The 2023 Ag-Pro 300 was the 9th stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a permanent tri-oval shaped superspeedway. The race was increased from 113 to 121 laps, due to multiple NASCAR overtime finishes. In a chaotic and caution-filled race, Jeb Burton, driving for Jordan Anderson Racing, would hold off Sheldon Creed and the rest of the field on the final lap, and earned his 2nd career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his first of the season. This was also the first NASCAR win for Jordan Anderson Racing. To fill out the podium, Creed, driving for Richard Childress Racing, and Parker Kligerman, driving for Big Machine Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
This was also the third race of the Dash 4 Cash. Drivers eligible for the Dash 4 Cash were Cole Custer, Josh Berry, Sammy Smith, and John Hunter Nemechek, after they were the highest finishing Xfinity regulars following the race at Martinsville. Custer, who finished 4th and was the only driver from the D4C to finish the race, would claim the bonus cash.
Background Talladega Superspeedway, formerly known as Alabama International Motor Speedway, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking. The track currently hosts NASCAR's Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which is 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km).
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet02Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet2Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet5Jade BufordBig Machine RacingChevrolet6Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet07David StarrSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet08Gray GauldingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet8Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet11Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet13Jason WhiteMBM MotorsportsFord16Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet18Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20John Hunter NemechekJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet24Parker ChaseSam Hunt RacingToyota25Brett MoffittAM RacingFord26Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord31Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet34Jesse IwujiJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet35Joey GaseEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord38Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord43Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53C. J. McLaughlinEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord66Dexter StaceyMBM MotorsportsChevrolet74Mike HarmonCHK RacingChevrolet78Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet91Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, April 21, at 4:35 PM CST. Since Talladega Superspeedway is a superspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round move on to the second round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 wins the pole.
Austin Hill, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would win the pole after advancing from the preliminary round and setting the fastest time in Round 2, with a lap of 52.483, and an average speed of .
Four drivers would fail to qualify: Jason White, Jesse Iwuji, David Starr, and Mike Harmon. Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime ()Speed ()Time ()Speed ()121Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet52.578182.12952.483182.45922Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet52.741181.56752.722181.632320John Hunter NemechekJoe Gibbs RacingToyota52.955180.83352.843181.216431Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet52.905181.00452.877181.10055Jade BufordBig Machine RacingChevrolet53.050180.50952.902181.014678Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet52.693181.73252.922180.94677Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.001180.67652.950180.850827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet52.867181.13452.954180.836911Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet52.976180.76152.999180.6831025Brett MoffittAM RacingFord53.055180.49253.167180.112Eliminated in Round 11116Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet53.057180.485——1218Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota53.076180.421——1319Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.088180.380——1410Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet53.141180.200——1598Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord53.185180.051——161Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.216179.946——176Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet53.217179.942——1800Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord53.226179.912——1944Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet53.286179.709——208Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.307179.639——219Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.315179.612——2266Dexter StaceyMBM MotorsportsChevrolet53.375179.410——2392Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet53.400179.326——2424Parker ChaseSam Hunt RacingToyota53.401179.322——2538Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord53.403179.316——2608Gray GauldingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet53.433179.215——2728Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord53.436179.205——2843Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet53.452179.151——294Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet53.489179.027——3026Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota53.581178.720——3139Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord53.592178.683——3253C. J. McLaughlinEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord53.609178.627——3335Joey GaseEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord53.613178.613——Qualified by owner's points3402Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet53.631178.553——3591Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet53.727178.234——3645Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet53.799177.996——3751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53.816177.940——3848Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet————Failed to qualify3913Jason WhiteMBM MotorsportsFord53.682178.384——4034Jesse IwujiJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet53.773178.082——4107David StarrSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet53.797178.002——4274Mike HarmonCHK RacingChevrolet54.560175.513——Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results
Summary The race would be marred by several violent wrecks and flips. On lap 47, Dexter Stacey (making his first series start since Texas in 2016) would get loose and spin as the field went into turn 2. His car would clip the side of Blaine Perkins' car, causing him to hit the outside wall, make contact with Jade Buford, get airborne, and flipped violently six times before coming to rest on all four tires. During the wreck, Kaz Grala hit Perkins' wheel with the front of his car. Perkins was able to evacuate his car under his own power, but was later transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. On lap 110, Daniel Hemric attempted to make an aggressive block on Sheldon Creed for the lead, but would ultimately misjudge his entry. He would end up spinning and catapulting up the racetrack after he was hit by Riley Herbst, hitting the outside wall, and flipping on his roof. He even took out the turn four camera during his wreck. His car came to a rest on its roof off of turn four on the apron of the track. He remained on his roof until safety crew arrived to assist him. Hemric was able to climb out of his car under his own power. At least 14 cars were involved in the wreck. The race restarted with two laps to go, but the caution would fly moments later, after a piece of debris was found on the racetrack. The field made a second attempt at a green-white-checkered finish; Jeb Burton was able to take advantage of the lead on the final lap, and held off a fast charging Sheldon Creed to pick up his 2nd career Xfinity Series win, and the first for Jordan Anderson Racing.
Stage 1 Laps: 25 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1022Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet931Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet8427Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet7521Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet6648Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet5719Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota4816Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet398Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet21098Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord1 Stage 2 Laps: 25 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts127Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet10216Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet9319Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota848Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet7511Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet6621Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet5710Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet482Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet399Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet2107Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1
Stage 3 Laps: 71 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet12117Running57222Sheldon CreedRichard Childress RacingChevrolet12111Running4733848Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet1210Running3941800Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord1210Running335176Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet1212Running3262843Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1210Running317431Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1212Running3082608Gray GauldingSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1210Running2993335Joey GaseEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord1210Running28102392Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1210Running27113645Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1210Running26121025Brett MoffittAM RacingFord12120Running25133253C. J. McLaughlinEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord1210Running2414219Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet1210Running25152728Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord1210Running2216294Garrett SmithleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet1210Running21171319Ryan TruexJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1219Running3218121Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet12114Running30193751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1200Accident18202538Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord1130Running1721911Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet11015Accident22223139Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord11018Accident15231598Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord1100Accident15243026Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota1100Accident13251116Chandler Smith (R)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1101Accident24263591Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet1100Accident11271410Derek KrausKaulig RacingChevrolet1100DVP142877Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1007Accident2029161Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1000Accident1630208Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet1000Accident16311944Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet830Transmission632320John Hunter NemechekJoe Gibbs RacingToyota810Accident5331218Sammy Smith (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota630Accident4343402Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet470Accident3352266Dexter StaceyMBM MotorsportsChevrolet470Accident23655Jade BufordBig Machine RacingChevrolet470Accident137678Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet375Accident1382424Parker ChaseSam Hunt RacingToyota370DVP1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Austin Hill 328 1 2 John Hunter Nemechek 324 (-4) 3 Chandler Smith 309 (–19) 4 Riley Herbst 296 (–32) 5 Josh Berry 292 (–36) 6 Justin Allgaier 287 (–41) 1 7 Cole Custer 279 (–49) 2 8 Sheldon Creed 276 (–52) 2 9 Sammy Smith 258 (–70) 1 10 Daniel Hemric 255 (–73) 1 11 Parker Kligerman 247 (–81) 1 12 Sam Mayer 237 (–91)Official driver's standings