The 2022 Sparks 300 was the 28th stock car race of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series, the second race of the Round of 12, and the 3rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, October 1, 2022, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a permanent tri-oval shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 113 laps to complete, as the race was rather clean. In a close finish, A. J. Allmendinger, driving for Kaulig Racing, would hold off Sam Mayer on the final lap to earn his 14th career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, along with his fourth of the season. Allmendinger would beat Mayer by 0.015 of a second. He would also earn a spot in the next round of the playoffs. Austin Hill dominated the majority of the race, leading 60 laps and winning both stages. To fill out the podium, Landon Cassill, driving for Kaulig Racing, would finish in 3rd, respectively.
Background Talladega Superspeedway is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. A tri-oval, the track was constructed in 1969 by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family. , the track hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval, with a length of , compared to the Daytona International Speedway, which is long. The total peak capacity of Talladega is around 175,000 spectators, with the main grandstand capacity being about 80,000.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMake1Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet02Blaine PerkinsOur MotorsportsChevrolet2Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4Bayley CurreyJD MotorsportsChevrolet5Joey GaseB. J. McLeod MotorsportsFord6Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet07Joe Graf Jr.SS-Green Light RacingFord7Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet08David StarrSS-Green Light RacingFord8Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Landon CassillKaulig RacingChevrolet11Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet13Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsChevrolet16A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet18Trevor BayneJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet23Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet26Derek GriffithSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonOur MotorsportsChevrolet31Myatt SniderJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet34Jesse IwujiJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet35Jeffrey EarnhardtEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord36Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet38C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord44Howie DiSavino IIIAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet47Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet48Parker Kligerman (i)Big Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet54Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota66J. J. YeleyMBM MotorsportsChevrolet68Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet78B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet91Mason MasseyDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, September 30, at 4:30 PM CST. Since Talladega Superspeedway is a superspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, one-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round move on to the second round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 wins the pole. Austin Hill, driving for Richard Childress Racing, scored the pole for the race, with a lap of 52.605, and an average speed of in the second round. Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)121Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet52.757181.51152.605182.036254Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota52.684181.76352.621181.98132Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet52.743181.56052.653181.87047Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet52.962180.80952.752181.529519Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota52.848181.19952.817181.30569Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet52.976180.76152.867181.13478Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.015180.62852.891181.052816A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet52.949180.85352.926180.932948Parker Kligerman (i)Big Machine RacingChevrolet52.966180.79552.970180.782106Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet52.984180.73453.007180.655Eliminated from Round 11118Trevor BayneJoe Gibbs RacingToyota53.060180.475 - -1211Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet53.089180.376 - -131Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet53.104180.325 - -1439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord53.156180.149 - -1502Blaine Perkins (i)Our MotorsportsChevrolet53.176180.081 - -1627Jeb BurtonOur MotorsportsChevrolet53.180180.068 - -1768Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet53.215179.949 - -1810Landon CassillKaulig RacingChevrolet53.223179.922 - -1907Joe Graf Jr.SS-Green Light RacingFord53.225179.915 - -2023Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet53.234179.885 - -2131Myatt SniderJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet53.277179.740 - -2234Jesse IwujiJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet53.282179.723 - -2398Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord53.312179.622 - -244Bayley CurreyJD MotorsportsChevrolet53.329179.565 - -255Joey GaseB. J. McLeod Motorsports/Emerling-Gase MotorsportsFord53.400179.326 - -2626Derek GriffithSam Hunt RacingToyota53.446179.172 - -2735Jeffrey EarnhardtEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord53.490179.024 - -2838C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord53.504178.977 - -2991Mason MasseyDGM RacingChevrolet53.506178.971 - -3036Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet53.608178.630 - -3145Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet53.645178.507 - -3278B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet53.658178.464 - -3308David StarrSS-Green Light RacingFord53.659178.460 - -Qualified by owner's points3444Howie DiSavino IIIAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet53.766178.105 - -3566J. J. YeleyMBM MotorsportsChevrolet53.804177.979 - -3613Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsChevrolet53.819177.930 - -3751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet54.101177.002 - -3847Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet - - - -Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 25 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts121Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1022Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet9311Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet8419Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7518Trevor BayneJoe Gibbs RacingToyota6616A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet577Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet4854Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3968Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet2101Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 25 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts121Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1027Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet9316A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet8418Trevor BayneJoe Gibbs RacingToyota7527Jeb BurtonOur MotorsportsChevrolet661Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet5768Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet4819Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3939Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord2108Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 3 Laps: 63 Fin.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1816A. J. AllmendingerKaulig RacingChevrolet1133Running532131Sam MayerJR MotorsportsChevrolet1133Running4131810Landon CassillKaulig RacingChevrolet1130Running3441439Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord11311Running35578Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet1130Running336948Parker Kligerman (i)Big Machine RacingChevrolet1130Running07254Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1130Running3381211Daniel HemricKaulig RacingChevrolet1130Running379519Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1131Running381069Noah GragsonJR MotorsportsChevrolet1131Running27112398Riley HerbstStewart-Haas RacingFord1130Running261232Sheldon Creed (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1132Running34131118Trevor BayneJoe Gibbs RacingToyota11313Running3714121Austin Hill (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet11360Running431547Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1136Running35162023Anthony AlfredoOur MotorsportsChevrolet1130Running21171627Jeb BurtonOur MotorsportsChevrolet1130Running26183566J. J. YeleyMBM MotorsportsChevrolet1130Running19193036Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet1130Running18203751Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1130Running1721255Joey GaseB. J. McLeod MotorsportsFord1130Running16221907Joe Graf Jr.SS-Green Light RacingFord1130Running15232626Derek GriffithSam Hunt RacingToyota1130Running1424244Bayley CurreyJD MotorsportsChevrolet11212Running13253308David StarrSS-Green Light RacingFord1120Running12263278B. J. McLeodB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet1120Running11273613Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsChevrolet1121Running0282234Jesse IwujiJesse Iwuji MotorsportsChevrolet1120Running9292838C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord1120Running830106Ryan VargasJD MotorsportsChevrolet1120Running7313145Caesar BacarellaAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1120Running6323444Howie DiSavino IIIAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet1120Running5331768Brandon BrownBrandonbilt MotorsportsChevrolet1120Running10343847Mike HarmonMike Harmon RacingChevrolet1110Running3352131Myatt SniderJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1110Running2361502Blaine Perkins (i)Our MotorsportsChevrolet1100Running0372735Jeffrey EarnhardtEmerling-Gase MotorsportsFord1090Running1382991Mason MasseyDGM RacingChevrolet950Running1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 A. J. Allmendinger 2,134 1 2 Noah Gragson 2,134 3 Ty Gibbs 2,113 (-21) 4 Austin Hill 2,107 (-27) 5 Josh Berry 2,091 (-43) 6 Justin Allgaier 2,089 (-55) 7 Sam Mayer 2,076 (-58) 8 Ryan Sieg 2,070 (-64) 1 9 Daniel Hemric 2,064 (-70) 1 10 Riley Herbst 2,060 (-74) 11 Brandon Jones 2,060 (-74) 12 Jeremy Clements 2,023 (-111)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References