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NASCAR XFINITY Series

Sam Mayer Seeks Pivotal Las Vegas Victory

19-year-old Sam Mayer is driving more like a 29-year-old NASCAR veteran. (Photo: Stephen Conley | The Podium Finish)

19-year-old Sam Mayer is driving more like a 29-year-old NASCAR veteran. (Photo: Stephen Conley | The Podium Finish)

LAS VEGAS – Sam Mayer has been one of the emerging superstars during this NASCAR Xfinity Series.

While the 19-year-old Franklin, Wisconsin native has his tough moments, he races like a seasoned veteran on his best race days.

Moreover, he is maturing and applying what he learned in past races with his Xfinity Series Playoffs efforts with his No. 1 Accelerate Pro Talents Chevy Camaro.

After placing eighth at Texas, second at Talladega and 11th at the Charlotte ROVAL, the JR Motorsports sophomore sensation finds himself in the Round of 8 alongside his teammates Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry and Noah Gragson.

Although one of his team principals, Dale Earnhardt Jr., did not reward Mayer with a t-shirt about advancing into the Round of 8, he is certainly thrilled to advance into the penultimate Playoffs round.

Mayer tallied a resectable average result of 7.0 during the Round of 12 races. (Photo: Christopher Vargas)

Mayer tallied a resectable average result of 7.0 during the Round of 12 races. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)

Ahead of Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Mayer showcased his No. 1 car’s speed and consistency.

Posting the seventh fastest time in pre-qualifying practice, Mayer logged the fifth fastest effort in qualifying.

Prior to a stellar qualifying effort, Mayer considered the progress of his team’s cars. Similarly, the fresh faced driver mulled over what his team needed to compete for the championship.

“Las Vegas is a track that we have shown speed at, but just haven’t had any luck to go with it,” Mayer said in a team press release. “Starting the Round of 8 this weekend, we need to have both pace and luck.”

Suffice to say, Mayer illustrated his car’s pace during Friday’s evening practice and qualifying rounds. Moreover, Mayer and his crew chief, Taylor Moyer, keep working diligently on extracting the maximum from his Camaro on race weekends.

“Taylor and this Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions team are working hard to make sure we show up with a fast Chevrolet,” he said. “Hopefully we can put ourselves in contention to fight for the win and get into the Championship 4.”

Rob Tiongson is a 30-something motorsports journalist who enjoys sports like baseball, basketball, football, soccer, track and field and hockey. A Boston native turned Austinite, racing was the first sport that caught his eyes. From interviews to retrospective articles, if it's about anything with an engine and four wheels, it'll be here on TPF, by him or by one of his talented columnists who have a passion for racing. Currently seeking a sports writing, public relations, or sports marketing career, particularly in motorsports. He enjoys editing and writing articles and features, as well as photography. Moreover, he enjoys time with his family and friends, traveling, cooking, working out and being a fun uncle or "funcle" to his nephew, niece and cat. Tiongson, a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, pursues his Master of Arts in Digital Journalism at St. Bonaventure University. Indeed, while Tiongson is proud to be from Massachusetts, he's an everywhere kind of man residing in Texas.

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