AJ Allmendinger Ties Bell & Hamlin at Nashville Superspeedway

AJ Allmendinger pulled double duty at Nashville Superspeedway on June 24-25. He used the opportunity to tie Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin on an important NASCAR list.

The win at the 1.33-mile concrete track was Allmendinger’s 17th in the Xfinity Series. He is now in a tie with Bell and Hamlin for 17th on the all-time series wins list. Allmendinger also broke his tie with Jeff Green and Joe Nemechek. The next two drivers ahead of the veteran are Justin Allgaier and Greg Biffle with 20 wins each.

Allmendinger has only made three starts in the Xfinity Series during the 2023 season, and he has delivered standout results in the Kaulig Racing star car. He kicked off his schedule with a win at Circuit of the Americas and then he finished second behind Aric Almirola at Sonoma Raceway. Nashville marked his second trip to Victory Lane with the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro.

Allmendinger will now recuperate after a hot afternoon at Nashville Superspeedway, and he will prepare for another important race. He will compete in the Ally 400 on Sunday, June 25, while driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro and continuing his full-time season.

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The Entire Organization Delivered Strong Results

While Allmendinger ultimately ended the day with the win, he was not the only Kaulig Racing driver to deliver strong results in a chaotic race that featured 11 cautions.

Rookie of the Year contender Chandler Smith finished 12th, but that did not tell the full story. He led 74 laps, finished sixth in Stage 1, and won Stage 2. This helped him lock up 40 crucial points as he prepares for his first Xfinity Series playoff appearance.

Daniel Hemric, for comparison, was in need of a solid day after a recent stretch that has included a 22nd-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway and a 33rd-place finish at Sonoma Raceway. c

The 2021 Xfinity Series champion started at the rear of the field, but he worked his way up to third by the end of Stage 2 while avoiding the numerous wrecks that unfolded ahead of him. He led a lap while battling Smith, and he put himself in a position to secure a top-three finish in double overtime.

Hemric did not fully achieve this goal. He had to check up after a major wiggle, which dropped him from second to fourth. He then lost four more positions on the final lap and had to settle for an eighth-place finish.

This top-10 was a far cry from what Hemric wanted entering a pivotal stretch of the season, but it helped him accumulate 37 crucial points. He is now 28 points above the cutline with 11 races remaining in the regular season.

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Allmendinger Had Another Reason for Competing

Allmendinger, the winningest driver in Kaulig Racing, has primarily focused on road courses when pulling double duty. This was the case when he was full-time in the Xfinity Series and it has remained so with his return to the Cup Series.

However, Allmendinger suited up at Nashville Superspeedway for multiple reasons. He wanted to fight for the unique guitar trophy, which he secured after leading 25 total laps. Kaulig President Chris Rice also explained during the race that the California native was helping the team figure out what was wrong with their program.

Allmendinger will now have one more opportunity to help the team continue making progress in the Xfinity Series. He said during his post-race media availability that the only other Xfinity Series race remaining on his schedule is at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course.

This is the same track where he captured Kaulig Racing’s first-ever Cup win, and he will attempt to add more wins to his resume during his return to it in July.

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