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 function 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 significantly 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 evening.
Extreme storms delayed the beginning of the Indy 500 by a number of hours and left Larson in Indianapolis. When it turned clear he would miss the beginning of the 600, the No. 5 group went to work to attempt to make Allgaier as comfy as doable till Larson made it to Charlotte.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com H1100 Chevrolet Camaro, Justin Allgaier
Photograph by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
“Kyle Larson is the rationale that we’re all right here. The double is so essential,” Allgaier mentioned Sunday evening. “Me driving this automobile, my solely job was to maintain the fenders on it, hold it as far ahead as we will to ensure that we’ve got a terrific 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 ensure that I handed him over a clear race automobile and attempt to regulate 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 purple flagged, if Larson obtained into the automobile when it resumed, he would be capable to 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 could be too late at evening 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 evening.
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, HendrickCars.com H1100 Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
“To be sincere with you, beginning the race, I used to be fairly disenchanted in myself simply getting acclimated. Kyle’s seat is so totally different from what I run, and the steering,” Allgaier mentioned.
“Cliff Daniels (Larson’s crew chief) did a tremendous job to get me on top of things. We have been ready to have a look at the SMT (knowledge) 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 most likely the spotlight of the evening to be sincere with you, to go a Hendrick Motorsports teammate (William Byron), to go Ty (Gibbs), which I’ve a whole lot of respect for on the race monitor, was actually, very nice.”
Whereas Allgaier mentioned 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 try this,” Allgaier about getting out of the automobile for Larson.
“Somewhat little bit of pit technique, getting a little bit bit of unpolluted air, I believe Kyle had the chance to go win the race.
“I believe that for me, (Sunday evening) was simply a whole lot 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 take advantage of it.”
