How AJ Allmendinger overcame a long drought to post emotional win at Charlotte Roval

AJ Allmendinger couldn’t help but cry.

The 41-year-old driver was dominant in the final stage in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Roval, and held off arguably the best driver this season in William Byron on the final lap to earn an emotional victory.

Sunday’s race marked the first time since 2014 that Allmendinger led the most laps in a Cup race, and the Kaulig Racing driver’s win was his first since August 2021.

“You don’t know when you’re gonna do it again,” a teary-eyed Allmendinger told NBC Sports post-race as the packed crowd at Charlotte Motor Speedway cheered.

He rubbed his eye, waved his checkered flag and raised his voice.

“I hate crying right now, but this is a freaking Cup race, man! You don’t know when it’s ever gonna happen again! Let’s go! Come on!”

Allmendinger’s road-course win seemed a likely outcome for much of the final stage as he ran well and held off the rest of the field. Byron finished second, Kyle Busch took third, rookie Ty Gibbs came in fourth and Joey Logano ended fifth.

A long time coming for Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing has fielded part-time cars in the Cup and Xfinity Series since 2016. Its president, Chris Rice, remembers a phone call from owner Matt Kaulig six years ago. Kaulig told him he wanted to get “the best road course racer in the world,” Rice said, to compete to win road-course races with his new team.

They called Allmendinger.

“He didn’t know what he was gonna do — had no idea,” Rice said in a press conference. “That’s the AJ we love, and when he gets emotional and he fires the crowd up, it’s about that. ... He called me when our Xfinity cars were terrible this year, and he said: ‘You know how bad you suck?’”

Allmendinger’s energy has been pivotal to Kaulig’s development the past few years, and Sunday’s result was further proof to his team. Nine years ago, Matt Kaulig set a goal for his team to try and win an Xfinity Series race at some point, hoping he could sign a driver or two capable of winning at one of NASCAR’s highest levels.

He called it a surreal moment as he stood on Pit Road at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, watching people run out to Allmendinger at the start/finish line.

Allmendinger always pictured a moment like that — even envisioning it yesterday.

He said he told his crew chief, Matt Swiderski, that they may not make it to Las Vegas for next weekend’s race if they won, because he would be hungover the whole week. He’s particularly confident on road courses, and spent weeks preparing for the Roval.

“We’ll be in Vegas, not sure we’ll be at the racetrack,” Allmendinger said. “That was our plan, trying to plan out Vegas if we won.”

Playoffs: Reddick, Larson in; Wallace, Busch out

Tyler Reddick started on the pole and dominated Stage 1. He finished sixth and remained in the playoffs. His 23XI Racing teammate, Bubba Wallace, ran toward the front early but finished 16th, keeping the him below the cut line.

As Wallace stepped out of his No. 23 Toyota, he was quickly met by Michael Jordan, who co-owns 23XI Racing.

“Just go out and win one of the next four,” Wallace said the six-time NBA champion told him. “All of the next four.”

In addition to Wallace, Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch were eliminated from playoff contention before the Round of 8.

Busch had the best run of those drivers — finishing third — but it wasn’t enough. He entered Sunday 26 points below the cut line.

“This ride is on me,” Busch told reporters. “The first two weeks of this round was obviously not very good, and we didn’t score any points. That’s where it’s at. That’s where it lies. Texas, Talladega, just not being able to execute and do a good job when points were on the line.”

Byron, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, Reddick and Kyle Larson advanced to the Round of 8.

Larson’s luck during qualifying was the opposite of Reddick’s. Larson slammed into a wall, forcing him to drive a backup car, and start in the rear of the field. Still, Larson worked through the field to finish 13th and stay above the elimination line.

“Nice to not mess up today,” Larson told reporters. “Nice to know overcome yesterday and know I can get through a Roval race without completely screwing it up.”