HAMPTON, Ga. -- Two races remain in the Xfinity Series regular season, and Ryan Sieg faces a steeper climb to the playoffs due to crashes and mechanical issues at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The RSS Racing driver entered the Atlanta Xfinity Series race only 10 points below the cutline. Now he is 44 points below the cutline heading to Watkins Glen International.
Photo credit: NASCAR
Sieg was in a position to contend for a playoff spot, and he used a fast car to get inside the top 10 in the opening stage after qualifying 14th.
The situation drastically changed on Lap 12 as Sieg's No. 39 Ford Mustang stalled on the track and brought out the caution. He had to receive a push back to pit road, and he fell laps down.
Sieg was able to continue in the race, but he missed out on stage points. Once he got back on the lead lap and in contention for a top-10 finish, he was collected in a multi-car incident that started when a cut tire sent Justin Allgaier into Taylor Gray.
BIG, BIG WRECK.
Justin Allgaier, Ryan Sieg, Jesse Love, Riley Herbst and more!
📺 : USA Network | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/zgdRMriaNM
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 7, 2024
Sieg ended the day in 32nd place with only five points. Sammy Smith, the driver Sieg is trying to chase down, scored nine points in stage 2 before finishing seventh.
While Sieg's day featured issues, other drivers increased their cushions over the cutline. This list includes AJ Allmendinger, Sheldon Creed, and Parker Kligerman.
All three drivers are winless this season, but they locked up some crucial points at the 1.540-mile mini-superspeedway. Allmendinger won his first stage of the season and then he finished third in the race. He left Atlanta 144 points above the cutline.
Creed only scored seven stage points at Atlanta, and he only finished 25th due to issues. However, he still left with a 123-point cushion to the cutline.
Kligerman missed out on stage points entirely Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but he finished second in the race and locked up 35 total points. He is now 74 points above the cutline as he tries to lock up a spot in the playoffs once again.