2024 Focused Health 250

Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Race 5 of 33 of the2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series
Date	March 23, 2024
Official name	4th Annual Focused Health 250
Location	Circuit of the Americas inAustin, Texas
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	3.426 miles (5.514 km)
Distance	50 laps, 170 mi (273 km)
Scheduled distance	46 laps, 157 mi (253 km)
Average speed	72.374 mph (116.475 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Kyle Larson	Hendrick Motorsports
Time	2:12.076
Most laps led
Driver	A. J. Allmendinger Shane van Gisbergen	Kaulig Racing
Laps	20
Winner
No. 17	Kyle Larson	Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	FS1
Announcers	Adam Alexander,Joey Logano, andDaniel Suárez
Radio in the United States
Radio	PRN

The2024 Focused Health 250 was the 5thstock car race of the2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the 4th iteration of theevent. The race was held on Saturday, March 23, 2024, atCircuit of the Americas inAustin, Texas, a 3.426 miles (5.514 km) permanent asphalt road course. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 46 laps, but was increased to 50 laps due to aNASCAR overtime finish. In a thrilling race that featured a wild finish,Kyle Larson, driving forHendrick Motorsports, would benefit from newer tires and steal the win afterShane van Gisbergen made contact withAustin Hill on the final lap. Van Gisbergen bumped into the back of Hill in turn 16, forcing both drivers up the racetrack and allowing Larson to sneak past both of them.^[9] This was Larson's 15th careerNASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his first of the season.^[10] Van Gisbergen and teammateA. J. Allmendinger were the most consistent drivers of the race, both leading a race-high 20 laps. To fill out the podium, Hill, driving forRichard Childress Racing, andJohn Hunter Nemechek, driving forJoe Gibbs Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Van Gisbergen, who originally finished in 2nd, was given a 30-second time penalty on the final lap for cutting the course. He was officially credited with a 27th place finish.^[11]

Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a grade 1FIA-specificationmotorsports facility located within theextraterritorial jurisdiction ofAustin, Texas. It features a 3.426-mile (5.514 km)road racing circuit. The facility is home to theFormula OneUnited States Grand Prix, and theMotorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas, a round of theFIM Road Racing World Championship. It previously hosted theSupercars Championship, theFIA World Endurance Championship, theIMSA SportsCar Championship, andIndyCar Series.

• (R) denotes rookie driver.
• (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

The first and only practice session was held on Friday, March 22, at 4:30 PMCST, and would last for 20 minutes.^[12]Shane van Gisbergen, driving forKaulig Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 2:14.728, and a speed of 91.117 mph (146.639 km/h).^[13]

Qualifying was held on Friday, March 22, at 5:00 PMCST.^[12] SinceCircuit of the Americas is a road course, the qualifying system is a two group system, with two rounds. Drivers will be separated into two groups, Group A and Group B. Each driver will have multiple laps to set a time. The fastest 5 drivers from each group will advance to the final round. The fastest driver to set a time in that round will win the pole.^[14]

Under a 2021 rule change, the timing line in road course qualifying is "not" the start-finish line. Instead, the timing line for qualifying will be set at the exit of Istanbul 8.Kyle Larson, driving forHendrick Motorsports, would win the pole after advancing from the preliminary round and setting the fastest time in Round 2, with a track record lap of 2:12.076, and a speed of 92.946 mph (149.582 km/h).^[15]

Two drivers would fail to qualify:Kaz Grala andPreston Pardus.

Stage 1Laps: 14

Stage 2Laps: 16

Stage 3Laps: 20

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Austin Hill 222 1 2 Chandler Smith 213 (-9) 3 Cole Custer 192 (–30) 1 4 Jesse Love 166 (–56) 1 5 Riley Herbst 165 (–57) 1 6 A. J. Allmendinger 162 (–60) 4 7 Parker Kligerman 147 (–75) 8 Justin Allgaier 143 (–79) 9 Brandon Jones 139 (–83) 4 10 Sheldon Creed 135 (–87) 1 11 Sammy Smith 124 (–98) 12 Anthony Alfredo 123 (–99) Official driver's standings

Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 188 2 Toyota 174 (–14) 3 Ford 153 (–35) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.

• NASCAR races at Circuit of the Americas
• March 2024 sports events in the United States
• 2024 in sports in Texas
• 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series

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