In the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway, AJ Allmendinger is undefeated.
OK, Allmendinger has started only one race in the series at the 1.54-mile track, but the result last year was a milestone win for the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet — his first in any of NASCAR‘s top three series on an oval.
Allmendinger was a part-timer last season. This year he‘s full-time with Kaulig Racing, and he already has announced his championship intentions with an oval victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the fourth race of the season.
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Once considered a one-trick pony on road courses, Allmendinger relishes a return to Atlanta this weekend for Saturday‘s EchoPark 250 (5 p.m. ET on FS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
“I have always loved Atlanta,” says Allmendinger, who is fourth in the Xfinity Series standings behind Kaulig Racing teammate Jeb Burton. “It‘s such a fun race track to drive because of the worn-out pavement and how much the cars slide around.
“Atlanta will always be special to me after winning my first oval race there. I can’t wait to get back to it this weekend.”
Kaulig Racing boasts an enviable record entering Saturday‘s race. For 38 straight races from the start of the 2020 season, at least one Kaulig driver has finished in the top 10. The organization also has placed at least one of its cars in the top five in all five events this season.
In addition, Allmendinger is the only former Atlanta winner in the field this week.
To triumph in the second leg of a Saturday doubleheader at Atlanta, however, the Xfinity regulars will have to beat NASCAR Cup Series interloper Martin Truex Jr., fresh from his victory in last Sunday‘s Cup event at Phoenix Raceway.
Plus this weekend, the Atlanta Motor Speedway Xfinity race will serve as the qualifier for the first round of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash program. The highest finishing four NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time competitors at Atlanta will qualify for the first round of the Dash 4 Cash at Martinsville Speedway on April 9.
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