Winners: AJ Allmendinger (Cup); Austin Cindric(Xfinity); plus Will Power (IndyCar)
NASCAR Cup
Allmendinger Scores Cup victory in Wild Finish
The first NASCAR Cup Series road-course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was full of drama — for AJ Allmendinger, who led only the last two laps of overtime to secure his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory Sunday, and for those who fell short of the cherished trophy in an action-packed final few laps.
Denny Hamlin was leading the race on the final restart with two laps to go before being hit from behind by rookie Chase Briscoe in Turn 10, just before Briscoe was supposed to serve a penalty for running off-course earlier in the lap. Instead of winning, Hamlin finished 23rd and Briscoe, 26th.
With those two cars derailed, Allmendinger moved up from third place to take the lead and hold off Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson by .929-seconds.
“We just won at Indy, what’s up,” Allmendinger yelled toward the grandstands after screaming in excitement on his team radio during his entire victory doughnut celebration in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet at Indianapolis’ famed yard of bricks start/finish line.
“I mean, it was survival of the fittest,” Allmendinger said. “We probably had like an eighth, 10th-place car, sped on pit road. I thought we were going to finish 12th to 15th and then those restarts were just insane.
“It’s great when you have a car owner that just says, ‘go get me trophies.’ He doesn’t care if that thing is torn up.
ICYMI: We spoke with AJ Allmendinger after his win on Sunday in the inaugural Cup Series Indy road course race.
— Ashley Stroehlein (@ashstro) August 16, 2021
Check it out! ⬇️@wcnc | @AJDinger | @KauligRacing | @IMS | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/oWJ4JIogGC
NASCAR Xfinity
Austin Cindric Delivers Indianapolis Win
It was essentially a storybook ending for Austin Cindric Saturday afternoon in the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard and the 22-year old with Hoosier roots appropriately celebrated his first win at the renowned Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course by singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” as he took a victory lap.
Cindric easily outpaced the NASCAR Xfinity Series field by 2.108-seconds to take his series-best fifth victory of the year and 13th of his career. It marked the second win on the day for Team Penske, which won an NTT IndyCar race earlier in the day at the renowned Indianapolis facility now owned by Roger Penske himself.
“Unbelievable and first of all I’ve got to thank Roger Penske for every opportunity I’ve had in my career and every opportunity he’s given race fans to enjoy this beautiful facility,” a grinning Cindric said.
“To win at this facility is amazing,” Cindric said, adding, “What this place means to me, I can’t even put into words what this means.
“Proud to be here, proud to win for Roger and proud to win at the speedway. There’s nothing bigger.”
Context > Execution
— Austin Cindric (@AustinCindric) August 15, 2021
Brought one home @IMS!! https://t.co/lbVMnKnbxe
NTT IndyCar
Power Extends Reign as King of IMS Road with First Win of Year
Will Power finally got his first victory of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season on a track he has mastered like no other.
Power drove the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet to victory in the Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix on Saturday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, his fifth career win on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile layout that debuted in 2014.
It was the 40th career INDYCAR SERIES victory for Power, who broke a tie with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser to climb into fifth on the all-time win list. The win also was the sixth of Power’s career at IMS, as he also won the 2018 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Only NASCAR star Kyle Busch, with two Brickyard 400 wins and four Xfinity Series wins on the oval, has as many major race victories at the Racing Capital of the World.
“We needed that as a group,” Power said. “I can’t tell you how good these guys have been all year. Flawless on pit stops. They’ve given me the car, and we’ve had some bad luck. I’ve made some mistakes, as well.
“So stoked to get the Verizon 5G car in Victory Lane. Oh, what a relief, man!”
Really cool view of the podium celebration yesterday thanks to @GoPro and @Verizon 5G. 🍾🏁
— Will Power (@12WillPower) August 15, 2021
// #INDYCAR / #BigMachineGP pic.twitter.com/xHxsxXoDJq
No comments:
Post a Comment