Road America 180

Road America 180
NASCAR Xfinity Series
VenueRoad America
LocationElkhart Lake, Wisconsin, United States
Corporate sponsor(None)[1]
First race2010
Last race2023
Distance182.16 miles (293.16 km)
Laps45 [2]
Stage 1: 22
Stage 2: 12
Final stage: 11
Previous namesBucyrus 200 Presented by Menards (2010–2011)
Sargento 200 (2012)
Johnsonville Sausage 200 Presented by Menards (2013)
Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville (2014)
Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville (2015–2016)
Johnsonville 180 (2017–2018)
CTECH Manufacturing 180 (2019)
Henry 180 (2020–2022)
Most wins (driver)All winning drivers have 1
Most wins (team)Richard Childress Racing & Joe Gibbs Racing (3)
Most wins (manufacturer)Chevrolet (8)
Circuit information
SurfaceAsphalt
Length4.048 mi (6.515 km)
Turns14

The Road America 180 was a NASCAR Xfinity Series race that has taken place at Road America since 2010. The race has been a standalone race for the series except for in 2021 and 2022 when the NASCAR Cup Series had a race at the track on the same weekend as the Xfinity Series race.

Since its inception, the race has featured highly competitive races and is considered[by whom?] one of the most unpredictable races of the season.

History

[edit]

The track held its first Xfinity event in 2010 after the Milwaukee Mile's race was moved to the track. Road America had held a Grand National (now NASCAR Cup Series) race in the 1956 that was won by Tim Flock.[3] Carl Edwards won the inaugural 50-lap race, named the Bucyrus 200, after holding off Canadian road course ringers, Jacques Villeneuve and Ron Fellows.[4]

In 2011, the Bucyrus 200 was won by Reed Sorenson after a confusing series of events in which numerous drivers either crashed, were penalized, or ran out of gas. This was the first Xfinity Series race to require three green-white-checker finish attempts, extending the race to 57 laps. Michael McDowell was leading until he ran out of fuel on the first GWC-finish attempt, handing the lead to Justin Allgaier. A caution came out on the final lap which forced the race to end under yellow. Just after the yellow came out, Allgaier slowed down after running out of gas. When the dust settled, Ron Fellows appeared to have won the race, but, after a 10-minute delay, NASCAR determined that Fellows had made a pass on leader Reed Sorenson after a final-lap caution came out, handing the win to Sorenson and dropping Fellows to second.

A. J. Allmendinger celebrates his win in the 2013 race
A rain tire used during the 2014 race
Henry Repeating Arms was the title sponsor of the race from 2020 to 2022

The next year, in the newly renamed Sargento 200, Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr. won his first career race ahead of Michael McDowell and Ron Fellows. In 2013, the once again renamed Johnsonville Sausage 200 pole winner was A. J. Allmendinger. Allmendinger, Owen Kelly, and Billy Johnson all took turns leading, with Allmendinger leading the most at 29. Allmendinger would go on to win the race after eight caution flags waved and the race was extended to 55 laps due to two green-white-checker finish attempts. The race became memorable when road course ringer, Max Papis got furious with Billy Johnson for spinning him out twice; on pit road Papis slapped Johnson and walked off grinning.[5]

The race was renamed as the Gardner Denver 200 for 2014. That year, the race suffered rain, delaying the start by one hour. Despite this, NASCAR had the cars put on rain tires and race in the rain for the first time since 2009 in Montreal's NNS event. Sam Hornish Jr. led over 25 laps and dominated. However Alex Tagliani controlled the second half of the race. When he was about to take the white flag, a yellow flag period began. Just after the caution came out, Tagliani ran out of gas and stalled at the start/finish line. Brendan Gaughan prevailed after holding off a charge from deep in the pack by Tagliani for his first NNS win.

In 2015, the race was moved from June to the last weekend of August and it takes place during an off-weekend for the NASCAR Cup Series, the race was reduced from 202.4 miles to 182.16 miles for 2015.[6] Paul Menard took advantage of Blake Koch's ignition troubles to hold off Ryan Blaney for an emotional victory near his hometown in Wisconsin.[7] In 2016, road ringer Alex Tagliani won the pole while Michael McDowell led the final 24 laps en route to his first NASCAR win.[8]

On March 1, 2017, it was announced that Johnsonville Foods would again take over naming rights, naming the 2017 event the Johnsonville 180.[9]

On August 27, 2017, Truck Series regular Austin Cindric led the field to green after qualifying was cancelled. IndyCar driver James Davison won Stage One, while rookie Daniel Hemric won Stage Two. In the end, independent driver Jeremy Clements took the checkers for his first series win after surviving a late race crash with Matt Tifft. The following year, Xfinity Series regular Justin Allgaier took the victory in a redemption story from 2011.

