Snake eyes for smaller NASCAR Xfinity teams in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS — The first 55 laps of the Alsco Uniforms 302 saw three cautions for incidents, all involving drivers with smaller NASCAR Xfinity Series teams.

The third caution was the costliest. Entering turn one, Kaz Grala blew an engine and triggered a multi-car wreck.

“I went into the first turn and as soon as I lifted, I lost the engine it seems. No indication of it at all,” Grala said, “I was along for the ride. As soon as I lifted, the cockpit filled with smoke that I couldn’t see where I was going. I had no grip.”

The wreck involved Rajah Caruth, Brennan Poole Jeremy Clements and others.

“Nothing you could do there. You were just along for the ride after that. We had an unfortunate bad pit stop that put us back there. It stinks. I hate it for [car owner] Mario [Gosselin]. I tore up another one of his cars.” Kyle Weatherman said.

Weatherman and Josh Williams, his lone DGM Racing teammate, fell out of the race after the wreck.

Anthony Alfredo, who sported an all-white No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports, was also involved. The team has limited resources and was set to run the Las Vegas car at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“It totally sucks. We’ve run this whole season with only four cars, including one speedway, one road course car. We’ve run every oval with two cars. So hopefully we get that other car ready for Homestead because obviously, this one is junk now,” Alfredo stated.

Alfredo expressed frustration as his team is depending on a strong end to 2023 to look ahead to 2024.

“We’ve got a lot of amazing sponsors that believe in myself and this team. It’s a blessing to be out here every week. We want to be competitive and you gotta run better to not be in all of this crap,” Alfredo said. “We don’t have a lease motor, we’re a small team as we only have four crew members. We’re overachieving running inside the top 20 and I’m really proud of that.”