Nick Sanchez Clinches First Xfinity Series Win in Wild Atlanta Finishx

HAMPTON, Ga. — In a night filled with chaos, cautions, and comeback stories, 24-year-old Nick Sanchez rose above the turmoil to secure his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in the Focused Health 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The dramatic win, sealed after a gutsy final-lap defense against fellow rookie Carson Kvapil, guarantees Sanchez a spot in the 2025 Xfinity Series Playoffs.

A Race of Redemption

The journey to victory lane was anything but smooth for Sanchez. After spinning through the frontstretch grass on Lap 68—triggering the fourth caution of the night—Sanchez admitted, “I’m still a little embarrassed about that. It was certainly a rookie mistake, but we rebounded.”

Rebounded he did. Despite the off-track excursion and sustaining minor damage, Sanchez and his No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet remained in contention. He steadily worked his way back into the top five and capitalized during the final round of restarts.

Late-Race Heroics

A restart with seven laps to go saw Sanchez lose the lead briefly to Jesse Love. But the Miami native fought back immediately, retaking the top spot on Lap 158 of 163. From there, he defended valiantly against a hard-charging Kvapil, who had stormed through the field after starting at the rear due to unapproved adjustments on his No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

Kvapil, who finished second, later reflected on his missed opportunity: “To be that close really does sting. I probably could have made a move earlier, but I was worried we’d get swallowed up if we went side-by-side.”

Wrecks and Weather Shake the Field

The race’s story was equally defined by attrition and unpredictability. A lightning delay halted the action just 36 laps in for nearly 1 hour and 19 minutes. When the green flag dropped again, the mayhem began in earnest.

A massive multi-car wreck on Lap 41—triggered when Sanchez tapped Jesse Love—took out early dominator Sheldon Creed, who had led all 37 of the opening laps. Other notable casualties included points leader Justin Allgaier, Ryan Sieg, Sammy Smith, and Christian Eckes. In total, 24 of the 38 cars in the field were involved in incidents throughout the night.

“It was probably the best car I’ve had all year,” lamented Creed after exiting the infield care center. “We tried to play strategy and short-pit to stay up front, and it backfired.”

Key Players Throughout

Before the final dash to the checkered flag, several drivers played significant roles in shaping the race:

• Aric Almirola surged late and led 34 laps, showing strength in his No. 19 Toyota, but ultimately faded to 13th after pit cycles and late-race shuffle.

• Taylor Gray, the Stage 1 winner, led 14 laps and finished fifth.

• Connor Zilisch and Sam Mayer were constant presences in the top five, finishing fourth and third respectively.

• Brandon Jones won Stage 2 and battled in the top 10 much of the night before finishing 11th.

The race featured 12 lead changes among seven drivers and a staggering nine caution periods, covering 58 laps—more than a third of the total distance.

Sanchez’s Moment

Crossing the line just 0.104 seconds ahead of Kvapil, Sanchez celebrated his long-awaited first win. “It’s a weight lifted off my shoulders,” he said. “Now we can go chase checkered flags.”

The historic win comes in Sanchez’s second full-time season and marks a major milestone for Big Machine Racing, a relatively new but ambitious team in the Xfinity Series.

Next Up: Chicago Street Course

The Xfinity Series rolls into Chicago next Saturday for a unique challenge on the downtown street circuit (Sat., 4:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM). With his playoff ticket punched, Nick Sanchez will arrive with momentum—and a newfound swagger—as a first-time winner.

Race Notes:

Total race time: 2:36:14
Average speed: 96 mph
Lead changes: 12
Cautions: 9 for 58 laps
Fastest lap: 31.1s
Margin of victory: 0.104s

EchoPark Speedway Xfinity Series Results