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 start out Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet within the 600 ought to Larson not arrive at Charlotte in time.
He by no means critically thought of 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 snug as attainable till Larson made it to Charlotte.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com H1100 Chevrolet Camaro, Justin Allgaier
Picture by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
“Kyle Larson is the rationale that we’re all right here. The double is so necessary,” Allgaier stated Sunday night time. “Me driving this automotive, my solely job was to maintain the fenders on it, preserve it as far ahead as we will to be sure that we’ve an incredible 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 be sure that I handed him over a clear race automotive and attempt to regulate the stability 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 automotive 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 purple flagged, if Larson bought into the automotive when it resumed, he would be capable of preserve his place on the observe, however Allgaier would nonetheless get credit score for the end.
However after two hours of observe drying efforts, NASCAR and CMS lastly determined it could 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 real driver of the No. 5 on this night time.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com H1100 Chevrolet Camaro
Picture by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
“To be trustworthy with you, beginning the race, I used to be fairly disillusioned 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 on top of things. We have been ready to take a look at the SMT (information) and get the automotive the place I wanted to be at, after which simply stability. We labored on the stability 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 trustworthy with you, to move a Hendrick Motorsports teammate (William Byron), to move Ty (Gibbs), which I’ve numerous respect for on the race observe, 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 bought anyone like Kyle on the prepared that may go do that, you’ve bought to go attempt to win the race, and so they have the chance to try this,” Allgaier about getting out of the automotive for Larson.
“A bit of little bit of pit technique, getting slightly bit of unpolluted air, I feel Kyle had the chance to go win the race.
“I feel that for me, (Sunday night time) was simply numerous enjoyable. I used to be capable of look contained in the fishbowl of an ultra-successful group and driver and automotive group and benefit from it.”
