Allmendinger wrecks and wins at Bristol, claims Regular-Season title

The NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season finale has arrived at no better place than Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 300. Austin Cindric and AJ Allmendinger come in fighting for the bonus 15 points that come from the regular-season championship.

Noah Gragson and Justin Allgaier led the field to the green flag to decide the final 12 drivers that will compete for the Xfinity Series championship. Early on Brett Moffitt, after being out for two weeks, ended up with a flat and hitting the wall to bring out the first caution. Daniel Hemric would then take the lead on lap 17 at the restart. Allgaier and Hemric stayed upfront for the rest of stage one, as Justin Allgaier would collect the stage win.

Stage 1 Results:

1. Justin Allgaier
2. Daniel Hemric
3. Noah Gragson
4. Justin Haley
5. Sam Mayer
6. AJ Allmendinger
7. Austin Cindric
8. Brandon Jones
9. Ty Gibbs
10. Harrison Burton

Daniel Hemric and Justin Allgaier would eventually get out in front again in Stage two. With 61 laps left in stage two, Matt Mills in the #99 Chevrolet went spinning to bring out a caution. With 35 laps left in the stage, Daniel Hemric was held up by the lapped car of Jade Buford and this would give the lead over to Justin Allgaier, then after a late restart, Daniel Hemric would go on to win Stage two at Bristol.

Stage Two Results:

1. Daniel Hemric
2. Justin Allgaier
3. Noah Gragson
4. Justin Haley
5. Austin Cindric
6. AJ Allmendinger
7. Ty Gibbs
8. Brandon Jones
9. Ryan Seig
10. Jeb Burton

Different strategies began taking place, leaving Jeb Burton and Riley Herbst on the front row to begin the final stage. Sam Mayer would take the lead from Jeb Burton with 119 laps to go, then a caution would come out a bit later from the #17 of Carson Ware, with a flat tire. Then the race restarted with 96 laps to go with Sam Mayer and Jeb Burton on the front row. With 71 laps remaining, Sam Mayer made contact with the #44 of Tommy Joe Martins, allowing Austin Cindric to sneak by Mayer for the lead. On the next lap, as Cindric tried to clear Mayer, they got into each other, smacking the wall. Both drivers would keep going. On lap 237, Tommy Joe Martins ended up spinning David Starr, leading to what might’ve been revenge from last weekend at Richmond when Starr cost Martins a stage win.

With four laps to go, Justin Allgaier got underneath Sam Mayer, turning the #8 and the #92 of Josh Williams to set up a green-white-checkered finish. Cindric and Allmendinger led the field to the green flag, and everything went crazy. Allmendinger got to Cindric’s inside and they made contact, giving advantage to Justin Allgaier. On the final lap, Allgaier moves Cindric up, allowing Allmendinger to get by. Cindric made one last-ditch effort, making both he and Allmendinger wreck coming to the finish, as AJ Allmendinger would win the race and clinch the regular-season title. Allmendinger would climb out, pump his fists, and would have to go the infield care center first, then celebrate his fourth win of the season, as well as the regular-season championship.

2021 Food City 300 Top 10:

1. AJ Allmendinger
2. Austin Cindric
3. Riley Herbst
4. Justin Allgaier
5. Brandon Jones
6. Justin Haley
7. Harrison Burton
8. Myatt Snider
9. Sam Mayer
10. Daniel Hemric

The Playoff Field is set:

Myatt Snider

Justin Allgaier

Noah Gragson

Jeb Burton

Justin Haley

AJ Allmendinger

Daniel Hemric

Brandon Jones

Harrison Burton

Austin Cindric

Jeremy Clements

Riley Herbst