CTECH Manufacturing sponsored the race for 1 year in 2019.[10]

Henry Repeating Arms was the title sponsor of the race from 2020 to 2022, and when they were the title sponsor, the pole and race winners were awarded matching, custom Henry 180 Edition Big Boy Lever-Action Rifles.[11] Henry did not return as the title sponsor of the race in 2023 and a replacement was not found, and as a result, the name of the race reverted back to the Road America 180.[1]

Past winners

[edit]
Year Date No. Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph) 		Report Ref
Laps Miles (km)
2010 June 19 60 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 50 202.4 (325.731) 2:57:17 68.501 Report [12]
2011 June 25 32 Reed Sorenson Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 57* 230.736 (371.333) 2:55:24 78.929 Report [13]
2012 June 23 30 Nelson Piquet Jr. Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 50 202.4 (325.731) 2:22:35 85.171 Report [14]
2013 June 22 22 A. J. Allmendinger Penske Racing Ford 55* 222.64 (356.224) 2:58:50 74.697 Report [15]
2014 June 21 62 Brendan Gaughan Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53* 214.544 (345.275) 2:48:03 76.6 Report [16]
2015 August 29 33 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 45 182.16 (293.158) 2:20:21 77.874 Report [17]
2016 August 27 2 Michael McDowell Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48* 194.304 (312.702) 2:36:20 74.573 Report [18]
2017 August 27 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 45 182.16 (293.158) 2:12:53 82.25 Report [19]
2018 August 25 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 45 182.16 (293.158) 2:23:57 75.926 Report [20]
2019 August 24 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 45 182.16 (293.158) 2:11:38 83.031 Report [21]
2020 August 8 22 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 45 182.16 (293.158) 2:56:37 61.83 Report [22]
2021 July 3 54 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 45 182.16 (293.158) 2:25:47 74.972 Report [23]
2022 July 2 54 Ty Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48* 194.304 (312.702) 2:36:14 74.621 Report [24]
2023 July 29 1 Sam Mayer JR Motorsports Chevrolet 49* 198.352 (319.216) 3:02:21 65.265 Report [25]
  • 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2022, and 2023: Races extended due to NASCAR overtime.

Multiple winners (teams)

[edit]
# Wins Team Years Won
3 Richard Childress Racing 2014–2016
Joe Gibbs Racing 2019, 2021, 2022
2 Turner Motorsports 2011, 2012
Team Penske 2013, 2020
JR Motorsports 2018, 2023

Manufacturer wins

[edit]
# Wins Make Years Won
8 United States Chevrolet 2011, 2012, 2014–2018, 2023
3 United States Ford 2010, 2013, 2020
Japan Toyota 2019, 2021, 2022

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Road America NASCAR Xfinity Weekend Selling Well Despite No Cup Race". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  2. ^ "Stage lengths for 2021 NASCAR season". NASCAR. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "1956-37 (Cup) – Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  4. ^ "06/19/2010 race: Bucyrus 200 Presented by Menards (NXS) – Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  5. ^ "NNS: Max Papis Slaps Billy Johnson — Road America 2013". Fox Sports. 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
  6. ^ "NASCAR reveals 2015 schedules for national series". NASCAR. August 26, 2014. Archived from the original on August 27, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  7. ^ Knight, Chris (August 29, 2015). "Wisconsin native Menard wins at Road America". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  8. ^ "08/27/2016 race: Road America 180 (NXS) – Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  9. ^ "Johnsonville sponsoring Road America XFINITY race". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  10. ^ "Announcing The 'CTech Manufacturing 180'". CTECH Manufacturing. June 12, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  11. ^ "Henry Announces The Henry 180 NASCAR Xfinity Race at Road America". American Rifleman. August 27, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  12. ^ "2010 Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  13. ^ "2011 Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  14. ^ "2012 Sargento 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  15. ^ "2013 Johnsonville Sausage 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  16. ^ "2014 Gardner Devner 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  17. ^ "2015 Road America 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  18. ^ "2016 Road America 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  19. ^ "2017 Johnsonville 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  20. ^ "2018 Johnsonville 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  21. ^ "2019 CTECH Manufacturing 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "2020 Henry 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  23. ^ "2021 Henry 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  24. ^ "2022 Henry 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  25. ^ "2023 Road America 180". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Henry 180.


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Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 		NASCAR Xfinity Series
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Cabo Wabo 250
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