The VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 took place at Darlington Raceway on April 5, 2025 and consisted of 38 hungry drivers looking to etch their name in history at NASCAR’s “Oldest Superspeedway” for a 200-mile sprint. With this now being the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ only race at the South Carolina track, all the glory was on the line with several NASCAR Cup Series regulars contesting alongside series regulars.
It was an all JGR front row, as Christopher Bell started on the Pole alongside teammate, Brandon Jones. The outside lane prevailed as Bell stayed up front as those throughout the pack raced the track rather than their competition. Jones challenged Bell on Lap 22 going into Turn 2. The first caution came out on Lap 23 due to Kris Wright hitting the wall in his #5 Our Motorsports Chevrolet, ending his day right then and there.
The Green Flag flew back out with 16-to-go in Stage 1, was Justin Allgaier charged ahead of Bell and Jones. Also up front was Sam Mayer, who ran a throwback paint scheme to Kurt Busch’s 2017 Daytona 500 win, and Harrison Burton, who threw it back to his father, Jeff Burton’s Citgo Ford. Burton would win Stage 1, as Allgaier, Brennan Poole, Kyle Sieg and Anthony Alfredo would respectively round out the Top-5.
Stage 2 began with Allgaier and Jones alongside each other, as Ross Chastain’s #9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet drove up to second by Lap 60. Also making a run towards the front was Rookie, Christian Eckes. Coming out of Turn 4 a lap later, Connor Zilisch, Chase Elliott and Jeb Burton went three-wide and made contact, but nothing major enough for damage to be sustained. Allgaier wound up winning Stage 2, as Eckes, Chastain, Jones and Burton respectively rounded out the Top-5.
The final stage began with 50-to-go and Allagier had to hold off a hard-charging Chastain. The JRM duo went wheel-to-wheel as Bell worked hard to catch them. The Yellow Flag flew with 36-to-go, as Taylor Gray slid into the inside SAFER barrier on the Frontstretch.
The race resumed on Lap 118 and this time Harrison Burton and Jones had the front row, but Jones was able to pull away, until another caution flew for Garrett Smithley spinning out of Turn 4 with 30-to-go.
Jones once again surged ahead on the next restart, as Bell and Chastain fought for Real Estate behind him. Chastain made contact with Bell, puncturing his left-front tire going into Turn 2 and sending Bell into the wall. Chastain grabbed the lead with 20-to-go, but an accident in Turns 1 and 2 prompted another Yellow Flag.
Under caution, all but two drivers made a pit stop, taking four tires. Brennan Poole and Jeb Burton started on the front row, as Poole led Jones until 11-to-go. Jones took the lead and didn’t look back. Jones collected his sixth-career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, after going winless in 2023 and 2024, snapping a 98-race winless streak in the process. Jones locked himself into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, while Justin Allgaier took the Xfinity Dash4Cash $100,000 bonus.
The next race for the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 12, 2025, the “World’s Fastest Half Mile”. Once again, NASCAR Cup Series regulars would give Xfinity regulars a run for their money.
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