Allmendinger, 39, was considered a favorite by many because of his road course background.
AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 HyperIce Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE won the NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. It was part ofa great weekend for Chevrolet racing, which also won the Indy Car race on Saturday. (Brickyard Saturday – Power, Cindric Win for Penske)
The first NASCAR Cup Series road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was ether exciting or disastrous depending on how you view racing. A.J. Allmendinger led only the last two laps of overtime to secure his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory Sunday.
“The best part is when you’ve got Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice on the radio just going, Hey, we’re not here for friends, we’re not here for points, we’re here to win this race, so win it or basically bring it back on the hook. That kind of frees up a race car driver to go after it,” said Allmendinger.
Denny Hamlin was leading the race on the final restart with two laps to go before being hit from behind by rookie Chase Briscoe in Turn 10, just before Briscoe was supposed to serve a penalty for running off-course earlier in the lap. Instead of winning, Hamlin finished 23rd and Briscoe, 26th. With those two cars trashed, Allmendinger moved up from third place to take the lead and hold off Ryan Blaney (Ford) and Kyle Larson Chevrolet by .929-second.
Allmendinger, 39, was considered a favorite by many because of his road course background. This season he’s competing full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing. Sunday marked only his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start of the year. The former open-wheel driver one Indianapolis 500 start, leading 27 laps in a seventh-place finish in 2013.
“We just won at Indy, what’s up,” Allmendinger yelled toward the grandstands after screaming in excitement on the team radio during his entire victory doughnut celebration in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet at Indianapolis’ yard of bricks start/finish line.
NASCAR Cup Series Race – 28th Annual Verizon 200 at the Brickyard – Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Sunday, August 15, 2021
- (8) AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 95.
- (16) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 95.
- (4) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 95.
- (3) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 95.
- (15) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 95.
- (20) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 95.
- (28) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 95.
- (29) Justin Haley(i), Chevrolet, 95.
- (13) Austin Cindric(i), Ford, 95.
- (32) Ryan Newman, Ford, 95.
- (22) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 95.
- (19) Chris Buescher, Ford, 95.
- (27) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 95.
- (25) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 95.
- (6) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 95.
- (26) Corey Lajoie, Chevrolet, 95.
- (24) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 95.
- (36) Josh Bilicki, Ford, 95.
- (18) Aric Almirola, Ford, 95.
- (21) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 95.
- (11) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 95.
- (38) Quin Houff, Chevrolet, 95.
- (14) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 95.
- (31) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 95.
- (10) Cole Custer, Ford, 94.
- (2) Chase Briscoe #, Ford, Parked, 94.
- (40) Timmy Hill(i), Toyota, 94.
- (39) Garrett Smithley(i), Ford, 94.
- (9) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 93.
- (12) Michael McDowell, Ford, Accident, 88.
- (23) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 88.
- (34) James Davison, Chevrolet, Accident, 80.
- William Byron, Chevrolet, Accident, 77.
- (7) Joey Logano, Ford, Accident, 77.
- (30) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet, Accident, 77.
- (17) Christopher Bell, Toyota, Accident, 77.
- (5) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, Accident, 77.
- (33) Anthony Alfredo #, Ford, Suspension, 68.
- (35) Andy Lally(i), Ford, Rear Gear, 55.
- (37) Cody Ware(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 46.
- Average Speed of Race Winner: 69.171 mph.
- Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 20 Mins, 59 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.929 Seconds.
- Caution Flags: 6 for 25 laps.
- Lead Changes: 13 among 11 drivers.
Lap Leaders: W. Byron 1;C. Briscoe # 2-13;T. Reddick 14-16;M. McDowell 17;B. Keselowski 18-19;C. Elliott 20-33;T. Reddick 34-36;A. Dillon 37;K. Larson 38-54;D. Hamlin 55-62;M. DiBenedetto 63;K. Larson 64-74;D. Hamlin 75-93;*. Allmendinger(i) 94-95.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kyle Larson 2 times for 28 laps; Denny Hamlin 2 times for 27 laps; Chase Elliott 1 time for 14 laps; Chase Briscoe # 1 time for 12 laps; Tyler Reddick 2 times for 6 laps; * AJ Allmendinger(i) 1 time for 2 laps; Brad Keselowski 1 time for 2 laps; Matt DiBenedetto 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron 1 time for 1 lap; Austin Dillon 1 time for 1 lap; Michael McDowell 1 time for 1 lap.
- Stage #1 Top Ten: 8,34,3,43,37,2,47,77,14,9
- Stage #2 Top Ten: 8,3,37,47,21,77,7,78,5,9
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Brickyard Sunday – Allmendinger in Chevy Wins NASCAR Cup
Allmendinger, 39, was considered a favorite by many because of his road course background.
AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 HyperIce Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE won the NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. It was part ofa great weekend for Chevrolet racing, which also won the Indy Car race on Saturday. (Brickyard Saturday – Power, Cindric Win for Penske)
The first NASCAR Cup Series road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was ether exciting or disastrous depending on how you view racing. A.J. Allmendinger led only the last two laps of overtime to secure his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory Sunday.
“The best part is when you’ve got Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice on the radio just going, Hey, we’re not here for friends, we’re not here for points, we’re here to win this race, so win it or basically bring it back on the hook. That kind of frees up a race car driver to go after it,” said Allmendinger.
Denny Hamlin was leading the race on the final restart with two laps to go before being hit from behind by rookie Chase Briscoe in Turn 10, just before Briscoe was supposed to serve a penalty for running off-course earlier in the lap. Instead of winning, Hamlin finished 23rd and Briscoe, 26th. With those two cars trashed, Allmendinger moved up from third place to take the lead and hold off Ryan Blaney (Ford) and Kyle Larson Chevrolet by .929-second.
Allmendinger, 39, was considered a favorite by many because of his road course background. This season he’s competing full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing. Sunday marked only his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start of the year. The former open-wheel driver one Indianapolis 500 start, leading 27 laps in a seventh-place finish in 2013.
“We just won at Indy, what’s up,” Allmendinger yelled toward the grandstands after screaming in excitement on the team radio during his entire victory doughnut celebration in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet at Indianapolis’ yard of bricks start/finish line.
NASCAR Cup Series Race – 28th Annual Verizon 200 at the Brickyard – Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Sunday, August 15, 2021
Lap Leaders: W. Byron 1;C. Briscoe # 2-13;T. Reddick 14-16;M. McDowell 17;B. Keselowski 18-19;C. Elliott 20-33;T. Reddick 34-36;A. Dillon 37;K. Larson 38-54;D. Hamlin 55-62;M. DiBenedetto 63;K. Larson 64-74;D. Hamlin 75-93;*. Allmendinger(i) 94-95.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kyle Larson 2 times for 28 laps; Denny Hamlin 2 times for 27 laps; Chase Elliott 1 time for 14 laps; Chase Briscoe # 1 time for 12 laps; Tyler Reddick 2 times for 6 laps; * AJ Allmendinger(i) 1 time for 2 laps; Brad Keselowski 1 time for 2 laps; Matt DiBenedetto 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron 1 time for 1 lap; Austin Dillon 1 time for 1 lap; Michael McDowell 1 time for 1 lap.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.