Brandon Jones Secures Kansas NASCAR Xfinity Victory
Brandon Jones has earned his seventh career win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, triumphing in a commanding fashion during the final stage at Kansas Speedway. This decisive victory marks his second win of the 2025 racing calendar, ensuring his qualification for the upcoming Round of 8 playoffs.
Reflecting on his performance in Victory Lane, Jones expressed his satisfaction, stating, \"That unfolded exactly as we envisioned. Two exceptionally strong stages, executed flawlessly. This was perhaps the most perfectly executed race of my career, and I'm incredibly proud of my team. We dedicate the entire week to preparing for races like this. While fans desire excitement, I was simply hoping for extended runs, as the car felt phenomenal.\"
The driver for Joe Gibbs Racing successfully fended off Connor Zilisch, who, despite his efforts, couldn't match Jones' pace over longer distances. Nevertheless, Zilisch accumulated sufficient points to secure his own position in the next playoff stage, a feat also achieved by his JR Motorsports teammate and reigning NXS champion, Justin Allgaier.
Zilisch's runner-up finish also marked a significant milestone, extending his remarkable streak to 16 consecutive top-five finishes. Following them were Austin Hill in third place, Sammy Smith in fourth, and Sheldon Creed securing fifth. The top ten was rounded out by Taylor Gray, Jesse Love, Nick Sanchez, Brenden Queen, and Dean Thompson.
The race began with Jones on pole position, but Taylor Gray initially seized the lead. However, Justin Allgaier quickly established himself as a formidable contender, controlling the majority of the first stage without incident, ultimately taking the Stage 1 victory ahead of Jones and Mayer.
Jones regained the lead exiting pit road, but Allgaier promptly reclaimed it at the start of Stage 2. The first notable incident occurred shortly after, when Jeb Burton spun following contact with Parker Retzlaff. Allgaier experienced a brief concern regarding a potentially loose wheel, which ultimately proved to be unfounded. He went on to secure the Stage 2 win, once again leading Jones and Mayer.
In the final stage, a slow pit stop caused Allgaier to drop from first to sixth, paving the way for his teammate Zilisch to temporarily lead the race. Jones, however, soon overtook Zilisch with 64 laps remaining, just before a crucial round of green-flag pit stops. Brenden Queen, who extended his run, benefited from a caution triggered by a heavy crash involving Justin Bonsignore, who spun into the inside wall after contact from Sanchez. Allgaier and Mayer opted to stay out, preserving their final set of tires while the rest of the field pitted. Jones swiftly reclaimed the lead on the restart as those on older tires faded, initially facing a challenge from Zilisch. Unfortunately for Allgaier, the much-anticipated caution never materialized, causing him to fall outside the top ten as Jones steadily pulled away from Zilisch, securing a comfortable win.