Justin Allgaier claimed his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship on Saturday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finishing seventh in the season finale. The title comes just two years after his first, in 2024, which took him more than a decade to earn.
Allgaier entered the finale with a 22-point lead over Jesse Love and survived a five-driver title fight that also included Corey Day, Carson Kvapil, and Sheldon Creed. He played smart defense, collecting 11 stage points and keeping his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet mostly clean, despite scrubbing the wall and suffering two tire issues that sent him to pit road.
The championship capped a season of ups and downs. Allgaier dominated the regular season with six wins and entered The Chase as the top seed by 229 points. But early Chase trouble, including a 17th at Darlington, a 13th at Gateway, and a wreck at Las Vegas, left him 30 points behind Creed. He rallied with top-five finishes at Charlotte, Phoenix, Talladega, and Martinsville to retake the points lead.
Emotional afterward, Allgaier dedicated the title to his team and family, saying the first championship was for him, while this one was for the crew. At 40, he’ll return to JR Motorsports on a multiyear deal. Crew chief Andrew Overstreet believes a dynasty is possible, and Allgaier now aims to become the series’ first three-time champion. Having expected 2026 to be his last year, he said the freedom of that mindset made it his most enjoyable season ever.
