NICK SANCHEZ WINS THE XFINITY FOCUSED HEALTH 250 AT ECHO PARK SPEEDWAY IN ATLANTA
NICK SANCHEZ LIFTS THE WINNER’S TROPHY FOR THE FOCUSED HEALTH 250 AT ECHO PARK SPEEDWAY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Please enjoy these exclusive photos from Motorsport America photographers Fred Hanyon and Derek Jackson!
Nick Sanchez held off Carson Kvapil to win the lengthy Focused Health 250 on June 27 into the early morning hours of June 28 at EchoPark Speedway for his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win.
The driver of the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet had to regain the lead after losing it on the final restart with less than 10 laps to go, weaving around Jesse Love for the top spot.
Sanchez, in 14th in points coming into Atlanta, is now locked into the Xfinity Series playoffs and narrows the playoff bubble. Earlier in the race, Sanchez caused a caution in Stage 2 when he spun through the grass on the frontstretch.
The race was delayed by more than an hour with a lightning hold during Stage 1 after the start of the race was also delayed by nearby weather. A multi-car crash soon after the race restart involved Sheldon Creed, Justin Allgaier and others. Creed’s DNF continues a recent poor stretch and puts the driver of the No. 00 Haas Factory Team Ford on the cusp of missing the playoffs.
Five-time Atlanta winner Austin Hill lost several laps to repair a fuel pickup issue and battled his way back to finish 26th, five laps down.
First lap dash at Atlanta for the Xfinity Series. Creed and Hill on the front row. First stage is 45 laps.Lap 3 – Creed and Hill have pulled away slightly but three wide behind them.Lap 5 – CAUTION is out for an accident involving Perkins, Williams, Retzlaff, Sawalich and Eckes in turn 4. Eckes got into Perkins to start it. – Williams, Retzlaff and Sawalich are officially out of the race.Lap 10 – Eckes is still on the lead lap, Perkins two laps down. The other drivers when to the garage for repairs.Lap 16 – Back to green with Creed and Hill still up front. Lightning continues to be in the area.Lap 20 – Creed leads Zilisch, Love, Mayer and Gray. Hill is having fuel pickup problems and is dropping back. Hill’s car has shut off a couple times. The team is going to try to run him to the stage break and then diagnose the problem. He’s fallen to 28th, 7 seconds off the lead.Mason Massey of Douglasville, Georgia drives the No. 45 Special Olympics Georgia Chevrolet for Alpha Prime Racing!The Xfinity field heads towards turn two at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta!Dark skies and very strong winds blowing in from high atop the turn one embankment at Echo Park Speedway signaled a storm was headed our way.Storm clouds signaled a weather delay to come at EchoPark Speedway.Lap 31 – Hill comes to pit road to try and diagnose his fuel lift issue.Lap 34 – CAUTION out for lightning in the area. NASCAR brings the cars to pit road. They each park in their stall. Atlanta, Georgia’s Brandon Jones seen here exiting his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.Brandon Jones pit box during the extensive weather delay at Atlanta.Connor Zilisch talks with a team member during the weather delay on pit road in Atlanta.Nick Sanchez parks his No. 48 Chevrolet on pit road during the weather delay, as fans exit the grandstands.Lap 41 – Back to green at 10:33pm with five laps left in stage 1. Mayer leads Love, Gray, RSieg, Sanchez, Allgaier, Dye, JBurton, Eckes, and Poole.Lap 41 – CAUTION out for an accident on the backstretch involving a number of cars: Creed, RSieg, Allgaier, Love, Smith, Alfredo, JBurton, Legge, Staropoli.Lap 41 – CAUTION out for an accident on the backstretch involving a number of cars: Creed, RSieg, Allgaier, Love, Smith, Alfredo, JBurton, Legge, Staropoli.Lap 41 – CAUTION out for an accident on the backstretch involving a number of cars: Creed, RSieg, Allgaier, Love, Smith, Alfredo, JBurton, Legge, Staropoli.Georgia Boys No. 21 Austin Hill from Winston is seen here passing No. 28 Kyle Sieg of Tucker on the famous Atlanta racetrack!Lap 52 – A good number of drivers come to pit road for service, such as Daniel Dye seen here. Zilisch takes over the lead.No. 16 Christian Eckes returns to pit road for repairs as Nick Sanchez stays out on the track.Lap 55 – Back to green for the start of the second stage. No. 88 Connor Zilisch leads. Lap 68 – CAUTION out for a spin by Sanchez on the frontstretch.Lap 68 – CAUTION out for a spin by Sanchez on the frontstretch.Lap 68 – CAUTION out for a spin by Sanchez on the frontstretch.Lap 83 – The race is now halfway and an official race. It will end tonight.Lap 111 – The race seems to have settled into a groove for a bit. Just over 50 laps remaining.Katherine Legge seen here in her Eyes. Lips. Fast! Cosmetics Chevrolet!Mason Massey in his No. 45 Alpha Prime Chevrolet in turn four at Echo Park Speedway. Massey masterfully made his way up through the field and avoided all wrecks to gain valuable track position in the race at his hometown track!Lap 126 – CAUTION is out for McLaughlin stopped on track after spinning off turn 4.Lap 131 – Green flag with 33 laps remaining. Almirola leads Gray, Mayer, Jones, Love, Honeyman, Thompson, DiBenedetto, Dye and Perkins the top 10.Lap 147 – Love, on the inside, leads Sanchez at the line. Almirola third, then Zilisch and Kvapil.Brandon Jones No. 20 Menards Toyota takes to pit road, as No. 21 Austin Hill makes up laps on the track after his fuel lift problem earlier in stage one of the race.Lap 152 – CAUTION for debris from McLaughlin on the backstretch. Sanchez leads Love, Almirola, Zilisch, and Kvapil. Pit road is open. Leaders all stay out.Lap 158 – Love takes the lead on the restart and holds it.No. 48 Nick Sanchez, who rallied from a spin through the frontstretch grass at EchoPark Speedway on Lap 68, lost the top spot to Jesse Love on the final restart on Lap 157 of 163, but regained it on the following circuit.Lap 161 – Three to go. Sanchez still the leader. Kvapil and Zilisch battling for second.Checkered flag for Nick Sanchez! His first career win! Kvapil, Mayer, Zilisch, Gray, Love, Almirola, Dye, KSeig and Clements round out the top 10!Nick Sanchez does a burnout at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta, celebrating his first win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series!Nick Sanchez, winner of the Focused Health 250 at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia!Nick Sanchez lifts the winner’s trophy for the Focused Health 250 at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta!Nick Sanchez and team in victory lane at Echo Park Speedway in Atlanta!
