HOMESTEAD, Fla. —
“I really wanted to win this one,” Gragson said, “more than any other race in my career.”
Gragson was dominant throughout, sweeping the stages and holding off runner-up Gibbs and Allmendinger on a late restart.
Gibbs will head to Martinsville third in the playoff standings.
“That’s a place we were really fast at earlier this year and probably had a shot to win,” Gibbs said. “I’m excited to go back there.”
Allmendinger, the regular-season champion, finished third after entering the race below the playoffs cutline after a late pit stop for two loose wheels caused him to finish 22nd last weekend.
Gragson, with three victories more than any other driver in the series this season, opened the playoffs by becoming the first driver in 39 years to win four races in a row.
“We’re going to show up prepared,” Gragson said. “We’re going to execute at the highest level. We’ve been executing as a championship team, and I just hope that after the season ends, people remember the season as the 9 team was the dominant team.”
