MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Justin Allgaier has another busy weekend ahead — his “9-to-5” job competing for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship on Saturday and then continuing to fill in for the injured Alex Bowman in Sunday’s Cup Series race at the famous half-mile Martinsville Speedway.
So far, the 2024 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champ has done admirable work balancing the heavy schedule. He’ll drive the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevy in Saturday’s NFPA 250 (3:30 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and then suit up again for Sunday’s Cook Out 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to steer the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for Bowman, who has been battling vertigo.
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Allgaier earned his second O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of the season — and 30th of his decorated career — last weekend at Darlington Raceway and now leads the championship by an impressive 52-point margin over Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love.
He’s finished 25th (Las Vegas) and 24th (Darlington) in two Cup Series starts in the No. 48 Chevy. The team has said Bowman will be out at least through the April 12 Bristol Motor Speedway race.
“Obviously, the goal is to get Alex back into the car as soon as possible,” Allgaier said Friday before O’Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying at Martinsville. “That’s the main thought and transitioning from there, how do we strengthen the 48 program. The hard part for me is, obviously, I want to do the best job I can for both parties and I also don’t want to hold anyone back, whether that be the 48 or the 7. I owe it to both teams to give 100 percent so it’s made for a bit of a challenge over the last two weeks with family time but it’s worth it and you take a team like Hendrick Motorsports and they’ve obviously been successful in the series for so long because of the way they operate, and how much stuff they have and how great they are.
“It’s been a really unique and fun journey to see the back end of that and hope to get Alex back in the car soon. Hopefully, we can do a good job until that time comes.”