Allmendinger Claims Pole Position at Bristol for First Time in a Decade
Bristol, TN – AJ Allmendinger captured the pole position for the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking his first such achievement in ten years. Driving for Kaulig Racing, Allmendinger clocked a lap at 126.930 mph (15.117 seconds), securing his fifth career pole and the second for his team in the Cup Series.
“This Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevy was pretty good in practice,” Allmendinger stated. “Bristol is tough to qualify at, but the first lap felt solid, and I went for more on the second. To get a pole here is pretty awesome.”
Allmendinger’s last pole was in 2015 at Watkins Glen, with his last oval pole occurring in 2012. Reflecting on the achievement, he remarked, “Old dog has his day or something like that. I’m super proud of everybody at Kaulig Racing. Little victories like this mean a lot to us.”
Qualified Results:
- AJ Allmendinger – 126.930 mph
- Ryan Blaney – 126.905 mph
- Austin Cindric – 126.804 mph
- Ty Gibbs – 126.720 mph
- Kyle Larson – 126.670 mph (seeking a third consecutive win at Bristol)
Additional Notables:
- William Byron (7th, 126.187 mph)
- Bubba Wallace (8th, 126.170 mph)
- Christopher Bell (9th, 126.121 mph)
- Josh Berry (10th, 126.121 mph)
Playoff Drivers Outside Top 10:
- Ross Chastain (13th)
- Tyler Reddick (14th)
- Alex Bowman (15th)
- Chase Elliott (16th)
- Joey Logano (22nd)
- Austin Dillon (23rd)
- Shane van Gisbergen (28th)
- Chase Briscoe (31st)
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
