Justin Allgaier found himself at the center of intense criticism after his pit strategy was called into question by Denny Hamlin, following the dramatic NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday. Despite a strong showing that positioned him as a likely winner, Allgaier’s hopes were dashed late in the race, paving the way for Cup Series regular Kyle Larson to secure the victory. Hamlin, analyzing the chain of events, pointed directly at pit decision-making as a decisive factor in Allgaier’s loss, igniting debate about what might have been a pivotal moment in the Texan showdown.
The race was expected to be a landmark for Justin Allgaier, with many predicting he would add another victory to his impressive record at the 1.5-mile Texas track. Allgaier has clocked 575 laps led at Texas, ranking him among the top contenders in series history. A sweep at the 2025 Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 seemed within reach, especially after Allgaier’s authoritative stint leading 99 laps. However, fortunes shifted when Kyle Larson, serving as a substitute for Connor Zilisch, seized the lead—and then, everything changed for Allgaier and his JR Motorsports team.
Denny Hamlin, a seasoned competitor and vocal analyst, scrutinized the situation during an episode of his show, Actions Detrimental. According to Hamlin, the timing of Justin Allgaier’s pit stop proved costly.
They just didn’t pit him at the right time… Allgaier was in some traffic, and then he was getting held up by that traffic. They ran him out there for three or four laps. Allgaier was dropping six-tenths battling with these guys,
Hamlin explained, illustrating the domino effect of a delayed pit decision. He argued that a more proactive pit call from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team could have spared Allgaier from critical time loss on track.
Once the delayed pit stop finally occurred, Justin Allgaier returned to the hunt, urgently chasing after Larson. However, adversity struck again. While trying to regain lost ground, he collided with the lapped car of Kris Wright, abruptly ending his charge and erasing any hope for a comeback. The disappointment was clear as Allgaier admitted,
Ultimately, it falls on my shoulders, right? We about got crashed before the green flag (pit) stop there.
This moment captured both the intensity and frustration mounting within the #7 camp.
Hamlin also drew attention to a subtle but important detail: the unique challenge posed by Larson, who was filling in for Zilisch. After regaining the lead from Justin Allgaier with approximately 50 laps to go, Larson consistently ran almost half a second faster than the rest of the field. Hamlin recalled a similar scenario from the previous year’s All Star Race, in which Larson dominated, leading 145 of 200 laps, and celebrated the accomplishment with his trademark confidence. Even Larson himself hinted at this dominance by posting Scott Bloomquist’s famous line, “I would’ve lapped the field,” on social media, summarizing the mindset he brought into the Texas race.
This high-octane conclusion left fans and insiders alike dissecting the consequences of pit strategies and the razor-thin margins that define NASCAR’s outcomes. Justin Allgaier’s experience at Texas not only highlights the challenges faced by JR Motorsports but also signals how crucial moment-to-moment decisions are, especially under the pressure of racing against elite competition. Looking ahead, Hamlin’s pointed criticism will likely spark further reflection and analysis in the garage, as Allgaier and his team strive to turn hard-earned lessons into redemption in future races. The Texas race stands as a stark reminder of how a single strategic call can ripple through the outcome, leaving ambitions hanging by the slimmest of threads.
