Allmendinger victorious at Charlotte Motor Speedway

AJ Allmendinger isn’t racing for a NASCAR championship and knew very well that Kyle Busch’s entire season rested on the outcome of Sunday’s playoff elimination race.

Busch could only stave off elimination by winning on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Allmendinger figured he knows Busch well enough that Busch would understand if Allmendinger raced for the win.

Allmendinger spoiled NASCAR’S playoffs by refusing to cede track position even though he’s not part of the championship field. Back in the Cup Series full time for the first time since 2018, Allmendinger led 46 laps for Kaulig Racing to win for the first time in NASCAR’S top series since Indianapolis in 2021.

“I knew Kyle had to win. I kept looking up at the board to see where he was pointswise,” Allmendinger said. “Kyle has been fantastic to me my whole career. I knew he was going to race hard. I knew what he was racing for.”

Allmendinger, who became a father within the past month, was sobbing when he collected the checkered flag.

“Because you don’t know when you are going to do it again,” cried Allmendinger, who turns 42 in December. He said he normally gives the checkered flag away to a fan but was keeping Sunday’s flag for his newborn son.

“That was probably the drive of my life,” he said later.

Allmendinger then went into the stands to pose for selfies with the fans chanting his name. It was the third Cup Series win for Allmendinger, who has raced across 16 Cup seasons but took a mental health break from NASCAR’S top series in 2019 and 2020.

Verstappen wins again

Max Verstappen is the Formula One champion again. He isn’t easing off.

A day after clinching his third title in a sprint race, it was clear the celebrations had taken nothing out of Verstappen’s pace as he cruised to his 14th Grand Prix win of the season in familiar style at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Red Bull driver started on pole, stayed clear of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell colliding alongside him at the first corner, and was then comfortably ahead of the rest of the field on his way to his 14th Grand Prix win in 2023.

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished second and third in a double podium finish for Mclaren.

“I think what made the race was my first stint, and after that I could just manage my pace, making sure that the tires were in a good window,” Verstappen said. “But the Mclarens were quick again today. I had to push for it. It’s definitely a tough race out there.”

The two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton started behind Verstappen on the grid but collided at the first corner, ending seven-time champion Hamilton’s race. Piastri charged through for second place as Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc ahead of him slowed to avoid the crash. Safety concerns over the tires meant drivers were banned from using the same tires more than 18 laps.