Allmendinger Makes History with Wild Win in Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021) – AJ Allmendinger fulfilled a lifelong dream of his versatile racing career by standing on Victory Podium as a race winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, prevailing in a wild finish to the inaugural Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on Sunday.
Allmendinger, from Los Gatos, California, earned his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory – and first since 2014 – by driving the No. 16 Hyperice Chevrolet for lower-budget Kaulig Racing to victory by .929 of a second over Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 Menards/Knauf Ford. Kyle Larson finished third in the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet.
Reigning Cup Series champion Chase Elliott finished fourth in the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet, with Matt DiBenedetto fifth in the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford.
The race went to a second overtime, running 95 laps – 13 more than the scheduled distance – due to a wild scramble for victory in the first Cup Series race on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at IMS after the Brickyard 400 took place from 1994-2020 on the 2.5-mile oval.
Allmendinger, 39, rose through the racing ranks in open-wheel competition before shifting to NASCAR in 2007, also competing in sports cars. His best finish in 10 Brickyard 400 starts was 10th, in 2008 and 2017. He also finished seventh in the 2013 Indianapolis 500 in his only start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” driving for Penske Racing.
“That was an insane race,” Allmendinger said. “This is unbelievable. In my wildest dreams, I could never imagine how this played out. The Hyperice Chevy was so good. We had to fight hard. I just won at Indy!”
Allmendinger, from Los Gatos, California, earned his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory – and first since 2014 – by driving the No. 16 Hyperice Chevrolet for lower-budget Kaulig Racing to victory by .929 of a second over Ryan Blaney in the No. 12 Menards/Knauf Ford. Kyle Larson finished third in the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet.
Reigning Cup Series champion Chase Elliott finished fourth in the No. 9 Hooters Chevrolet, with Matt DiBenedetto fifth in the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford.
The race went to a second overtime, running 95 laps – 13 more than the scheduled distance – due to a wild scramble for victory in the first Cup Series race on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at IMS after the Brickyard 400 took place from 1994-2020 on the 2.5-mile oval.
Allmendinger, 39, rose through the racing ranks in open-wheel competition before shifting to NASCAR in 2007, also competing in sports cars. His best finish in 10 Brickyard 400 starts was 10th, in 2008 and 2017. He also finished seventh in the 2013 Indianapolis 500 in his only start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” driving for Penske Racing.
“That was an insane race,” Allmendinger said. “This is unbelievable. In my wildest dreams, I could never imagine how this played out. The Hyperice Chevy was so good. We had to fight hard. I just won at Indy!”