Fresh off back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff victories, A.J. Allmendinger continued his dominant form by seizing the pole position for Saturday’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This marks his third consecutive pole and sets the stage for a potential third straight win and his sixth of the season, further solidifying his position as a top contender in the playoffs.
Allmendinger showcased his speed and precision during Friday’s qualifying session at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval. Driving the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, he clocked the fastest lap at 29.716 seconds, achieving an impressive 181.720 mph. This blistering pace edged out strong challenges from Trevor Bayne and Ty Gibbs, who will start alongside him on the front row.
“I held my breath, glad we didn’t have to do two laps,” Allmendinger joked after his qualifying run, highlighting the pressure of the session. While pleased with the pole, he acknowledged the need for further adjustments to his car for race conditions. “We have some work to do in race trim. We have to go to work tonight and figure out what we have to do. I was hanging on there. Overall it’s great to start up front and the ultimate goal is to go win this race and if not, try to maximize all the points we can get.”
Bayne, piloting the Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota, secured the second spot with a lap of 29.729 seconds (181.641 mph), closely followed by his teammate Gibbs in the No. 54 Toyota, who qualified third at 29.800 seconds (181.208 mph). Allmendinger anticipates a tough race against the Gibbs Racing Toyotas and recognizes the necessity for his team to fine-tune his Chevy to match their race pace.
“It’s going to be hot and slick tomorrow and we need to get the car connected to both ends of the track,” Allmendinger explained. “We will do what we can and make the best of it. Hopefully we can work on it and get a little closer in the ballpark. It looked like the 18 and 54 were quicker in race trim so we have some work to do. This track is going to widen out a lot. It’s trying to find the right balance and comfort level. We are close, but we need to be a little bit better.”
Allmendinger’s recent playoff performance has been nothing short of spectacular. Following his regular season championship, he clinched playoff victories at the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway and the challenging Charlotte Roval. His current form makes him a clear favorite for the Alsco Uniforms 302 and a strong contender for the series championship.
“The Roval has always been a good track for us and I’ve wanted to get Talladega for awhile,” Allmendinger reflected on his recent wins. “What I’ve loved about our team is we are maximizing every weekend. I put it on my shoulders to get the most we can get out of our car every weekend.”
Adding to his busy weekend, Allmendinger is also set to compete in the Cup Series South Point 400 on Sunday. His past success at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, including a win in the spring of 2021 and a pole position earlier this year, further boosts his confidence for the Alsco Uniforms 302.
“Every race is different,” Allmendinger stated, maintaining a grounded perspective. “I’m having so much fun with Kaulig Racing. That’s two years in a row that we’ve won five races. I’m just enjoying it. The goal is to make it to Phoenix and win a championship, but if it doesn’t happen, it’s been an incredible year.”
Bayne, a former Daytona 500 champion, is running a limited Xfinity Series schedule in the No. 18 Gibbs car. In his eighth start of the season, he is consistently performing at a high level, with four top-five finishes already under his belt.
“Dang it, I really wanted to get that pole,” Bayne admitted, showing his competitive spirit. “Probably what our car needs is to run the top and use that wall as a buffer. We are looking forward to tomorrow’s race.”
In other notable qualifying news, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series star Hailie Deegan made her Xfinity Series debut. Deegan impressed in practice, running within the top 10, and qualified a solid 20th in the No. 07 Pristine Auction Ford Mustang.
“It was wild, I feel like I’m learning something totally new,” Deegan said about her first Xfinity experience. “Just learning the gist of running one of these cars with more power. I have heard that here you are off the throttle a lot in an Xfinity car and to experience that is really cool.”
Riley Herbst, who showed top-five speed in practice, had a dramatic moment during his qualifying lap, experiencing a significant slide. He managed to avoid contact with the wall but was unable to record a qualifying time and will start the race from 38th position. Adding to his team’s challenges, Herbst’s Stewart-Haas Racing team transporter was involved in an accident earlier in the week, though fortunately, no serious injuries were reported.
Last year’s Alsco Uniforms 302 winner, Josh Berry, qualified 12th in his No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevy. The remaining Xfinity Series playoff contenders – Noah Gragson, Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, and Sam Mayer – all qualified within the top 10, setting the stage for an intense Alsco Uniforms 302 race.
Fans interested in attending the Alsco Uniforms 302 can purchase tickets through the Las Vegas Motor Speedway website or by contacting the LVMS ticket sales center at 800-644-4444.
Alsco Uniforms 302 Starting Lineup
Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Noon PT
- A.J. Allmendinger, 29.716 seconds (181.720 mph)
- Trevor Bayne, 29.729
- Ty Gibbs, 29.800
- Noah Gragson, 29.915
- Sam Mayer, 29.921
- Daniel Hemric, 30.028
- Brandon Jones, 30.035
- Austin Hill, 30.113
- Sheldon Creed, 30.130
- Justin Allgaier, 30.156
… (and so on for the rest of the lineup)
