• Saturday’s PENNZOIL 150 AT THE BRICKYARD, Indianapolis
The Xfinity Series Playoff is still six races away, but AJ Allmendinger has already clinched one title.
With his victory in Saturday’s Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard, the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet is the undisputed King of the Road.
Allmendinger was a force at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Road Course. He led 42 of the 62 laps and overcame a fraught 25-second pit stop that dropped him from the lead to 13th for a restart on Lap 19.
The victory was Allmendinger’s third of the season—all on road courses—and his fourth win in the last five Xfinity Series races on circuits that turn right as well as left, dating to his triumph in last year’s fall event at the Charlotte Roval.
Allmendinger passed runner-up Alex Bowman for the lead after a restart on Lap 45, staying alongside Bowman’s No. 17 Chevrolet though Turn 1 and pulling clear through Turn 2. Allmendinger crossed the finish line 2.084 seconds ahead of the Hendrick Motorsports driver.
“God, I love this place,” exclaimed Allmendinger. “I knew Bowman was really good at the long runs, and so I tried to gap him as much as I could. God, I love Indy!”