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The driver of the #1 Chevrolet Camaro fielded by JR Motorsports, Sam Mayer, has managed to reignite his NASCAR Xfinity Series championship hopes this weekend. The 20-year-old managed to clinch victory during the Round-of-8 elimination race at Charlotte Roval this Saturday, marking his third career victory for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team.
Sam Mayer's season-defining moment came during Saturday's Drive for the Cure 250 when he entered the race sitting in P12 on the driver's standings table, outside the cutoff for the Round of 8.
Mayer managed to recover from the verge of elimination to advance to the next round by blitzing the field on the unique road course. All three of the #1 Chevy driver's victories this season have come on the twists and turns of a road course layout.
Leading 51 laps out of 67, the Wisconsin native summed up his day in an interview with NBC Sports after he got out of his car. He said:
“Our car was so fast, it really felt unbeatable, we kicked their tails today and it just feels so great. Winning solves everything, that's the name of the game. This is our second-chance moment, I think we can make something out of this.”
It remains to be seen how well Sam Mayer can carry this momentum into the upcoming Round of 8 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Sam Mayer elaborates on the ups and downs of racing in the playoffs
Facing almost certain elimination just before his outing at the Charlotte Roval this Saturday, Sam Mayer has become one of the eight drivers to advance to the next round of the playoffs this season. With the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship decider closing in, Mayer looked back at the second chance he has at the title.
Summing up the rollercoaster of emotions that he has experienced in the past three races, Mayer told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio:
"Today is something I will be remembering for a long time. To go from the lows of lows to the highest of highs is certainly unreal. Hopefully, we keep our momentum up because that's the biggest thing going into the last four races of the year."
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Round of 8 kicks off next Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Alsco Uniforms 302. After a stop at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway, the title decider is set to go live from Pheonix Raceway on Saturday, November 4, 2023.
