Devon HenryA dominant day for the defending NASCAR O’Reilly Series champion put Jesse Love back in the points lead after visiting his favorite race track on the circuit, Phoenix Raceway.
The 21-year-old California native led 156 of 200 laps, swept both stages and completed a near-perfect 75-point day. The victory marked his second win of the season and fifth of his career, earning him a 36-point lead over Justin Allgaier, who finished third, with three races remaining in The Chase.
Even though Love dominated the day, he still found pressure up to the final lap. Sam Mayer, who rebounded from starting last on the field due to an engine change, put up a fierce challenge during the final 35-lap green-flag run. Mayer reached Love’s rear bumper exiting the last corner but came up just 0.128 seconds short of a season-changing victory.
Corey Day finished fourth and has moved to sits third in the standings, 39 points behind Love. Former championship leader Sheldon Creed suffered a disastrous afternoon, finishing 32nd and two laps down after an electrical problem dropped him deep into the field. Creed now ranks fourth, 59 points behind the leader.
Sammy Smith rounded out the top five, followed by Brandon Jones. Dean Thompson, William Sawalich, Rajah Caruth and Carson Kvapil completed the top 10.
The NASCAR O’Reilly Series takes the championship hunt to Talladega Superspeedway next Saturday, where anything can happen and any Chase driver could make a statement in Victory Lane.
There’s one more chance to catch NASCAR at Phoenix Raceway in a pivotal spot in The Chase for the championship tomorrow for the NASCAR Cup Series. Get your tickets now and be there for all the action from Zoomtown USA!
