Allgaier, who competes full-time within the Xfinity Sequence for JR Motorsports, was the designated fill-in driver for Kyle Larson in his well-planned try to compete within the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the identical day.
Allgaier’s solely position was to begin Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet within the 600 ought to Larson not arrive at Charlotte in time.
He by no means significantly thought-about he would get behind the wheel, however because it turned out, a Memorial Day weekend of racing dominated by unhealthy climate left Allgaier the one driver the No. 5 noticed on Sunday night time.
Extreme storms delayed the beginning of the Indy 500 by a number of hours and left Larson in Indianapolis. When it grew to become clear he would miss the beginning of the 600, the No. 5 group went to work to attempt to make Allgaier as comfy as potential till Larson made it to Charlotte.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com H1100 Chevrolet Camaro, Justin Allgaier
Picture by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Images
“Kyle Larson is the rationale that we’re all right here. The double is so essential,” Allgaier stated Sunday night time. “Me driving this automobile, my solely job was to maintain the fenders on it, maintain it as far ahead as we are able to to guarantee that we have now an awesome alternative for Kyle to get again in it.
“If it was 5 laps to go or rain delayed prefer it (did) or if it was on lap 5, my job was to guarantee that I handed him over a clear race automobile and attempt to alter the steadiness to the place he’ll be good.”
Sadly, when Larson lastly arrived in Charlotte, so did the unhealthy climate that had hampered him at Indy.
After initially struggling to get the automobile to his liking and falling a lap down, Allgaier drove again on to the lead lap. When the race was halted after lap 249 of 400 for lightning within the third stage, Allgaier was operating thirteenth on the time.
For the reason that race was pink flagged, if Larson obtained into the automobile when it resumed, he would be capable of preserve his place on the monitor, however Allgaier would nonetheless get credit score for the end.
However after two hours of monitor drying efforts, NASCAR and CMS lastly determined it might be too late at night time to finish the remaining 151 laps and the race was declared official.
That left Christopher Bell the winner of his first 600 and Allgaier the only driver of the No. 5 on this night time.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com H1100 Chevrolet Camaro
Picture by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Images
“To be sincere with you, beginning the race, I used to be fairly dissatisfied in myself simply getting acclimated. Kyle’s seat is so completely different from what I run, and the steering,” Allgaier stated.
“Cliff Daniels (Larson’s crew chief) did a tremendous job to get me in control. We had been ready to take a look at the SMT (information) and get the automobile the place I wanted to be at, after which simply steadiness. We labored on the steadiness all through the course of the run there.
“To have the ability to unlap myself was in all probability the spotlight of the night time to be sincere with you, to move a Hendrick Motorsports teammate (William Byron), to move Ty (Gibbs), which I’ve loads of respect for on the race monitor, was actually, very nice.”
Whereas Allgaier stated he was “bummed” that Larson’s try at “The Double” went awry, he believed Larson would have been in place to select up a win in Charlotte had the race resumed.
“In the event that they’ve obtained any individual like Kyle on the prepared that may go do that, you’ve obtained to go attempt to win the race, they usually have the chance to do this,” Allgaier about getting out of the automobile for Larson.
“Slightly little bit of pit technique, getting a bit of bit of fresh air, I feel Kyle had the chance to go win the race.
“I feel that for me, (Sunday night time) was simply loads of enjoyable. I used to be in a position to look contained in the fishbowl of an ultra-successful group and driver and automobile group and profit from it.”
