MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS OF THE NOAPS FOCUS HEALTH 250 AT ATLANTA
Justin Allgaier wins the Focused Health 250 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta – Motorsport America Photo
MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS BY FRED HANYON & DEREK JACKSON
by Derek Jackson
In a nearly 4-hour race with 13 cautions, 4 red flag stops and a double overtime, Justin Allgaier made a last lap pass to claim his sixth win of the season in Saturday’s Focused Health 250 at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway.
Track Reporters from the Performance Racing Network before the start of the race.Austin Hill and Richard Childress chat on pit road before the race.Justin Allgaier with his Jarrett International team sponsors.Dr. Patrick Staropoli is an American retina surgeon and professional stock car racing driver. A Harvard and University of Miami graduate, he balances part-time NASCAR starts with his medical career. Patrick returned full-time in 2026 to drive Big Machine Racing’s No. 48 Chevrolet in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, combining motorsport with advocacy for retinal disease awareness.Jesse Love and Sam Mayer chat before driver introductions in Atlanta.Rajah Kirby Caruth being interviewed by PRN and Carson Kvapil before driver introductions.Hendrick Car Driver Corey Day won at Talladega and Dover in 2026Joe Gibbs Racing Driver and Kansas winner, Taylor Gray.Rajah Kirby Caruth takes a photo for the fans.Chicagoland Speedway winner, Brandon Jones.Chase Elliott Fans in Turn 3 pay tribute to Greg Biffle.The Invocation before the start of the race.Corey Day’s pit crew member stretches before the start of the race.Justin Allgaier on the calibration lap before the start of the race.Brand Jones sets his tachometer on the calibration lap before the start of the race.Pace Lap before the start of the race with pole sitter No. 41 Sam Mayer and No. 1 Carson Kvapil in P2.Green Flag and the start of the NOAPS Focus Health 250 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta!NASCAR Fans in Turn 3 get an up-close view of the first lap of the race.On lap 2 No. 55 Joey Gase stopped on the track after laying down fluid on the frontstretch to bring out the caution.On lap 8, Austin Hill pits with a sticky peddle issue. This puts him at the back of the field.Lap 14 and it’s Jesse Love in P2 and Carson Kvapil in P3.Lap 17 and Austin Hill has worked his way up to 22nd position, after restarting from the back of the field.On lap No. 20, No. 87 Nick Sanchez drops to the inside line to push Jones and Allgaier. The top seven drivers have broken away from the field.On lap 24, No. 19 Brent Crews led multiple cars down pit road after Leyland Honeyman spun-out in Turn 4, bringing out the caution. No 39 Ryan Sieg was among the takers.Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brent Crews takes on 4 Goodyear Racing Eagles and Sunoco Racing on the lap 24 caution.Lap 28 No. 8 Sammy Smith followed by Carson Kvapil, Jesse Love and Rajah Kirby Caruth.Lap #30 – Austin Hill has worked his way up to 15th position and still moving forward on the outside line.On lap 36, pole sitter Sam Mayer gets loose and clobbers the frontstretch wall to cut down the right-front tire.On lap 45, No. 20 Brandon Jones gets loose through Turns 3 and 4 and spins to bring out the caution.Austin Hill was left with nowhere to go, and clipped Brandon Jones. Both cars were sent to the pits, and both returned to the race. Hill sustained splitter damage and made an extended stop to assess the damage from contact with Jones.Lap 45 and Carson Kvapil wins Stage 1, his second stage victory of the season. #8-Smith, #2-Love, #88-Caruth, #00-Creed, #51-Clements, #17-Day, #7-Allgaier, #18-Sawalich and #26-Thompson earn stage points.Tucker, Georgia’s Ryan Seig won the race off pit road, gaining 20 positions by topping off with fuel.Lap 54, Ryan Sieg gets shuffled out of the front on the restart. No. 24 Harrison Burton takes the race lead from No. 19 Brent Crews.Tucker, Georgia’s Kyle Sieg in his No. 28 Tifton Turf – Big House Roofing Chevrolet.On lap 60, No. 48 Dr. Patrick Staropoli spins off Turn 4 from 15th position but keeps going and the race stays green.The No. 53 Tifton Turf machine driven by Glen Reen passes No, 0 Garrett Smithley in Turn 4.Justin Allgaier leads a pack of 3-wide racers through Turn 3.Lap 75 and No. 44 Brendon Pool leads No. 07 Josh Bilicki, No. 42 Nick Leitz and Harrison Burton as the field is breaking up in small packs along the frontstretch.Lap 81 – No. 8 Sammy Smith continues to lead the trio of No. 7 Justin Allgaier and No. 88 Rajah Kirby Caruth.Viking Motorsports