Another Gator Guitar: Allgaier Sweeps Through Nashville

Justin Allgaier celebrates in victory lane Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway. (James Gilbert/Getty Images for NASCAR photo)

LEBANON, Tenn. – JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier strummed all three stages to take the Gibson guitar in victory lane Saturday night in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Little Gator brought his A-game to the 1.333-mile concrete oval, keeping his JRM teammate Connor Zilisch at bay with a 1.289-second gap, and leading a commanding 101 laps en route to his 28th career victory.

With the victory, the defending Xfinity Series champion claimed his third win of 2025, and his second checkered flag at Nashville, the last win coming in 2022. That increases his laps lead total to 304 in the 2025 season.

After a smooth first two stages, all of the lead lap cars pitted on lap 138 after the lap 135 caution when pole sitter William Sawalich spun off turn two. The last restart found Brandon Jones on the inside with fresh rubber, and Connor Zilisch on the outside.

Allgaier went risky and took the inside lane, forcing it three-wide entering turn one. That paid off as he was able to grab the lead back out of turn two. What followed was a close chess match through lapped traffic between Allgaier and Zilisch to the finish.

The Riverton, Ill. native drove a masterful race wrapping the bottom of the race track, and simply could not be stopped. Allgaier credited his No. 7 Hellman’s Chevrolet team.

“These guys right here, they deserve this one more than anything,” Allgaier said. “I screwed them over last week by making a pit call that had equally as good of a car, but this Hellman’s Chevrolet was just absolutely on rails. Ashley and the kids are here. There’s no cooler feeling than to win at a place like this, Nashville. The fans here are incredible. This race is special to me.”

Allgaier wanted to earn a second guitar, so that both of his daughters could have one of their father’s trophies.

Zilisch, who leaped from his 10th place starting spot to hang around the lead all night long, leading 18 of the 188 total distance finished second.

“I kind of got tight behind him, trying to get to him, and that’s why I fell off those last few laps, I just couldn’t quite hold on to him,” Zilisch said.

Zilisch scored his third top five of the season, one week after returning from injury to race 900 total miles at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

The Trackhouse Racing and JRM driver received one of many master classes tonight behind Allgaier, who now sits ninth in all-time wins in the Xfinity Series.

“Yeah, I don’t think people realize just how good Justin [Allgaier] is, just because he’s not in the Cup Series. He’s got so much talent, and he’s so methodical. It’s rare you find him making the wrong moves. I do learn a lot from him. It’s great to have him as a teammate too, he’s been a big help for me.”

Third was Haas Factory Team driver Sam Mayer, with a late charge to the front, passing his teammate Sheldon Creed for third. Creed, who led seven more laps than Zilisch, settled for fourth.

Ross Chastain, pulling double-duty for the Nashville weekend, came home fifth in the JR Motorsports No. 9 Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet all-star entry.

Aric Almirola, Austin Hill, Jesse Love, Daniel Dye, and Carson Kvapil finished the top 10. Dye was later disqualified when his car failed to meet the rear heights requirement in post-race technical inspection, elevating Kvapil to ninth and Sammy Smith to 10th.

Alpha Prime’s Parker Retzlaff fell victim to a loose Kyle Sieg Ford, sending them both spinning in turn four on lap 36, taking Retzlaff out of the running.

A much bigger incident of note occurred on lap 99. When the field attempted to restart, an accordion-like effect was sparked when Zilisch tried to anticipate Creed’s launch. That sent several cars careening into the infield, with Christian Eckes and Ryan Ellis taken out of the race as a result.

Smith’s initial 11th place result was the lowest finisher in a very fruitful outing for all JR Motorsports cars before heading to Mexico City. He was credited with a 10th-place finish following Dye’s disqualification.

Corey Day made good of a bad situation in his weekend of both Craftsman Trucks and Xfinity Series action, finishing 11th Saturday after spinning early on lap 45.

A couple of limited start drivers had solid finishes. Jeffery Earnhardt finished in 19th from 34th on the grid with a Sam Hunt Racing prepared Toyota GR Supra, and DGM Racing x JIM’s Myatt Snider ended the night in 22nd from a 36th starting spot.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will have the next weekend off, until it’s time to bring the passport for a trip to the high elevation of Mexico City. The Chilango 150 airs from Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Saturday, June 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET, live on The CW, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.