LAS VEGAS - An incredible race-long scramble among the day's front-running trio of veteran Aric Almirola and young talents Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love ended in favor of the experienced Almirola, but he really had to earn this trophy in Saturday's Focused Health 302 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Almirola, who led a race-best 107 of the 201 laps, took the lead for good from the season's most dominant driver Zilisch with nine laps remaining and he held off the championship leader by .696-second in one of the most competitive races of the season.

The win for the 41-year-old Almirola - who is racing part-time this season - gives his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota the first automatic berth for the owners championship in the Nov. 1 season-ending Championship

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