Reigning series champion Austin Cindric became the first driver to win multiple Xfinity races this season, taking the checkered flag Saturday at Phoenix Raceway.
It’s his second win in a row at the 1-mile track. He won there last November to claim his first Xfinity title.
Saturday’s victory goes with his win earlier this season at Daytona.
Ty Gibbs, making his first start since his win last month on the Daytona road course, finished second. Brandon Brown finished a career-high third. Riley Herbst, who had not scored a top 10 this season, finished fourth. AJ Allmendinger placed fifth.
Cindric held the lead on a two-lap restart after the 12th caution of the 200-lap race. Justin Allgaier got to the outside of Cindric but Allgaier hit the wall. He finished eighth.
STAGE 1 WINNER: Austin Cindric
STAGE 2 WINNER: Daniel Hemric
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Brandon Brown’s third-place finish was his best result in 91 career Xfinity races. … Bayley Currey‘s seventh-place finish was the best of his Xfinity career. His previous best finish was 12th.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Noah Gragson had a mechanical issue and finished 39th in the 40-car field. He has finished 28th or worse in four of the five races. This is the third time he’s failed to finish this season. He had three DNFs last season. … Gragson’s JR Motorsports teammate, Michael Annett, went to the garage early with engine issues and finished 38th. … A crash eliminated Josh Berry. He finished 36th for JR Motorsports. … Brandon Jones was eliminated in a crash after contact from AJ Allmendinger. Jones finished 33rd.
NOTABLE: Winner Austin Cindric and sixth-place finisher Jeb Burton are the only driver to place in the top 10 in each of the first five races of the season.
NEXT: The series races at 5 p.m. ET March 20 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on FS1.
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Austin Cindric wins Xfinity race at Phoenix originally appeared on NBCSports.com