Allmendinger wins Bristol Xfinity race

AJ Allmendinger slid sideways across the Bristol Motor Speedway finish line to edge rival Austin Cindric for both the Friday night win and the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season championship.

The race was Cindric’s to win and the reigning Xfinity champion was four laps away from a second straight regular-season title and a healthy lead for the start of the playoffs. Instead, a late caution gave Allmendinger a shot to steal a sixth win from Cindric and continue his own fairytale season.

The rivals crashed each other as the cars crossed the finish line and Allmendinger’s fourth win of the season was awarded because his Chevrolet was sliding ahead of Cindric’s under the checkered flag.

The wreck was a wild way to send the Xfinity Series into the playoffs.

“It’s frustrating to get hit that hard coming to the checkered, but we are battling for the win and it’s Bristol baby, this is what it’s all about,“Allmendinger said to a roaring crowd. “I haven’t had a lot of chances in my life to win at Bristol, so you get a chance to go do it, you do it.

“If I don’t take that chance, I don’t belong in that race car because my team deserves to win.”

Allmendinger earned a shot at the win when Justin Allgaier spun Sam Mayer with four laps remaining in regulation.

Allmendinger surged to the lead only to be caught by Cindric, again, as the two banged doors hurtling toward the checkered flag.

The win gave Allemendinger the regular-season title over Cindric by 10 points. More important, it tied the two at the top of the standings for the start of the playoffs next week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.