Because he is not entered for the upcoming Xfinity Series race at Richmond Raceway on April 20, Preece did not earn entry into next week’s Dash 4 Cash quartet despite winning the bonus on Saturday.
Instead, Justin Allgaier led next week’s Dash 4 Cash qualifiers with his runner-up finish.
Allgaier rallied back from a spin on lap 101 to cross the line second, saying there wasn’t any more he could have done to catch Preece in the final laps.
“It was a long, long day for sure,” Allgaier said. “I’m obviously super proud to be part of the Dash 4 Cash next weekend. Our guys did a great job today.”
“I owe Matt Tiftt an apology – we were racing there on one of those early restarts and he came off of turn two and I clipped the apron. At that point, there was nothing more I could do and I just slid up into his left rear. That started the mess for the day and we just had to rally back. Hats off to Ryan; he did a great job today and really earned his keep at the end.”
Daniel Hemric crossed the line in third, followed by Elliott Sadler and Spencer Gallagher.
After leading a race-high 106 laps, including 102 consecutive circuits before the final caution of the day waved with 18 to go for Shane Lee’s crashed car in turn two, Jones faded to sixth at the finish after his worn left-side tires simply couldn’t hang on.
“Sometimes you have to play mind games with the other guys who are running behind you when you’re leading like we were, and our game just didn’t work out,” lamented Jones. “We were just way too loose on that final restart to make anything of it and I couldn’t hang on.”
“I enjoyed racing Preece at the end; that was pretty cool. I did everything but try to wreck him. … I raced him as hard as a teammate should. I just wish that caution hadn’t come out, man. I thought we had it.”
Allgaier, Sadler, Gallagher and Jones will be the four Dash 4 Cash-eligible drivers racing for $100,000 next week at Richmond Raceway.
Hemric would have been eligible over Jones, but his car failed post-race technical inspection due to a mechanical measurement issue according to NASCAR officials. Hemric lost his eligibility as a result.
Dash 4 Cash contender Christopher Bell, who was involved in a multi-car accident at lap five but came back to lead 35 laps and win the opening stage, crashed on lap 141 with Vinnie Miller and Cody Ware, ending his day and his quest for the bonus money. Bell was credited with a 29th-place finish.
