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AJ Allmendinger wins Bristol Night Race pole, full NASCAR Cup Series qualifying results

JHby: Jonathan Howard5 hours agoJondean25
AJ Allmendinger pole Bristol
Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A day 10 years in the making! AJ Allmendinger is on the pole for the Bristol Night Race, his first since 2015 at Watkins Glen. The 43-year-old has been close to getting a pole so many times in that time. Now, he’s leading the NASCAR Cup Series to green at The Last Great Colosseum.

The NASCAR Playoff drivers need to pay attention. Bristol is one of the best ovals for AJ Allmendinger. This isn’t just a feel-good story about winning the pole, Dinger is a legitimate threat to win the race.

Of course, 500 laps at Bristol is a lot different than two laps of qualifying. So, we will see how Allmendinger does. Can he play spoiler and take the win from these playoff drivers?

If there is an oval on the schedule that AJ Allmendinger can win, it’s Bristol Motor Speedway. He does so well in the braking zones and makes sure his corners are exact each and every lap. Allmendinger has had a few top-10 finishes, including the Spring race earlier this season.

Ryan Blaney was the top playoff driver in qualifying. Can he get a win tomorrow night and prevent someone below the cutline from advancing? Full qualifying results below:

Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin have already advanced with wins in the first two races. There are four drivers that would love to get a win tonight so they can flip the script and advance to the Round of 12. Winning cures all in this sport, and the playoffs are no different.

Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, and Josh Berry are all 11 to 54 points below the cutline. For Bowman and Berry, winning is a must. Unless an extreme incident happens with one of the 12 drivers above the cutline, points are not an option.

AJ Allmendinger shows he’s still got it

Whatever the future of Kaulig Racing is, AJ Allmendinger should be a part of it. It is obvious that he is good for this Cup Series program. He has helped develop it over the years. He fits the brand and the mold of the team so well that it just makes sense.

Allmendinger has still got it. He can still win a pole, he can likely still win a road course race. Kaulig doesn’t always have this kind of speed in practice and qualifying. So, making the most of it is important.

Kaulig Racing is entering a new partnership with Ram Trucks. They are the new home of the Truck Series program for Stellantis. That complicates things for their GM and Chevrolet relationship. At least, in the next few years.

If Kaulig ultimately moves to Dodge/Stellantis in the Cup Series, AJ Allmendinger would be valuable to help develop that new program. Even if he isn’t racing full-time in 2027, Kaulig would be smart to keep AJ around in some capacity for as long as they can.