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AJ Allmendinger to drive in Watkins Glen Xfinity race for Kaulig Racing

By Jerry BonkowskiJul 17, 2019, 11:54 AM EDT
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NASCAR On NBC analyst AJ Allmendinger will climb back behind the wheel for the August 3 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International.

Allmendinger will pilot the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing for the second time this season.

Allmendinger is a past winner at Watkins Glen, having won the 2014 Cup race there. He has 10 prior Cup starts at the upstate New York road course, with the win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes, plus one pole.

He also has competed in one Xfinity race at Watkins Glen, starting fourth and finishing second for GMS Racing last year.

“It’s an honor to be able to compete for Kaulig Racing at one of my favorite tracks, Watkins Glen International,” Allmendinger said in a team release. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win there in the Cup Series and had a strong run finishing second last season in my only Xfinity start there.

“Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice and all of the guys made Daytona so enjoyable and fun, I can’t wait to get to The Glen.”

Allmendinger raced for Kaulig Racing two weeks ago in the Circle K Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway on July 5, leading 33 laps and finishing third before the car was disqualified for failing post-race inspection, leaving Allmendinger with a last-place finish in the 38-car field.

Allmendinger has three additional Xfinity road course races scheduled with Kaulig Racing this season: Mid-Ohio (August 10), Road America (August 24) and Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval race (September 28).

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Ross Chastain wins Xfinity race at Daytona

By Daniel McFadinJul 6, 2019, 12:32 AM EDT
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Ross Chastain held off teammates Justin Haley and AJ Allmendinger to win Friday night’s rain-delayed Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

It is the first NASCAR win for Kaulig Racing in 125 combined Xfinity Series starts since 2014. It is Chastain’s second career Xfinity Series win.

Chastain is a native of Alva, Florida, located 207 miles Southwest of Daytona Beach.

“Oh my gosh, we did it!” Chastain told NBCSN. “I sat here as a kid. I watched these races as a kid every Fourth of July, never could come in the spring because we were growing watermelons. These guys right here gave me a race car that, oh my gosh, could win a race at Daytona!”

Kaulig Racing entered three cars in a race for the first time and had all three cross the finish line first. Allmendinger, who made his first start of the year for the team, appeared to complete the sweep after he passed Christopher Bell on the last lap.

NASCAR announced after the race that Allmendinger’s third-place car had been disqualified for failing inspection.

Kaulig said they decided to field three cars in the race because neither of their cars wrecked in the Talladega race in April.

“The only reason we didn’t run four (cars) today was because we don’t have enough cars,” Kaulig said.

The top five was completed by Bell, Austin Cindric and Stephen Leicht.

The final 10-lap run was set up by a 15-car wreck with 14 laps to go that included Cole Custer, Michael Annett, Noah Gragson and Ryan Sieg and resulted in a 17 minute and 45 second red flag.

Pole-sitter Tyler Reddick finished 17th after he pit with four laps to go to repair damage. He was involved in a wreck with Chase Briscoe, Justin Allgaier and Ryan Sieg on Lap 46 in Stage 2. Briscoe was eliminated after he hit the inside wall nose-first. Reddick was able to continue despite his No. 2 Chevrolet sliding through the rain soaked infield grass.

MORE: Click here for revised results

MORE: Click here for revised points

STAGE 1 WINNER: Ross Chastain

STAGE 2 WINNER: AJ Allmendinger

WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Stephen Leicht finished fifth for JD Motorsports, scoring his first top-five finish since 2007. … Brandon Brown finished sixth for his first career top-10 finish. … Jeff Green was seventh, scoring top 10s in both Daytona races this year.

WHAT’S NEXT: Alsco 300 at Kentucky Speedway at 7:30 p.m. ET on July 12 on NBCSN

Ross Chastain to run third car for Kaulig Racing at Daytona

Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images
By Dustin LongJun 27, 2019, 9:44 AM EDT
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Kaulig Racing will field a third entry for next weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway with Ross Chastain driving that car, the team announced Thursday.

Chastain will drive the No. 16, joining Justin Haley, who will be driving the No. 11, and AJ Allmendinger, who will be driving the No. 10. It’s the first time Kaulig Racing will field three cars in one event.

“Being able to bring a third car to Daytona and have our part-time driver Ross Chastain behind the wheel only increases our chances of getting the win,” team owner Matt Kaulig said in a statement from the team. “Not by the addition of a car, but by the additional teammate our two drivers Justin Haley and AJ Allmendinger will have – Daytona is all about teamwork.”

Haley won the first stage at Daytona in February and Chastain won the second stage. Chastain went on to finish 13th and Haley 17th in that race.

The July 5 race can be seen on NBCSN at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Chastain appeared on this week’s NASCAR on NBC Podcast with Nate Ryan. Chastain discussed a variety of topics.

AJ Allmendinger to run four Xfinity races

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By Dustin LongJun 7, 2019, 2:56 PM EDT
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AJ Allmendinger will drive for Kaulig Racing in four Xfinity races this season, the team announced.

Allmendinger, who also serves as a NASCAR on NBC analyst, will drive July 5 at Daytona International Speedway, Aug. 10 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Aug. 24 at Road America and Sept. 28 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

Allmendinger won the Xfinity races at Mid-Ohio and Road America in 2013. Allmendinger ran 371 Cup races from 2007-18. He won at Watkins Glen International in 2014.

“It’s going to be a blast to get back behind the wheel and compete for race wins,” Allmendinger said. “I can’t thank Matt Kaulig enough for this opportunity, and to be able to drive at some of my favorite tracks. Kaulig Racing and the No. 10 team have had a great season so far and I’m looking forward to helping them build on their success.”

Sponsorship for each race for the No. 10 car will be announced at a later date.

Kaulig Racing to field second entry in Indianapolis Xfinity race

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By Daniel McFadinAug 15, 2018, 5:10 PM EDT
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Kaulig Racing will field a second entry for the first time in its three-year history in the Sept. 8 Xfinity race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, team owner Matt Kaulig told NBC Sports.

The entry, the No. 10 Chevrolet, will join the No. 11 that is driven by Ryan Truex. The No. 10 will be driven by a “big driver.”

The news comes after Kaulig Racing earned its first top-five finish last week at Mid-Ohio, where Truex finished fifth. It came in the team’s 87th Xfinity start and was in Kaulig’s home state of Ohio, where his company, Leaf Filter Gutter Protection, is headquartered.

“It’s very (significant), it shows how our organization is growing,” Kaulig said. “A lot of these teams are getting smaller, are cutting people, are just cutting back and we’re growing. We’re just getting started. When you look at a team like ours, that’s just two-and-a-half years in, it’s all upside, it’s all of our great stuff that’s ahead of us. Not behind us. We just want to win trophies.”

The addition of a second car for the Indianapolis race follows the team building a 15,000-square foot addition onto its shop, which is located in Welcome, North Carolina, on the campus of Richard Childress Racing.

Kaulig’s time in NASCAR began as a sponsor of Blake Koch in 2015 when he drove for TriStar Motorsports.

Through 21 races, Truex is eighth in the point standings and has nine top 10s in addition to his first top five.