Justin Allgaier keeps streak alive, ties Hall of Farmer Mark Martin for most consecutive top 10s at Darlington

Justin Allgaier crossed the finish line at Darlington in third place after leading a race-high 56 laps. The JR Motorsports racer is now tied with Hall of Famer Mark Martin for most consecutive top-10 finishes at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with nine of them to his name.

Mark Martin’s streak between 1993 and 1996 came during a stretch where he was practically untouchable in the Busch Series at Darlington. He bagged five wins during that run and routinely led laps, including 138 laps led in the March 1994 event alone. Martin held the record driving the #60 Ford for Roush Racing, which stood unchallenged since 1997, and has also secured three more victories at 'The Lady in Black.'

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Mark Martin (5) (left of center) wins the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway - Source: Imagn

Allgaier, on the other hand, has become one of the most consistent Xfinity drivers at Darlington in recent times. The JR Motorports #7 BRANDT Chevrolet driver's run began in May 2021 with a win in the Steakhouse Elite 200 and includes three wins.

Justin Allgaier reflects on what slipped away at Darlington

While Justin Allgaier remained proud of his latest performance at the immediate track, the 38-year-old rued his missed chances. Speaking after the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 at Darlington, the American told NASCAR about where he thought the race turned for him:

"It's disappointing that I walk out of here without a win, but I am really proud of our team, everyone on this Brandt Chemical Chevrolet. We did all the right things today. We had a really fast race car and put ourselves in a good position."

He added:

"We had the one tough pit stop, and as a driver, you watch it all unfold, and all you can ask for is a little rebound on the next pitstop and they did that. Really, just proud of our team, proud of that race car as we bring into the racetrack and honestly great points day. Its hard to be upset right now. I want to be in victory lane."

Justin Allgaier led for most of the race, finishing the first stage in second and winning the second stage. However, things went south for #7 after a mishap on a pit stop early in the final stage. The #7 team's front tire changer stumbled on his pneumatic air gun, which got stuck on the front fender. This led to a delayed pit stop as he lost the lead to Brandon Jones.

Despite the setback, he managed to finish third and hold on to his 71-point lead on top of the Xfinity standings. This was the fourth top-five finish of the 2025 season for Allgaier, who already has two wins and has had a good start to his title defense.