ANTHONY ALFREDO CHARGES FROM 18TH TO TOP-10 FINISH AT LAS VEGAS
No. 96 Viking Motorsports Driver Overcomes Practice Tire Scare, Stage 1 Adversity and Charges Back to 10th in Focused Health 302
LAS VEGAS (October 4, 2026) — Anthony Alfredo and Viking Motorsports came to Las Vegas Motor Speedway looking to turn the speed they have shown throughout the second half of the season into another strong finish.
They accomplished exactly that.
Alfredo drove the No. 96 Sims Metal Chevrolet for Viking Motorsports from an 18th-place starting position to a 10th-place finish in Saturday night's Focused Health 302, earning another strong result in the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season.
The result provided another indication of the progress being made by the Viking Motorsports organization.
It also came after the weekend nearly took a much different turn before the race ever began.
During Saturday's practice session, Alfredo suffered a left-rear flat tire that sent the No. 96 Chevrolet completely sideways on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval. Alfredo managed to save the car and avoid contact with the wall, allowing the team to continue the afternoon without suffering major damage.
Alfredo followed the dramatic save by qualifying 18th with a lap of 176.160 mph.
Once the green flag fell, the adversity wasn't over.
Issues during Stage 1 forced Alfredo to restart at the back of the field, leaving the No. 96 team with plenty of work ahead of them. Instead of allowing the setback to define their night, Alfredo and Viking Motorsports went to work.
Alfredo steadily drove his way back through the field during the 201-lap event, putting himself in position to capitalize as the race developed around him.
While much of the attention was focused on the championship contenders at the front of the field, Alfredo and the No. 96 team continued quietly gaining positions.
During the final stage, strategy brought Alfredo to the front of the running order as the field cycled through a late round of green-flag pit stops. Alfredo briefly took the lead before making his final stop.
Once the pit cycle was completed, Alfredo continued fighting his way forward and ultimately brought the Sims Metal Chevrolet home 10th, completing all 201 laps on the lead lap.
“Really proud of everyone at Viking Motorsports,” Alfredo said following the race. “We had a left-rear flat in practice and were fortunate to save the car, then had some issues in Stage 1 that put us in a position where we had to restart at the back. We just kept fighting, drove our way back through the field and came away with a top-10 finish. Huge shoutout to Sims Metal for being on the car and supporting us. It was great to get them a solid finish.”
The eight-position improvement from start to finish — combined with having to work his way forward again following the Stage 1 setback — capped a determined performance for Alfredo and Viking Motorsports.
The Las Vegas result also represented an important rebound following two difficult races at World Wide Technology Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
At World Wide Technology Raceway, Alfredo was running inside the top 15 before being collected in a pit-road incident. Despite falling three laps down while repairs were made, the team fought its way back onto the lead lap and finished 22nd.
One week later at Bristol, Alfredo again showed competitive speed before two separate tire failures derailed the night and resulted in a 32nd-place finish.
Las Vegas finally allowed the No. 96 team to turn that speed back into a result.
The Connecticut native has also contributed beyond his own race program in 2026, continuing his work as a simulator driver for Hendrick Motorsports, where he works with drivers, crew chiefs and engineers in preparation for NASCAR Cup Series race weekends.
With five races remaining, Alfredo and Viking Motorsports now turn their attention to Charlotte Motor Speedway and an opportunity to build on the momentum created in Las Vegas.
The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series returns Saturday, October 10, at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
About Anthony Alfredo
Anthony Alfredo, 27, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, competes full-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driving the No. 96 Chevrolet for Viking Motorsports.
The 2026 campaign marks Alfredo's fifth full-time season in the series. He has competed across all three NASCAR national series, including a full NASCAR Cup Series season with Front Row Motorsports in 2021, when he earned a top-10 finish at Talladega Superspeedway.
Alfredo has also competed in select NASCAR Cup Series events and serves as a simulator driver for Hendrick Motorsports, working with the organization's drivers, crew chiefs and engineers to prepare for race weekends.
About Viking Motorsports
Viking Motorsports is a NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series organization competing with Chevrolet.
The team expanded to a two-car full-time program for the 2026 season, adding Anthony Alfredo in the No. 96 Chevrolet alongside the No. 99 entry.
Viking Motorsports also entered 2026 with an enhanced technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing as the organization continues to build its NASCAR program.
About Sims Metal
Sims Metal is a global leader in metal recycling and a proud partner of Anthony Alfredo and Viking Motorsports. With operations across North America and around the world, Sims Metal specializes in buying and processing ferrous and non-ferrous metals for recycling, helping return valuable materials to productive use while supporting a more sustainable future.
Sims Metal was featured as the primary partner on Alfredo's No. 96 Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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Race Face Brand Development
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