2021 Xfinity Drydene 200: Cindric makes it three for 2021, tames the 'Monster Mile'

Austin Cindric took his third win of the season, recovering from early contact to claim the checkered flag at Dover International Speedway.

Reigning champion Cindric, who leads the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series with three wins, seven top fives and eight top 10s from 10 races, didn’t have things all his own way on Saturday.

The Penske man pulled off an incredible save on the final lap of stage one after multiple taps on the rear bumper from JGR driver Ty Gibbs, miraculously staying off the wall at the narrow, one-mile track.

Cindric took the lead with 51 laps to go in stage three and never looked back after a strong, door-banger of a move on JR Motorsport’s Justin Allgaier. He headed to victory lane finishing four seconds ahead of another JRM man, Josh Berry.

While he didn’t end the day with a trophy, it was still a profitable weekend for Berry, who won the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash and headed home $100,000 richer. He overtook team-mate Allgaier with 28 laps to go and held on for the bonus. Allgaier was followed in by AJ Allmendinger, while Friday’s ARCA winner Gibbs completed the top five.

JGR’s Dash competitor Brandon Jones retired from the race after contact with Zane Smith #11 Kaulig machine. Smith, standing in for Justin Haley due to COVID-19 protocol, appeared to head into turn one a little too hot, collecting Jones before the pair hit the outside wall.

That was one of eight cautions, the biggest bringing out a red flag on lap 58 as Matt Jaskol’s car ended up on top of Jesse Little’s #78 as he was caught up in Little and Josh Williams’ synchronized spin on the back stretch. Everyone walked away from the scary incident unhurt.

The Xfinity Series goes road course racing next weekend, heading to Austin, Texas and the Circuit of the Americas, along with the Cup & Truck Series, for the first time in NASCAR history.

Race Results:

1. Austin Cindric

2. Josh Berry

3. Justin Allgaier

4. AJ Allmendinger

5. Ty Gibbs

6. Harrison Burton

7. Michael Annett

8. Ryan Sieg

9. Daniel Hemric

10. Brandon Brown

11. Jeb Burton

12. Jeremy Clements

13. Brett Moffitt

14. JJ Yeley

15. Noah Gragson

16. Myatt Snider

17. Riley Herbst

18. Jeffrey Earnhardt

19. Alex Labbe

20. Tommy Joe Martins

21. BJ McLeod

22. Kyle Weatherman

23. Cody Ware

24. Bayley Currey

25. Landon Cassill

26. Ryan Vargas

27. Matt Mills

28. Colby Howard

29. Joe Graf Jr

30. Timmy Hill

31. Gray Gaulding

32. John Hunter Nemechek

33. Jade Buford

34. Kyle Sieg

35. Brandon Jones

36. Zane Smith

37. Jesse Little

38. Josh Williams

39. Matt Jaskol

40. David Starr