Alfredo Earns Stage Points Before Sonoma Part Failure

Anthony Alfredo (5) races Parker Retzlaff Saturday at Sonoma Raceway. (Danny Hansen/NKP photo)

SONOMA, Calif. – Anthony Alfredo continued to showcase Our Motorsports’ consistent speed in Saturday’s Zip “Buy Now, Pay Later” 250 at Sonoma Raceway.

However, a late part failure left him unable to secure a representative result in the 14th NASCAR Xfinity Series race of the season.

Alfredo qualified 16th but quickly moved forward, finishing eighth at the end of stage one and banking three stage points before being shuffled back into the field for the start of the second stage.

By the time the final stage began on lap 50, Alfredo was back up to 17th, and he picked his way through the 14-car crash that took place in turn two on the restart to line up 12th following a lengthy caution period.

The Ridgefield, Conn., native improved to 11th with 20 laps left, but shortly thereafter began losing positions rapidly with a mechanical issue aboard his No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro.

Alfredo ended up losing two laps before the checkered flag, leaving him with a 31st-place finish.

“We had a really fast car all day, and the stage points we earned early on were a testament to that,” Alfredo noted. “The team was eyeing a top-10 finish, but the late mechanical troubles we had put me in a position where I just had to limp the car home.

“We’re continuing to bring strong race cars to the track every week and I’m looking forward to getting to Iowa and seeing what we can do back on a short track.”

While he’s fallen out of the provisional playoff grid, Alfredo still has high hopes of earning a postseason berth with 12 races to go before the points reset.

He sits 15th in the standings, just 31 points behind the playoff cut line guarded by JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series season continues Saturday, June 15 at Iowa Speedway. Love has a pole and two top-10 finishes in four ARCA Menards Series starts at the seven-eighths-mile oval.

Coverage of the Hy-Vee Perks 250 is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET, live on USA, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.