JR Motorsports Race Report
Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022
Race 25 of 33: Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway
Track Specs: 1.5-mile tri-oval / 200 laps
Race Winner: Noah Gragson
Mayer’s finish: 9th
Points position: 8th (-325)
Sam Mayer and the No. 1 team clinched their spot in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs with a ninth-place finish in Saturday’s rain-shortened Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Driving the Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions / Huck’s Market Chevrolet, it was a challenge early on for Mayer as he searched for the optimal line around the 1.5-mile facility. But Mayer came into his own during Stage Two and rallied into the top 10 as the field scrummed for position with a weather front fast approaching. It stands as Mayer’s 13th top 10 of the season.
Race Rundown
With an eighth-place start, Mayer spent the early laps trying to find the ideal line for the No. 1 Chevy. He gave up a handful of positions in the process and dropped to 11th by the end of Stage One.
Mayer told the team he needed more stability on entry and he had trouble rolling the center of the corner. They took Mayer’s feedback and brought him to pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment.
Mayer took the Stage Two restart in 12th and worked his way to 11thprior to a caution on lap 70. He was clicking off strong laps times and commented that the Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions / Huck’s Market Chevrolet was “much more comfortable on entry.” The team followed the rest of the field onto pit road for a routine stop.
The No. 1 lined up in 12th on lap 75, and with a massive weather front about 15 minutes away, it was apparent this would probably be the run to the finish.
Mayer ran in 13th when a sprinkle started falling but it was short lived, and NASCAR officials restarted the race with two laps to go in Stage Two, allowing Mayer to make a charge to ninth before the heavy rain came on the race was called.
Sam Mayer, driver No. 1 Huck's Market / Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet team
“We’re thrilled to finally lock up a spot in the playoffs. I can’t thank Taylor (Moyer) and the entire group on our Huck’s Market team. It’s a long year and it takes a lot of consistency to get yourself in the playoffs, so we’re pumped for that.
“I struggled early on today. We only had a couple stops to work on the car, and we got it better, but then it just became a game of getting all the track position you could because everyone knew the rain was coming.”