Allmendinger Spins across the Finish Line for Bristol win.

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

BRISTOL, TN - RIS - AJ Allmendinger went sliding across the finish line after he was hit by Austin Cindric to win Friday night’s Xfinity Series race and beat Cindric for the regular-season title.  In the final laps a late caution bunched the field together and led to a final run to the checkers,  The end featured more rubbing,  Cindric had an ample lead before the caution, but a determined Allmendinger shove and pushed his way for the lead with one lap to go.  The result was just what the fans wanted.  Although they booed Cindric early, he was later cheered.

“That was crazy at the end, Allmendinger said. We had about a fourth place car. My team a great job there. .. I slid into Austin trying to throttle up and stay on the bottom. And then into (Turn) 1 Allgaier had a run and there was contact. I expected to get run into. It’s frustrating to get hit that way"

Cindric finished second to Allmendinger. Riley Herbst finished third. Justin Allgaier placed fourth on a night he had a pit road speeding penalty and made contact with teammate Sam Mayer late in the race. Brandon Jones was fifth.

Jeremy Clements, Brandon Jones and Riley Herbst each clinched the final three spots. They were only in jeopardy of falling out of the playoffs if someone outside the top 12 won the race.

Allgaier’s race nearly turned while leading on Lap 153. Allgaier cut across the nose of Joe Graf Jr. after lapping Graf. The cars made contact and Allgaier slid through Turn 1 before gathering the car back. He fell only to third. He made it back to second before the end of the second stage. Daniel Hemric won the stage.

Allgaier was involved in an incident with Mayer in the final laps of the race. Mayer was second as they came upon two lapped cars running side by side. Mayer went high and then went low. Allgaier and Mayer made contact and Mayer spun.

Allgaier was involved in an incident with Mayer in the final laps of the race. Mayer was second as they came upon two lapped cars running side by side. Mayer went high and then went low. Allgaier and Mayer made contact and Mayer spun.

“I was there,” Allgaier said on the radio to his team. “I don’t know what I should have done different.”

Allmendinger gets the trophy and Cindric finishes second in the regular season.  The action may lead to a spirited playoff season.  Drivers are angry and that usually leads to payback.  Just what the fans love to see.

 

Unofficial Results for the 40th Annual Food City 300 - September 17, 2021 - Bristol Motor Speedway - 0.533 - Mile Concrete

Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Laps, St1, St2, Tms Led, Laps Led, Playoff Pts, Pts, Status
1) 10, AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Barger Precast Chevrolet, 306, 6, 6, 1, 1, 5, 50, Running
2) 9, Austin Cindric, No. 22 Menards/Richmond Ford, 306, 7, 5, 2, 75, , 45, Running
3) 8, Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 306, , , , , , 34, Running
4) 2, Justin Allgaier, No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet, 306, 1, 2, 3, 92, 1, 52, Running
5) 16, Brandon Jones, No. 19 YeeYee Toyota, 306, 8, 8, , , , 38, Running
6) 5, Justin Haley, No. 11 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet, 306, 4, 4, , , , 45, Running
7) 6, Harrison Burton, No. 20 DEX Imaging Toyota, 306, 10, , , , , 31, Running
8) 17, Myatt Snider, No. 2 Crosley Furniture Chevrolet, 306, , , , , , 29, Running
9) 22, Sam Mayer #, No. 8 Tire Pros Chevrolet, 306, 5, , 1, 49, , 34, Running
10) 4, Daniel Hemric, No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota, 306, 2, 1, 3, 78, 1, 46, Running
11) 3, Ty Gibbs #, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 306, 9, 7, , , , 32, Running
12) 1, Noah Gragson, No. 9 Bass Pro Shops/TrueTimber/BRCC Chevrolet, 306, 3, 3, 1, 4, , 41, Running
13) 13, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 All South Electric Chevrolet, 306, , , , , , 24, Running
14) 11, Brandon Brown, No. 68 Jabs Construction Chevrolet, 306, , , , , , 23, Running
15) 31, Ty Dillon, No. 23 Home Town Lenders Chevrolet, 305, , , , , , 22, Running
16) 32, Sage Karam, No. 31 Montage Mountain Chevrolet, 305, , , , , , 21, Running
17) 36, Joe Graf Jr., No. 07 KeepItSecure.net Chevrolet, 305, , , , , , 20, Running
18) 39, Gray Gaulding, No. 52 Panini American UFC Prizm Chevrolet, 305, , , , , , 19, Running
19) 14, Alex Labbe, No. 36 Prolon/Rousseau/Silver Wax Chevrolet, 305, , , , , , 18, Running
20) 18, Josh Williams, No. 92 WORKPRO Tools Chevrolet, 305, , , , , , 17, Running
21) 21, Brandon Gdovic, No. 26 SnapMobile.Shop Alternate Toyota, 305, , , , , , 16, Running
22) 27, Stefan Parsons, No. 5 SOKAL Digital Toyota, 304, , , , , , 15, Running
23) 23, Tommy Joe Martins, No. 44 AAN Adjusters Chevrolet, 304, , , , , , 14, Running
24) 7, Jeb Burton, No. 10 Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet, 303, , 10, 1, 7, , 14, Running
25) 29, Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 0 ForeverLawn Chevrolet, 303, , , , , , 12, Running
26) 37, BJ McLeod(i), No. 15 TeamJDMotorsports.com Chevrolet, 303, , , , , , 0, Running
27) 30, Jade Buford #, No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, 302, , , , , , 10, Running
28) 25, Jesse Little, No. 78 David's Electric Chevrolet, 302, , , , , , 9, Running
29) 19, Kyle Weatherman, No. 47 Axe Crossbows Chevrolet, 301, , , , , , 8, Running
30) 24, David Starr, No. 66 Whataburger Toyota, 300, , , , , , 7, Running
31) 33, Spencer Boyd(i), No. 90 Alloy/Beerpongtoss Chevrolet, 298, , , , , , 0, Running
32) 34, Carson Ware, No. 17 Pounds Property Management Chevrolet, 297, , , , , , 5, Running
33) 38, Chad Finchum, No. 61 Black Oak Contracting Toyota, 282, , , , , , 4, Running
34) 12, Ryan Sieg, No. 39 CMR Construction and Roofing/A-Game Ford, 259, , 9, , , , 5, Fuel Pump
35) 15, Josh Berry #, No. 1 PFJ Thank A Trucker Chevrolet, 215, , , , , , 2, Running
36) 26, Matt Mills, No. 99 J.F. Electric Chevrolet, 108, , , , , , 1, Accident
37) 28, Ryan Vargas #, No. 6 TeamJDMotorsports.com Chevrolet, 94, , , , , , 1, Brakes
38) 40, Bayley Currey(i), No. 74 Date Mining/JM Steel Chevrolet, 53, , , , , , 0, Brakes
39) 35, Landon Cassill, No. 4 Voyager Chevrolet, 40, , , , , , 1, Electrical
40) 20, Brett Moffitt, No. 02 Fr8Auctions Chevrolet, 9, , , , , , 1, Accident
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 10 Mins, 26 Secs.
Race Length: 306 Laps, 163.098 Miles
Average Speed: 75.026 MPH
Margin of Victory: 0.082 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 7, 18, 9, 11, 8, 16, 22, 19, 54, 20
Stage 2 Top 10: 18, 7, 9, 11, 22, 16, 54, 19, 39, 10

Comments: A.J. Allmendinger has won the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, his ninth victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Prior to the start, the following vehicle(s) dropped to the rear of the field under penalty: No. 1 (driver change).

Failed to Qualify: (1) 13 Timmy Hill(i).

Caution Flags: 10 for 72 laps;
Laps: 10-16 (No. 02 Incident Turn 2 [0]);
42-51 (Competition [48]);
87-93 (Stage 1 Conclusion [26]);
104-108 (No. 15, 44 Incident Backstretch [None]);
111-116 (No. 48, 90, 99 Incident Frontstretch [15]);
155-161 (No. 7, 07 Incident Turn 1 [26]);
172-179 (Stage 2 Conclusion [52]);
199-204 (No. 17 Incident Turn 1 [15]);
239-247 (No. 66, 44 Incident Frontstretch [07]);
298-304 (No. 7, 8, 92 Incident Turn 2 [68]).

Lead Changes: 11 among 7 drivers;
N. Gragson 1-4;
D. Hemric 5-35;
J. Allgaier 36-108;
D. Hemric 109-135;
J. Allgaier 136-153;
D. Hemric 154-173;
J. Burton 174-180;
S. Mayer # 181-229;
A. Cindric 230-241;
J. Allgaier 242;
A. Cindric 243-305;
A. Allmendinger 306.

Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: AJ Allmendinger, No. 16
Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Sam Mayer, No. 8

Ron Fleshman with John Davison

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

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Volume 2021, Issue 9, Posted 10:57 PM, 09.17.2021