NASCAR at Richmond live updates: Noah Gragson wins back-to-back Xfinity races

NASCAR’s Xfinity Series race at Richmond is complete. The Go Bowling 250 was today on NBCSN.

The race was 187.5 miles (250 laps) with stages ending on laps 75, 150 and 250. All times are Eastern.

Follow NASCAR reporter Alex Andrejev on Twitter at @AndrejevAlex.

NASCAR Xfinity race results

Final Stage

5:03 p.m., Lap 250: Noah Gragson gets the lead on the restart and hold it through the final laps as Justin Haley creeps up and reduces the lead, but not by enough. Gragson wins back-to-back Xfinity races after taking the checkered flag at Darlington last weekend. Haley finishes second and John Hunter Nemechek finishes third.

4:56 p.m., Lap 239: Yet another caution after the restart, this time for Jeremy Clements spinning through the infield grass on the frontstretch. Noah Gragson is lining up first for this next restart. Harrison Burton is Dale Jr. is in the top-20, but hovering around 19th.

Gragson on the inside followed by AJ Allmendinger, Brandon Jones and Harrison Burton in a row. John Hunter Nemechek is into second followed by Justin Allgaier.

4:50 p.m., Lap 232: Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets a pit road speeding penalty and has to restart at the rear. When the race goes green, the caution immediately comes back out for Tommy Joe Martins going into the wall. The field goes four-wide up front with Harrison Burton in the middle of that group.

4:45 p.m., Lap 226: With the caution out for Josh Williams spinning in Turn 2, the leaders pit while AJ Allmendinger stays out to take the lead for the restart with 22 laps to go. Austin Cindric will start second. Harrison Burton and Noah Gragson are the first drivers off pit road.

4:37 p.m., Lap 200: Dale Earnhardt Jr. quickly drops back on older tires as Harrison Burton moves into the lead. The field goes three- and four-wide after the restart. Ty Gibbs is suddenly back to second and Jr. is losing pace.

4:30 p.m., Lap 181: Another caution, this time it’s for Landon Cassill, who brushes the wall as he loses power. He stalls on the track and slows, then is able to work his car to pit road, saying he has no ignition. Sam Mayer, Justin Haley and Dale Earnhardt Jr. stay out on older tires for the restart.

4:10 p.m., Lap 168: Noah Gragson led the opening laps, bu Ty Gibbs goes back to the lead, then another caution for Bayley Currey spinning in Turns 3-4.

Stage 2

3:57 p.m., Lap 147: The caution comes out for a spin by CJ McLaughlin, and this looks like it will end the stage...Ty Gibbs is in the lead, followed by AJ Allmendinger, Harrison Burton, Noah Gragson, Daniel Hemric, Austin Cindric, Sam Mayer, Ryan Sieg and John Hunter Nemechek. The order off pit road after the flag is Hemric, Gragson and Gibbs.

3:53 p.m,. Lap 133: AJ Allmendinger has moved into second place with the JGR Supras driven by Harrison Burton and Daniel Hemric behind him.

3:48 p.m., Lap 122: Ty Gibbs, the 18-year-old phenom for Joe Gibbs Racing, has led more than 30 laps of today, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to ride between P10 and P11. He tells his team he needs some adjustments, and his team responds that they’ll go the opposite direction (with adjustments) at the stage break.

3:44 p.m., Lap 113: The new running order is Ty Gibbs, Austin Cindric, AJ Allmendinger, Harrison Burton, Noah Gragson and Daniel Hemric

3:40 p.m., Lap 103: Ty Gibbs has taken the from Daniel Hemric as Austin Cindric continues to ride in third. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has also made moves, working into 10th place.

3:31 p.m., Lap 87: Daniel Hemric takes the lead from Austin Cindric after both line up in the front row for the restart. A few laps after the flag, the caution comes out for Tommy Joe Martins, who has contact with Spencer Boyd, and goes for a spin in Turns 1-2.

Stage 1

3:24 p.m., Lap 75: A battle up front ends with AJ Allmendinger getting the lead at the line! Tommy Joe Martins finishes the stage second after taking the lead from Allmendinger a few laps earlier. But Martins gets caught up by a lapped car and loses speed. Austin Cindric, Ty Gibbs, JJ Yeley, Harrison Burton, Daniel Hemric, Noah Gragson, Spencer Boyd and Patrick Emerling finish in the top 10.

3:16 p.m., Lap 61: Tommy Joe Martins moves up to second place on fresher tires! He’s a second behind AJ Allmendinger in first, but quickly gaining on him.

3:09 p.m., Lap 56: Jeb Burton makes a long pit stop after stalling on the frontstretch and rejoins the pack two laps down. Austin Cindric is the leader for the restart, but after the flag, Cindric drops back as he loses spots to AJ Allmendinger, Harrison Burton and Tommy Joe Martins.

3:03 p.m. Lap 35: Dale Earnhardt Jr. battles with Josh Williams and Josh Berry around the 20th place spot for positions before the competition caution. The leaders don’t pit, and Earnhardt Jr. says he didn’t want to burn his tires up too early battling for the position. Austin Cindric has led all laps.

2:55 p.m.: Lap 11: Crew members stand holding the American flag in their pit boxes during laps nine through 11 as part of ceremonies for the 20th anniversary. Austin Cindric continues to lead Harrison Burton, Noah Gragson and AJ Allmendinger. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has cracked the top-20. He’s up to 19th.

2:48 p.m., Lap 2: Green flag! Austin Cindric leads the opening laps as everyone clears the first turns cleanly. Cindric drives low roudning the corners with Harrison Burton trails him in second. CJ McLaughlin goes to the garage before the green flag.

Pre-race

2:30: Two cars will drop to the rear for today’s race. Akinori Ogata will drop to the rear (already starting last) for missing driver intros. Ty Dillon (02) and Bayley Currey (15) will also drop to the rear for driver a driver change. Pre-race ceremonies are complete with American flags prominent around the track.

1:55 p.m.: NASCAR’s Xfinity Series race is today on NBCSN and proceeds the Cup playoff race at Richmond this evening. Former Cup driver and Class of 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame member Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making his return to the driver’s seat for this race. He’ll pilot the No. 8 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports with a paint scheme honoring the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks for the 20th anniversary of the day. Earnhardt Jr. retired from full-time driving in 2017, but has made a single Xfinity start each season since then. He’ll start 30th for today’s race.

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This story was originally published September 11, 2021 at 1:55 PM with the headline "NASCAR at Richmond live updates: Noah Gragson wins back-to-back Xfinity races."

Alexandra Andrejev

The Charlotte Observer

NASCAR and Charlotte FC beat reporter Alex Andrejev joined The Observer in January 2020 following an internship at The Washington Post. She is a two-time APSE award winner for her NASCAR beat coverage and National Motorsports Press Association award winner. She is the host of McClatchy’s podcast “Payback” about women’s soccer. Support my work with a digital subscription