In recent times, each the Xfinity and Cup Sequence have run on the Indy Highway Course however as a part of this yr’s thirtieth anniversary of the inaugural Brickyard 400, each collection returned to the two.5-mile oval format.
Herbst and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Cole Custer had been the category of the sector through the race and with two laps remaining, Custer held a tenuous lead over Herbst.
As the 2 received side-by-side approaching the beginning of the ultimate lap, Almirola slid previous each on the within to take the lead.
Herbst recovered and stayed shut behind Almirola. By Flip 3, he went inside and received round Almirola – though he practically spun out in Flip 4 – and held on to edge a fast-approaching Custer by 0.167 seconds for the victory.
The win is Herbst’s first of the 2024 season and locks him into the playoffs. His first Xfinity Sequence victory got here solely final yr at his dwelling observe of Las Vegas.
“I believed I had Cole handed however I slowed us down and (Almirola) glided by. However I knew I used to be higher than him all day, so I simply glided by once I had an opportunity,” Herbst stated. “I used to be doing all the things I might to get the automobile to show.
“I felt prefer it was virtually an obstacle to guide all day. For those who had been main, you’ll get actually tight. What an superior day for SHR.
“It was my job to execute, and we did that. The pit crew did phenomenal. That’s a hell of a name. It takes loads to remain out on outdated tires and so they did that, and it labored out.”
Requested about his temporary probability at a win slip away, Almirola stated, “I believed that was our solely probability if we had been going to steal one.”
Almirola ended up third, three-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen was fourth and Sheldon Creed rounded out the highest 5. Finishing the highest 10 had been Austin Hill, Daniel Dye, A.J. Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier, and Carson Kvapil.
Stage 1
Herbst was amongst those that elected to not pit and cruised to a 2.040-second Stage 1 win over Allmendinger. Ryan Sieg was third, Brandon Jones fourth and Allgaier fifth.
Allmendinger took the sector three-wide and made contact with Sam Mayer in Flip 3 on the opening lap which triggered a multi-car wreck that finally collected eight automobiles and introduced an early finish to the day for Mayer and Josh Berry.
Stage 2
After many of the groups pitted throughout a warning proper earlier than the top of the stage, Ryan Sieg stayed out and held off Almirola by 0.168 seconds in a one lap shootout to take the Stage 2 win. Herbst was third, Allmendinger fourth and Allgaier fifth.
Stage 3
Following the break between Levels 2 and three, a handful of automobiles elected to pit however Almirola remained on the observe and inherited the lead. He led Herbst and Allmendinger when the race resumed with 35 laps remaining.
After Allmendinger briefly pulled forward within the lead, Herbst took the sector three-wide to seize the highest spot shortly earlier than Almirola spun to carry out a warning. Herbst led Allmendinger and Custer when the race returned to inexperienced with 29 laps to go.
Allmendinger powered to the lead shortly after the restart.
With a shove from Herbst, Custer moved previous Allmendinger on the skin to reclaim the lead on lap 76. 5 laps later, Herbst ran down Custer to reclaim the lead for himself.
On lap 84, contact from Dye despatched Anthony Alfredo into the skin wall on the backstretch. Alfredo dramatically slowed and drifted down the observe and into the trail of Parker Retzlaff, who all slammed into him, and Josh Williams who then hit Retzlaff.
In the course of the warning, many of the lead lap automobiles pitted, however Herbst and Custer remained on the observe and out entrance when the race resumed with 11 laps to go. Custer cleared Herbst for the lead shortly after the restart.
