Sam Mayer scores second career win at Watkins Glen

WATKINS GLEN – For the second time this season, Sam Mayer has won at a road course.

Mayer did not have a dominant car like Ty Gibbs on Saturday, but he was the one that parked in Victory Lane after a chaotic overtime finish. Mayer made contact with Gibbs entering Turn 1, which sent the No. 19 Toyota spinning. He then took the lead from Sheldon Creed before the white flag flew and went on to win.

There were differing opinions about the overtime restart. Mayer said that the hit was not intentional after previous contact between them led to some angry comments over his radio.

“Yeah, I wheel-hopped it,” Mayer told NBC Sports’ Kim Coon. “That’s unfortunate. I feel bad for doing that, obviously. Don’t want to take out a Gibbs car like that — or any car like that. Just trying to get another win in the Xfinity Series. I mean, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

“I was in there. I put my nose in there, and that’s part of it. Fenders are fenders.”

Gibbs said that his fellow driver was racing with desperation and that he had gotten “cleaned out.” He then compared their racing statistics.

“Kind of grew up around racing each other,” Gibbs told NBC Sports’ Dillon Welch after the race. “I think he has more starts than I do and this is his second win, so congratulations to him on his second win. Definitely wish I could have gotten my 13th there.”

Mayer and Gibbs have history. They have raced each other throughout their careers, going back to ARCA. They also fought on pit road after last season’s spring race at Martinsville Speedway, which led to them both being called to the NASCAR hauler.

The two drivers no longer see each other on a weekly basis. Mayer is full-time in the Xfinity Series while Gibbs is a rookie in the Cup Series. They still race around each other on occasion as Gibbs makes limited starts for Joe Gibbs Racing.