Talladega NASCAR Xfinity Series results: Sammy Smith wins to advance to next round

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Sammy Smith, who came last in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race of the 12 playoff drivers, won at Talladega Superspeedway to advance to the next round.

The 20-year-old Smith won in overtime to claim his second career Xfinity win. He is the 16th different driver to win this season.

MORE: Xfinity Results

MORE: The driver points after Talladega

Ryan Sieg finished second, equaling his career-best finish.

“One of these times we’re going to Victory Lane,” Sieg said.

Riley Herbst finished third and was followed by Sheldon Creed and Chandler Smith, who won the opening stage.

David Starr finished eighth and earned his fourth career top 10 in 267 Xfinity starts.

The race was stopped three laps before the scheduled distance after a twelve-car crash. The cars of playoff contenders Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer and Parker Kligerman were damaged in the incident.

Allgaier, who entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed, is 18 points under the cut heading into next weekend’s elimination race at the Charlotte Roval.

Allgaier finished 26th, marking the fourth time in the last five races that he has finished 26th or worse.

“The seven boys don’t deserve that the shit that happened last month also happened to us,” he said.

The other three drivers below the cut line are AJ Allmendinger (-10 points), Shane van Gisbergen (-21) and Kligerman (-26).

Sam Mayer retains the last transfer spot to the next round.

Winner phase 1: Chandler Smith

Winner phase 2: Austin Hill

Next: The series races on Saturday, October 12 at the Charlotte Roval (4 p.m. ET on CW Network) in the final race of the first round of the playoffs.