Sam Mayer Secures Historic Win at Hy-Vee Perks 250
Iowa Speedway, July 29, 2023 – Sam Mayer clinched his first victory for the Haas Factory Team at the Hy-Vee Perks 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, marking Ford’s inaugural win of the season. Mayer’s triumph follows a strong performance throughout the race, particularly at a critical restart on lap 221.
Mayer, driving the No. 41 Ford, outmaneuvered pole-sitter Jesse Love on lap 223 before an incident involving Brandon Jones brought out the eighth caution. The race concluded after a final caution on lap 234 due to Garrett Smithley’s spin, which set Mayer up for an uncontested finish.
“This one’s everything right here,” Mayer remarked post-race. “First win for Haas Factory Team – that’s awesome. This car was fast all day long. I tried to botch it on pit road, but we didn’t.”
Mayer’s performance was noteworthy as he battled back from a pit road miscue that caused him to restart 16th after Stage 1. He regained his momentum, finishing fourth in the second stage, and ultimately claimed victory.
Ross Chastain finished third, with rookie Connor Zilisch and Harrison Burton rounding out the top five. Zilisch’s bid for a fourth consecutive win was thwarted by a front tire issue during a pit stop, restarting in 25th. He managed to climb back to third before facing challenges in late-race traffic.
With four races remaining in the regular season, Zilisch and reigning champion Justin Allgaier now share the series lead in points, while Burton inches closer to the playoff cut line with a vital top-five finish. He currently holds 11th place in the playoff standings, 17 points ahead of Ryan Sieg.
Notable results include:
- Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team Ford)
- Jesse Love
- Ross Chastain
- Connor Zilisch
- Harrison Burton
Carson Hocevar took sixth driving the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, while Sheldon Creed, Ryan Sieg, Carson Kvapil, and Christian Eckes completed the top ten.
The next race in the Xfinity Series will further tighten playoff battles as contenders seek crucial points heading into the season’s end.
