AJ Allmendinger Bristol pole position became a headline on Friday after the Kaulig Racing driver secured his first pole start in over ten years for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Securing the top spot, Allmendinger recorded a lap time of 15.117 seconds at a speed of 126.930 mph, narrowly besting Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney for the pole and signaling a potential turning point for both driver and team as they head into Saturday’s highly anticipated NASCAR event.
This achievement marks the fifth career pole for Allmendinger and just the second for Kaulig Racing. Tire degradation is expected to heavily influence Saturday’s race strategy, but Allmendinger’s front row position gives him a notable advantage to remain competitive with frontrunners, including Kyle Larson, a dominant force in recent Bristol races. Reflecting on his surprising qualifying effort, Allmendinger confessed some uncertainty about how he managed the run, but pride in the accomplishment for himself and his team came through strongly.
“I don’t know, I closed my eyes in both of them. So I’m not really sure. Man, this Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevy in practice was pretty good, and this place is so tough to qualify, but the first lap she stuck, and I looked down at the dash and was like, ‘OK, that’s a pretty good lap,’ so I’m going to try for more on the second.”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
“Old dog has his day or something like that. Hopefully, we can do that for 500 laps, but I’m super proud of everybody at Kaulig Racing, all the men and women. We’ve been building fast cars all year, and this Cup Series, it’s tough, especially when you’re a smaller team trying to grow. Little victories like this, even though it’s qualifying, mean a lot to us,” he added.
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
Currently ranked 21st in the standings, Allmendinger has achieved two top-five finishes this season. His past performance at Bristol also includes a notable ninth-place finish in the Spring race, where he started from eighth, further illustrating his capability to compete at this challenging track.
Future with Kaulig’s Truck Effort Remains Unclear
Kaulig Racing’s plans to expand into the Truck Series, partnering with RAM in a five-car line-up, have sparked questions about Allmendinger’s involvement. Asked whether he would consider a drive for the new truck team, Allmendinger expressed willingness to fill any role needed by the team leadership.
“I’ll drive whatever Chris [Rice] and Matt [Kaulig] want me to drive,” he said via X/Taylor Kitchen.
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
While Allmendinger has made 14 previous starts in the Truck Series, he has yet to secure a win in the category. He has found much more success in the Xfinity Series, celebrating 18 victories—16 with Kaulig Racing. Notably, Allmendinger earned Kaulig their inaugural Cup Series victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021, solidifying his importance to the team.
Kaulig Racing has not yet announced its driver line-up for the Truck Series, especially after its recent strategic move from Chevy to RAM as announced on August 23. The uncertainty leaves room for speculation about Allmendinger’s possible future races on multiple fronts.
Significance of the Bristol Pole and What Lies Ahead
Allmendinger’s pole at Bristol stands as a major achievement for both the driver and Kaulig Racing, demonstrating their ability to challenge bigger organizations like Team Penske. With Saturday’s race on the horizon, factors such as tire wear and track position will be central, but a front-row start puts Allmendinger among the favorites. The coming months will reveal how the team’s Truck Series expansion unfolds, as well as whether Allmendinger continues to add new highlights to his career with Kaulig Racing—across both Cup and Truck competitions.
