AJ Allmendinger achieved a major milestone in his NASCAR career by clinching a spot in the Xfinity Series Playoffs Championship 4 following his thrilling victory at the Ambetter Health 302 held in Las Vegas.
This race was pivotal as it not only marked the Californian’s first win of the season but also solidified his position among the top contenders for the title as he advances to the Xfinity Series Playoffs Championship 4, setting the stage for a thrilling finale at Phoenix Raceway.
With this victory, Allmendinger now boasts 18 career wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, showcasing his enduring competitiveness in the sport.
From the outset, AJ Allmendinger demonstrated his prowess as he started the race from seventh position. His No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro quickly showcased its speed, allowing him to lead a race-high 102 laps throughout the event.
The Las Vegas Playoffs race which unfolded over 201 laps began with Brandon Jones from JR Motorsports securing pole position after a strong qualifying performance, clocking in at 29.439 seconds. However, it was Cole Custer who took an early lead as the green flag waved, demonstrating impressive speed and control.
Custer’s Ford quickly established itself at the front, holding off challenges from other contenders during the initial laps. As the race progressed through Stage 1, which consisted of 45 laps, Custer maintained his lead despite mounting pressure from Justin Allgaier and others.
A major incident occurred when Dylan Lupton hit the wall, bringing out a caution that allowed teams to reassess their strategies. Custer ultimately won Stage 1, solidifying his position as a frontrunner.
Stage 2 saw a shift in momentum as Justin Allgaier took control of the race. Despite battling mechanical issues and a recurring left-side vibration in his car, Allgaier showcased his resilience by dominating this stage and claiming victory.
His performance was noteworthy as he navigated through traffic effectively while managing his car’s handling issues. Meanwhile, Aric Almirola made a strong recovery from an early pit road penalty to rejoin the top ten, showcasing his competitive spirit.
As Stage 3 unfolded, tensions escalated among playoff contenders. Several drivers faced difficulties due to an accordion effect at the start of this stage, resulting in damage for key competitors such as Jesse Love and Sammy Smith.
AJ Allmendinger capitalized on the chaos by taking over the lead after Allgaier encountered an alternator issue that forced him to retreat from contention. From that point on he raced with determination, knowing that he needed either a victory or strong finishes in the remaining races to advance in the playoffs.
As the laps progressed, it became evident that Allmendinger was not just racing for himself but also for his team owner, Matt Kaulig, whose birthday coincided with this race.
However, as the race approached its climax Ryan Sieg emerged as a formidable challenger. Sieg, driving the No. 28 RSS Racing Ford Mustang was desperate for his first career win and was determined to capitalize on any opportunity to seize victory from Allmendinger.
With approximately 30 laps remaining, Ryan Sieg’s brother Kyle spun out on the frontstretch, prompting another caution that set up critical final pit stops.
The pivotal moment came with just six laps remaining when a caution was called due to Sammy Smith’s stalled car on track. This incident set up a dramatic green-white-checkered finish that would determine the outcome of the race.
During the crucial restart, Allmendinger received a huge push from Justin Allgaier who was also contending for a strong finish. As the lights went green Allmendinger surged ahead while Sieg struggled to maintain his momentum after spinning his tires.
During the critical final laps Sieg displayed incredible tenacity as he closed in on Allmendinger. With just two laps to go, he managed to briefly take the lead on Lap 192 but lost control in Turn 1 due to air loss on his right side while battling three-wide with Allmendinger and a lapped car.
This misstep allowed Allmendinger to reclaim the top spot and pull ahead once again. Meanwhile Sieg fought valiantly to catch up, but ultimately, he fell short by a mere 0.156 seconds at the finish line.
“I absolutely love these guys and girls at Kaulig Racing,” AJ Allmendinger said after Las Vegas Xfinity Series race win. “It’s been such up-and-down but what I love about them is we stick together, we keep fighting.
“Happy Birthday Matt Kaulig. The boss’s birthday — I told you I was getting you a trophy. I love you. What a way to get to Phoenix after the year we’ve had. Let’s go win a championship!”
Sieg’s performance was commendable; finishing second marked his third runner-up position of the season and highlighted his growing competitiveness in the series. Despite not securing his first win yet after 364 career starts, Sieg remained optimistic about his prospects moving forward.
“We had probably the best car,” he remarked post-race, reflecting on his near-miss and expressing confidence that victory would eventually come. “I just overdrove [Turn] 1 and lost some of our track position, but I was able to gain it back.
“Just sucks to finish second again with a great car. One of these days it’s going to go our way.”
Completing the top five were Justin Allgaier in third place and Chandler Smith in fourth. Allgaier faced mechanical issues during the race but managed to navigate them effectively enough to secure valuable points for his playoffs campaign. Smith continued his impressive streak with another top-five finish, solidifying his position among playoff contenders.
Parker Kligerman, who was eliminated from the Charlotte Roval Playoffs just last week, finished fifth. Richard Childress Racing rookie driver Jesse Love – a Playoff contender — was sixth, followed by Stewart-Haas Racing teammates, defending race winner Riley Herbst and Playoff driver Cole Custer.
JGR’s Sheldon Creed – also eliminated from Playoff contention last week – was 10th.
