AVONDALE, Arizona. – Justin Allgaier won his first NASCAR Xfinity season championship Saturday night at Phoenix Raceway, pulling off a stunning comeback after falling a lap mid-race.

Allgaier worked his way back through the field and passed Austin Hill and Cole Custer on an overtime restart with two laps remaining. Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevrolet used four tires during its pit stop before overtime, including two new ones on its right side, before passing Hill and Custer on the restart.

After Allgaier made the pass, a crash occurred that brought out another caution, but the JR Motorsports driver survived the final restart to take home a long-awaited title.

“This is mind-blowing, it really is,” Allgaier said. “We try to give it away in every way possible.”

Allgaier, 38, finished second in the race against Riley Herbst, but it didn’t matter because he beat the other three championship finalists: Custer finished eighth, AJ Allmendinger was ninth and Hill was tenth.

It’s a big moment for Allgaier, who had won 25 Xfinity races in his career but had never won a championship despite reaching the semifinals seven times in the last nine years. He finished second in 2020 and 2023.

Allgaier had an eventful night, starting at the back of the field after switching to a backup car due to a crash during Friday practice. Regardless, he quickly moved up the leaderboard early in the race and it only took him 26 laps to break into the top 10.

But Allgaier ran into trouble mid-race when his left rear tire began to lose air after contact with Herbst. Allgaier lost some positions, but was able to reach the end of the second stage in tenth place.

His championship hopes appeared dashed on the following restart, when he received consecutive penalties for an incorrect restart and then for speeding on pit road. That left him a lap behind the field, but he returned to the lead lap after a well-timed yellow flag when Anthony Alfredo crashed into the wall.

With new life, Allgaier methodically made his way through the field before Hill and Custer’s crucial pass with two laps remaining.

Allmendinger also started from the back of the field because he changed the brakes after qualifying. He moved up to the middle of the field fairly quickly, but had problems with his car for much of the night. Custer was in position to win back-to-back Xfinity titles for much of the night, but couldn’t hold off Allgaier’s fast car in the final laps.

Herbst also won the first two stages, both 45 laps.

Custer and Allmendinger will advance to the Cup next season.

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AP Car Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing