NASCAR Xfinity Series: Maiden victory for Michael Annett at Daytona

Michael Annett (JR Motorsports) has won the NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway, the opening race of the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. It’s the first Xfinity Series victory for the 32-year-old Annett in his 230th start in the series.

At the wheel of the #1 Chevrolet Camaro, Annett defeated his teammate Justin Allgaier for the first triumph in his NASCAR career that started in 2008. The victory was also the first for crew chief Travis Mack, who was released from the NASCAR Cup Series team at Leavine Family Racing in midseason last year.

Michael Annett on a roof of his victorious #1 Chevrolet

“Eight years in the series—this is amazing. I couldn’t have done it without these guys (the crew). They’ve stuck with me through the hard times when everybody counts us out and wonders why I get to drive this car, and I think we showed it today—they worked their tails off on this. We got the 1 in Victory Lane. Our slogan this year is ‘One team, one dream, one goal.’ This was one of them, so we’re starting off good,” said Annett after the race.

Brandon Jones finished third in the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra in the debut race for a new Japanese car. Ryan Sieg ran fourth, followed by Austin Cindric and Christopher Bell. Jeff Green, John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Reddick and Chase Elliott completed the top 10.

The next race in the Xfinity Series is the Rinnai 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.