Allmendinger slides to win

AJ Allmendinger slid sideways across the Bristol Motor Speedway finish line to edge rival Austin Cindric for both the Friday night win and the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular-season championship. The race was Cindric’s to win and the reigning Xfinity champion was four laps away from a second consecutive regular-season title and a healthy lead for the start of the playoffs. Instead, a late caution gave Allmendinger a shot to steal a sixth win from Cindric and continue his own fairytale season. The rivals crashed each other as the cars crossed the finish line and Allmendinger’s fourth win of the season was awarded because his Chevrolet was sliding ahead of Cindric’s under the checkered flag. The wreck was a wild way to send the Xfinity Series into the playoffs. Allmendinger earned a shot at the win when Justin Allgaier spun Sam Mayer with four laps remaining in regulation.