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Justin Allgaier is the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion for the second time. Allgaier ran a safe race Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, while Brandon Jones took the lead late and won the race.
Allgaier, who won his first title in 2024, came into the finale leading defending champion Jesse Love by 22 points.
Day’s title hopes end early
Five drivers had a shot at the title: Allgaier, Love, Corey Day, Carson Kvapil and pole-sitter Sheldon Creed.
Day, 23 points back coming in, tried to clear himself in front of Rajah Caruth early in the race but was not clear, and both cars spun. Day’s car was towed to the garage, ending his title hopes, and he apologized to his Hendrick Motorsports team on the radio.
Trouble for Kvapil and Allgaier
Kvapil reported alternator problems in Stage 1 and had to start Stage 2 at the back after a long pit stop to change his battery. Allgaier scrubbed the outside wall at the end of Stage 1 and lost positions while nursing both right-side tires to the end of the stage. He finished seventh in Stage 1 and fourth in Stage 2.
Sam Mayer won both stages. Love led early in Stage 2 before contact with the wall let Mayer get by.
Jones takes the win
Creed led with 90 laps to go. After a red flag with 55 to go, when Andrew Patterson hit the sand barrels at pit entry, Kvapil, Mayer and Jones battled for the lead. Jones took it with 44 to go, Kvapil got it back with 40 to go, and Jones passed Kvapil again and pulled away in the final laps.
Allgaier was running seventh in the closing laps, knowing that was all he needed to clinch the title.
Allgaier’s season
Allgaier won a series-high six races and the regular-season title in 2026, and signed a multi-year extension with JR Motorsports this week, as Pit This Time reported. He is the 10th driver to win two titles in the series.
Love, who moves to Wood Brothers Racing in the Cup Series next year, ran his final race for Richard Childress Racing.
The Cup Series finale is Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
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