It was 75 laps around a 0.25-mile track to have two NASCAR Cup Series drivers advance to The Clash main event via a Las Chance Qualifier. Known as “The Madhouse” for the beating and banging drivers use to advance positions, Bowman Gray Stadium certainly lived up to the nickname on Wednesday night.
During the closing laps, three drivers were fighting for one position to make the 200-lap Clash as winner Josh Berry in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford took off leaving them behind.
Once the dust settled, it was Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Team Penske Ford finishing behind Berry to advance. That left Corey LaJoie in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford in third with AJ Allmendinger fourth in the No. 16 Chevrolet of Kaulig Racing looking in from the outside.
LaJoie was filling in for regular driver Brad Keselowski who is healing up from a broken leg
Austin Cindric & Corey LaJoie Slugged It Out in Closing Laps
At one point, Allmendinger was running second behind Berry with nobody in his rear-view mirror. Lurking back and gaining ground fast was LaJoie who earlier in the day said he was “racing with house money” at BGS.
After moving Allmendinger out of the way, LaJoie took over to second into. As those two raced side-by-side, Cindric started to enter the picture with his sights on both cars ahead of him.
Those two then began their own madhouse moments battling for position. In the end, Cindric prevailed. Afterwards, both drivers said there was no harm and no foul how it played out.
“That was about as fair as that could have gotten for an LCQ,” Cindric said. “I appreciate Corey racing hard. Obviously, we advanced in but it’s a long road ahead starting last with scuffs for the final race here.
“I kind of had to save my stuff after I got punted out of the way early, so it seemed to play out reasonably well. I’m glad it went as long as it did. It was fun and a good way to get started.”
LaJoie Knew What Was Needed to Advance
This was LaJoie’s first time in Cup car in two years. However, it quickly came back to him on how to not only drive the car, but tactics needed when racing The Madhouse.
“It was like a game of chess at 50 miles an hour,” he said in the pits afterwards. “You wanted to be the guy on the inside obviously, but you don’t want to pass the guy because then he had the opportunity to get back to you.
“I came up a little bit short. It was exciting. It was fun to be in the fight. I hadn’t been in a fight like that in a long time. Kudos to the 6 team. They’ve had a lot to deal with over the offseason.
“I know Brad is watching at home. He’ll be ready to go next week, but it was really cool to get in this No. 6 car to knock the rust off. Unfortunately, we’ll be watching the show from the couch, but we’re really prepared and I feel really good about next week.”
Allmendinger Went from Contender to Observer
“They were definitely better than me, but I could see where it was going with those two,” Allmendinger said afterwards. “It worked according to plan besides execution at the end. We kind of used the rear tires up.
“I was doing everything I could to keep them side-by-side that’s why every time they crossed each other over, I would just let them go knowing they were going to keep doing that. I had the plan set up perfectly, I just couldn’t execute it.
“You know you’re going to shove each other going into the turns. The problem was, I shoved the No. 2 and he had enough grip to turn and throttle up off the corner.”
AJ Allmendinger, Austin Cindric & Corey LaJoie Clash in Last Chance Qualifier