Driver Anthony Alfredo leading Joe Gibb’s Racing’s Bradon Jones through Turn 4.Lap 90 No. 7 Justin Allgaier edges ahead of #8-Smith by .003 seconds to win Stage 2, his series-high seventh stage victory of the season.The NASCAR Leprechaun & Pirate from DegaNation with Family and Friends in Turns 3 & 4.Lap 99 – No. 2 Jesse Love jumps to the outside with No. 00 Sheldon Creed alongside on the front row.No. 24 Harrison Burton blows an engine in Turn 3.Lap # 110, No. 24 Harrison Burton blows an engine and spreads fluid along the frontstretch.Sunset over Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway during the lengthy caution.Lap 110 – No. 88 Rajah Kirby Caruth keeps the lead over No. 19 Brent Crews and No. 1 Carson Kvapil. No. 21 Austin Hill sneaking into the picture along the outside line.Lap 111 – No. 20 Brandon Jones got into the wall to stack up the outside line. No. Corey Day drove into the rear of No. 54 Taylor Gray, who got turned into the outside wall.Lap 111 – No. 20 Brandon Jones got into the wall to stack up the outside line. No. 17 Corey Day drove into the rear of No. 54 Taylor Gray, who got turned into the outside wall.Lap No. 112 pit stop for No. 20 Brandon Jones to assess the damage. Eventual red flag stop on lap 113 for track cleanup with oil laid down around the track.On lap 119, No. 41 Sam Mayer is off the pace after getting into the rear of #91 Mason Maggio towards the rear of the field on the restart. No. 51 Jeremy Clements spins in Turn 2 in oil from Mayer.The 2nd red flag of the night has been displayed to clean up oil from #41-Mayer on lap 123.Lap 130 – No. 00 Sheldon Creed does battle with No. 88 Rajah Kirby Caruth for the lead with No. 19 Brent Crews in tow.Lap 132 and its 3-wide down the frontstretch as No. 8 Sammy Smith, No. 7 Justin Allgaier and No. 99 Parker Retzlaff lead No. 21 Austin Hill! No. 53 Glen Reen spins at the rear of the field to bring out the caution.Lap 138 restart. No. 88 Rajah Kirby Caruth holds the lead on the restart — barely — over No. 7 Justin Allgaier.Lap # 145 – No. 21 Austin Hill gets the lead from No. 1 Carson Kvapil. No. 88 Rajah Kirby Caruth now in 2nd.Lap 146 – No. 9 Jake Finch brings out another caution by blowing a left-rear tire. No. 21 Austin Hill is scored as the leader.Lap 151 restart, and No. 7 Justin Allgaier gets the early lead at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta.On lap 152, No. 32 Jordan Anderson made a move to the bottom of a four-wide battle triggering a multi-car pileup that wiped out No. 00 Sheldon Creed, No. 19 Brent Crews, No. 2 Jesse Love and No. 42 Nick Leitz.Lap 156 – No. 8 Sammy Smith and teammate No. 1 Carson Kvapil side by side for the lead down the frontstretch. No. 21 Austin Hill is in fast pursuit.Lap 159 – In this bad photo, I caught the exact moment Nick Sanchez punted Austin Hill in Turn 3.No. 8 Sammy Smith and No. 88 Rajah Kirby Caruth wrecked in Turn 3 as a result of Nick Sanchez.No. 51 Jeremy Clements throws a shower of sparks as he dips below the yellow line. Austin Hill continues his slide from Turn 3 around the track,The No. 21 Austin Hill makes contact with Justin Allgaier on the frontstretch.No. 21 Austin Hill collides with No. 02 Ryan Ellis and No. 48 Dr. Patrick Staropoli as No. 44 Brennan Poole escapes the scene.No. 20 Brandon Jones avoids the wreck, as the carnage slides down the frontstretch.The crowd got a good look at the destruction along the frontstretch in Atlanta.Lap 161 – The Red Flag is out for the 4th time tonight, as Sammy Smith limps his damaged racecar onto pit road.Lap 166 – No. 7 Justin Allgaier makes contact with No. 51 Jeremy Clements on the restart, sending Clements up the track into No. 45 Lavar Scott to bring out the caution in overtime.No. 45 Lavar Scott’s damaged car from the lap 166 wreck.Lap 171 – No. 44 Brennan Poole jumps out to a big lead to take the white flag.Lap 172 – No. 87 Nick Sanchez takes out the race leader No. 44 Brennan Poole on the last lap as both cars wreck in Turn 1.No. 7 Justin Allgaier leads No. 99 Parker Retzlaff in a shower of sparks on the last lap of the race.No. 7 Justin Allgaier, No. 99 Parker Retzlaff and No. 1 Carson Kvapil on the last lap as they head for the checkered flag. Kvapil squeaked by Retzlaff for the 2nd spot at the line.Massive Fireworks signal the end of the four-hour race at EchoPark Speedway.NOAPS Points leader Justin Allgaier wins his 6th race of 2026.Justin Allgaier shows Performance Racing Network’s Doug Turnbull a photo on his phone after the race.Justin Allgaeir celebrates with the Focused Health 250 sponsors.Justin Allgaier celebrates his sixth win with team owner Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
