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Aric Almirola wins Bristol Xfinity Series Playoff race, Sheldon Creed P2 again

JHby: Jonathan Howard10 hours agoJondean25
Aric Almirola win
Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

The win streak comes to an end for Connor Zilisch as Aric Almirola gets the win in the Xfinity Series Playoff race at Bristol. Almirola was fast all night, and the NASCAR veteran capitalized when the door opened.

Aric Almirola didn’t lead the most laps tonight. He only had to lead 34 to get the job done. The 19 car had J.D. Gibbs’ name on the namerail this weekend, making this win a little more special.

This is the second win for Almirola this season. He was able to use his long run speed to gamble and stay out on tires. Every time Almirola steps in the 19 car in the Xfinity Series, he’s a threat to win. He got it done tonight.

Sheldon Creed finishes P2 for the 15th time in his career. Still, no win.

This is the first win for Aric Almirola since Phoenix back in March. He has had some struggles. DNFs at Talladega, Indianapolis, and Daytona had this 19-team on rocky footing. Now, in the playoffs for the owner’s championship, Almirola advances to the next round early and is on his way to having a deep run.

The Xfinity Series should be for up-and-comers and older drivers like Almirola. The two mix well and usually create interesting races and intense moments between generations. Young drivers get to learn and cut their teeth against certified Cup Series talent. Meanwhile, guys like Almirola get to run competitive cars and feel a bit young again.

Connor Zilisch had a great car tonight and was perhaps the best driver once again. He led the most laps, 98, and was able to hold off Almirola. However, a pit call late in the race after a caution may have doomed the 88 to finish P5. That is his fifteenth straight top-five finish.

Aric Almirola stayed out on old tires, is Bristol the problem?

For tomorrow’s Cup Series race, the focus will be on tires. Everyone wants to know if the tires are going to wear down like they did in the Spring of 2024. Aric Almirola won the Xfinity Series race on old tires while others behind him had fresh rubber.

So, what does that mean for Saturday night? Unless a pop-up shower washes the track green again, the rubber laid down over the last three races (ARCA, Truck, Xfinity) will likely prevent the Cup Series tires from wearing down heavily. It is hard to say until the race starts, but practice showed no signs of severe wear.

Ideally, Aric Almirola wouldn’t have been able to stay out on tires as long as he did. But he played the strategy the right way, and his team called a great race. You don’t have to be the best for the entire race. You just have to be the best when the opportunity arises. Almirola did just that tonight at Bristol.