RADIO
A.J. Allmendinger Enters Playoff Picture With Surprise Bristol Top-10 Finish
Although A.J. Allmendinger famously won an Xfinity race at Bristol in 2021 while crashing across the finish line with Austin Cindric, his Cup Series performances there had never been too strong until Sunday. Allmendinger quietly earned a ninth-place finish at a track where he had only ever earned two top-10s in his previous 25 starts. Although he started eighth, he fell out of the top 10 early in Stage 1 and ran just outside the top 10 for most of the event (with the exception of earning one stage point in Stage 1). He didn't finally break into the top 10 until Lap 432, but he remained there for the rest of the race and was one of only two drivers along with Ross Chastain to finish on the lead lap without driving for a top-tier team. The finish moves him into unexpected playoff contention, as he sits a mere two points behind Kyle Busch for the final transfer spot.
Source: Racing Reference
Source: Racing Reference
