GLADEVILLE — Justin Allgaier may have Nashville Superspeedway figured out better than anyone since the track re-opened for competition in 2021.
The veteran driver emerged from side-by-side tussles with, first, Jesse Love and then Brent Crews to win the Sports Illustrated Resorts 250 O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Nashville Superspeedway last Saturday night.
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Allgaier, who turns 40 this coming Saturday, started the 38-car race in the 17th position before taking his second straight Gibson guitar trophy and third since 2022. He is one of a handful of active drivers who raced here during the track’s original decade of operation from 2001-11.
“I ran my very first race here and I fell in love with this racetrack,” said Allgaier, who followed his performance by competing in a triathlon Sunday morning. “And we dropped off the schedule for a long time. I felt like we had opportunities to win and never went to victory lane. Obviously, Nashville’s been one of those places I circle every year because I love coming here. I love the fans that are here. This facility, just everything about this place is so much fun.
“It’s not an easy racetrack. I’m sitting in the car. I’m in victory lane. I had to take a minute because I was exhausted and it takes everything out of you. But at the end of the day, that’s what makes this place fun. That’s what makes it cool. This trophy, and the other two, it really makes me value the races we’ve run. I remember those races. So now, this one adds to that. You walk by and you remember everything that went right and everything that went wrong and you just reminiscence.”
Love, the pole-sitter, led the first 46 laps to take the Stage 1 checkered flag.
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Allgaier went inside to pass Love for the lead on Lap 55. Love was back in the lead during the latter stages of Stage 2. Allgaier went back in front on Lap 86 and the two went side by side as the race went past 100 laps. Allgaier took the Stage 2 checkered flag by .337 second.
A fumbled tire exchange by Allgaier’s pit crew dropped him to fifth as Love left the pits in the lead. But Allgaier was back up to second place one lap into Stage 3.
Crews then became a factor as he challenged and passed Allgaier for second place, then picked off Love for first with 70 laps remaining. Love apparently had a tire issue from his previous stop and made another under green for a fresh set, a stop which cost him a lap and 28 spots. He got the lap back but only had enough time to finish 16th.
The field went through a cycle of green flag pit stops. Crews and Allgaier pitted early in the cycle before working their way back as the stops continued. Crews took the lead with Allgaier second.
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Allgaier caught Crews for the lead as they went through a side-by-side spree. Allgaier cleared Crews momentarily but was tapped from behind. Allgaier regained a .4-second edge with 15 rurns to go.
The lead stretched to 1.4 seconds as he crossed the start-finish line with the checkered flag flying.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race — Sports Illustrated Resorts 250
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville, Tennessee
Saturday, May 30, 2026
1. (17) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 188.
2. (33) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 188.
3. (5) William Sawalich, Toyota, 188.
4. (34) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 188.
5. (29) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 188.
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6. (3) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 188.
7. (4) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 188.
8. (6) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 188.
9. (27) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 188.
10. (8) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 188.
11. (2) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 188.
12. (9) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 188.
13. (7) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 188.
14. (13) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 188.
15. (24) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 188.
16. (1) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 188.
17. (12) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 188.
18. (31) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 187.
19. (25) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 187.
20. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 187.
21. (23) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 187.
22. (15) Leland Honeyman Jr(i), Chevrolet, 187.
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23. (19) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 187.
24. (20) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 187.
25. (16) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 187.
26. (32) Logan Bearden, Chevrolet, 186.
27. (35) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 186.
28. (11) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, 186.
29. (26) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 185.
30. (14) Austin Green, Chevrolet, 185.
31. (18) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 184.
32. (28) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 184.
33. (10) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 184.
34. (36) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, 183.
35. (38) Cleetus McFarland, Chevrolet, 182.
36. (30) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 179.
37. (22) David Starr, Chevrolet, Suspension, 151.
38. (37) JJ Yeley, Ford, Rear End, 59.
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Average Speed of Race Winner: 132.452 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 53 Mins, 16 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.403 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 2 for 15 laps.
Lead Changes: 12 among 7 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Love 1-49 J. Yeley 50 J. Love 51-54 J. Allgaier 55-75 J. Love 76-85 J. Allgaier 86-94 J. Love 95-118 B. Crews # 119-145 B. Jones 146 A. Hill 147-148 R. Sieg 149-150 B. Crews # 151-168 J. Allgaier 169-188.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Jesse Love 4 times for 87 laps; Justin Allgaier 3 times for 50 laps; Brent Crews # 2 times for 45 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 2 laps; Austin Hill 1 time for 2 laps; JJ Yeley 1 time for 1 lap; Brandon Jones 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 2,17,7,21,88,1,18,39,8,19
Stage #2 Top Ten: 7,2,1,18,19,17,41,99,88,39
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