When Justin Allgaier flew under the checkered flag at the Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 9, he completed his quest for a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.
An Xfinity Series career that began with his debut in 2008 finally culminated in Allgaier’s first series championship, marking the end of years of heartbreak.
With the champagne and confetti long behind Allgaier and the No. 7 team, however, the question has to be asked: What’s next for Allgaier, and how much can he build on his legacy?
On Oct. 25, Allgaier and longtime sponsor Brandt signed a multiyear extension to remain with Jr. Motorsports through the 2026 season. That means the 38-year-old driver has at least two more opportunities to win another Xfinity Series title.
Sizing up the Competition
In 2025, the Xfinity Series field will look drastically different than it did in 2025. A host of rookies will contend for the Sunoco Rookie of The Year Award, and these rookies – two of which will be teammates of Allgaier’s at Jr. Motorsports – will all be playoff contenders.
Allgaier will also have to face more experienced drivers in order to win his second consecutive title. Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones, Austin Hill and Jesse Love are just some of the non-rookies in the series Allgaier will have to push past in order to hoist the championship trophy once more.
The good news? Allgaier has an asset not possessed by any of the aforementioned drivers: years of postseason experience and a championship pedigree.
Mr. Consistency
Since the Xfinity Series playoffs were instituted in 2016, Allgaier has been a part of the playoff field in all nine seasons. He’s made the Championship 4 in seven of those nine seasons, and has never been eliminated in the opening round.
If you need more proof of how consistent Allgaier’s been during his full-time tenure in the Xfinity Series, his worst points finish in 14 full-time seasons was a seventh-place effort in 2018.
Combined with his consistency and ability to win on any given weekend, his newfound championship pedigree and experience make him incredibly dangerous going into 2025. Allgaier’s name has always been mentioned in discussions regarding pre-season championship favorites, but it will undoubtedly be near the top of the list when the Xfinity Series rolls into Daytona Beach in February.
There is one major area where improvement needs to happen, however. As quick as Allgaier was in 2024, it took him until the 11th race of the season at Darlington for him to notch his first victory. Only one more win at Michigan in race 21 followed, giving him just two victories in his championship season.
Wins aren’t everything in racing, and consistency certainly matters, but it would be nice for Allgaier to find victory lane on a more consistent basis. There’s something to be said for building up playoff points with race wins, and doing so would make Allgaier’s path back to Phoenix much less stressful than it was in 2024.
At the end of the day, however, Allgaier and the No. 7 team will be a title threat in 2025 regardless of how many times they visit victory lane. The question of what achievement is next for Allgaier will permeate the garage area all season, and another championship run would only add to his ever-growing NASCAR legacy.
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