Justin Allgaier becomes first Xfinity Series driver to win Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award from NMPA

The National Motorsports Press Association has named Justin Allgaier the Richard Petty Driver of the Year for 2024. This is the first time that a NASCAR Xfinity Series driver has been given the award.

There have only been two times a non-Cup Series driver has been named the NMPA Richard Petty Driver of the Year – 2023 with Max Verstappen, and 2025 with Justin Allgaier. Truly an honor for the 2024 Xfinity Series champion.

Allgaier won two races last season on his way to the Xfinity Series championship. His performance in the Phoenix championship, and the last five races of the season for that matter, were beyond impressive.

The NMPA also says that this was the closest vote margin for the award since 1986. That year, Tim Richmond and Dale Earnhardt split the award that season, the only time it has been given out to two drivers in the same year.

NMPA President @DebWilliams72 presents Justin Allgaier (@J_Allgaier) with his 2024 NMPA @therichardpetty Driver of the Year Award. It was the closest vote by the membership since 1986.

Allgaier is the first #NASCAR Xfinity Series driver to receive the award. pic.twitter.com/TFTQ45Obpy

— National Motorsports Press Association (@NMPAonline) April 21, 2025

Justin Allgaier had tried so many times before ascending the mountain last November. With that race, his entire career came full circle. To win this award when you have names like Kyle Larson, Max Verstappen, Joey Logano, and so many other great drivers out there, it puts into context how big of a deal it is for Allgaier to win it.

Logano won his third Cup Series championship last season and had four wins total. Verstappen won nine races and his fourth Formula One championship. Larson qualified P6 in the Indy 500 and won six Cup Series races, on top of everything he does on dirt in a sprint car.

Justin Allgaier is more than a worthy recipient. Congratulations to the 2024 Richard Petty Driver of the Year.

Justin Allgaier is even better in 2025

Perhaps the most overlooked storyline in NASCAR at the moment is Justin Allgaier and his performance this season. He has two wins, the earliest he has ever had a pair of wins in his Xfinity Series career, and has had a winning car almost every weekend.

Between his P29 at COTA and P21 at Rockingham, Allgaier had finishes of P5, P1, P1, P3, P3, and P3. Ridiculous numbers from the No. 7 team. Of course, Allgaier is the points leader in the Xfinity Series after 10 races. He has an 87-point lead on Sam Mayer in second place. William Byron only has a 30-point lead on second in the Cup Series, just for reference.

On top of his 411 points this season, Allgaier has 117 stage points. Sammy Smith has the second-most stage points in 2025 for the Xfinity Series with 68. Allgaier leads the Xfinity Series in laps led, top-fives, top-10s, stage points, and is tied for most wins this season. He is second in stage wins. On top of that, 0 DNFs.

Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier appears to be on another level. Winning that title in 2024 has given him a level of confidence that we have not seen from him before. That is very dangerous for the rest of the field.