JR Motor Sports Race Report: Richmond Raceway
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Race 7 of 33: ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway Track Specs: .750-mile D-shaped oval/ 250 laps Race Winner: Chandler Smith Mayer’s finish: 17th Point’s position: 8th (-69)
After practice and qualifying was cancelled due to the wet weather, Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet battled a tough race at Richmond Raceway, ultimately taking the checkered flag in the 17th position. Mayer battled problems with the rear end of the car for most of the race and the team battled hard to bring home a top-20. Today’s event puts the young driver eighth in points, 69 ticks behind the leader.
Race Rundown
With rain and wind swirling around Richmond Saturday morning, Mayer lined up for the start of the race in the third position due to NASCAR’s metric system. By lap 5, the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet had battled for the second position with teammate Justin Allgaier, but started to feel a bad vibration, as well as some unforeseen steering issues.
Within the first 20 laps, Mayer settled in the top five until the yellow flag fell for a competition caution on lap 35. Mayer reported to the team “something is lose in the rear end, I can feel a sway back and forth”. Crew chief Mardy Lindley called the young driver down pit road for four tires and Sunoco fuel as they continued to chat about issues with the rear.
Mayer restarted Stage One ninth in line as the green flag waved. With 15 laps to go in the stage, the Franklin, Wis. native was still commenting to the team on having no rear stability due to the issues. Mayer ended Stage One with a 10th-place finish. Under the stage break, the team made two pit stops to take a look at the rear end and another for four tires and fuel.
Starting Stage Two from the tail end of the field and one lap off the pace, Mayer held steady in the back of the pack. With 15 laps to go he shuffled up to 31st and ended the stage with a 29th- place effort. Mayer reported to the team that he just felt super lose all the way around. Lindley (Mardy, crew chief) brought the No. 1 Chevrolet down pit road for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. Mayer fell 24th in line to restart the Final Stage.
The Final Stage remained quiet for the No. 1, as Mayer gained multiple spots putting him 21st with 37 laps to go. The fifth caution of the day came out with 29 laps to go as the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet reported he needed more turn in the center. Mayer came down pit road for his last set of four Goodyear tires, fuel and an adjustment.
The last two cautions of the afternoon caused for more green-flag shuffles on the restarts that ultimately led the No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet to a 17th-place finish that set him eighth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings.
Sam Mayer, driver No. 1 Accelerate Talent Group Chevrolet team
“Today just unfortunately was not our day. Raced hard for the win and the $100,000 Dash-4-Cash but we fell just short in the end. We battled rear end issues all day but I can’t thank the No. 1 team enough for putting in the work to salvage what we could. We will pick our heads up and enjoy this off week to come back and fight hard at Martinsville.”