughters the value of resilience, and that any dream is attainable – even at 38 years old.

“My wife and my kids are that, like, steady foundation that — when I’m done with the sport, I just want my kids to look back and just realize that we never quit, even when the moments didn’t look like they were going our way,” Allgaier said. “And that’s what this weekend was all about. The weekend didn’t go the way we wanted it to. If you could script a championship finale, it would not go through the way that we did it this weekend.

“This is going to go down for me as one of those weekends where I truly will step back in 10, 15, 20 years, and look back at the race team that we had and really be proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

Allgaier is what you get when you blend pure heart and determination. Had he not won a championship, he still would've been remembered as a resilient fan favorite. But now, he’ll forever be immortalized as a true champion of the sport, both inside and out.

In what’s been one of the most remarkable careers in NASCAR, “Lil Gator’s” journey should serve as an inspiration for dreamers who refuse to quit everywhere.

Even though Allgaier has finally achieved his dream, he’s not letting his foot off the gas. Having recently signed a two-year contract extension with JR Motorsports, he’s staying true to his never-quit mentality and already focusing on contending for another title in 2025.

“A couple of months ago, I signed a new two-year contract,” Allgaier said. “And to be honest with you, tonight it makes me ready to go to Daytona (Int’l Speedway). I know that sounds crazy. I know we’ve got an off-season … But I truly am ready to go to Daytona. I’m ready to keep this journey going. I don’t know what it looks like. I may never make another [Championship] 4 in my career. I’m OK with that.

“As a young kid, at school you do book reports and you do all these good things. From the time I can remember, it’s all been about the sport of NASCAR for me. I’ve always loved the history of the sport and what it embodies. I think that makes tonight special, but it also makes me want to come back and do it again.

“I’m just excited to be here and be a part of it and put this in the record books.”

And now that he’s in the record books, Allgaier will forever be known as a NASCAR champion – a title that no one can ever take away from him after how hard he’s worked to attain it.