AJ Allmendinger, the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro, did not mince words following the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway expressing his hatred for the plate-style racing.
AJ Allmendinger via NASCAR YouTube
Allmendinger started the night on the pole, finished stage 1 in fourth, stage 2 in 16th, and went on to survive a wild night that had three green white checkered restarts to finish third.
Through the first two stages of the race it was relatively uneventful. Sammy Smith was involved a single-car spin and hit the inside wall hard before coming to a stop in the grass in stage 1. Sheldon Creed would also be spun towards the end of of stage 2, but was able to avoid the wall and the race stayed green.
The wrecks started piling up with 18 laps to go in the race. John Hunter Nemecheck spun down the track from the middle groove off the nose of Sheldon Creed.
Creed’s car followed Nemecheck for a little bit down the track before turning back up the track and making massive contact with Joe Graf Jr.
Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway via NASCAR YouTube
With 2 laps to go numerous cars were involved in about three different wrecks at the same time. The mayhem started when Daniel Hemric who was running in the top 10 at the time spun off of Noah Gragson’s nose and hit the outside wall hard.
Cars began trying to take evasive action by moving down the track and it started another wreck. Brandon Jones spun collecting Blaine Perkins and Riley Herbst. Behind them another wreck collected Justin Allgaier, Anthony Alfredo, and David Starr.
Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway via NASCAR YouTube
During the next restart Brandon Brown, who was running in fifth would spin off the nose of Riley Herbst. Brown would make contact with the outside wall and then come down the track taking nearly the entire field with him.
The wreck took out Justin Haley, Ryan Sieg, Caesar Bacarella, Ty Gibbs, Bayley Currey, and more. A total of 13 cars were involved in the wreck.
Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway via NASCAR YouTube
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However, that wouldn’t be the hardest wreck of the night. On the next restart, Noah Gragson attempted to come down to block Allmendinger who had a huge run. The two didn’t get squared up and Gragson spun hard into the outside wall.
Immediately after making contact with the wall he was slammed hard in the door by Landon Cassill sending his car spinning like a top.
Noah Gragson via NASCAR YouTube
The next restart would see Jeremy Clements take the checkered flag. Timmy Hill finished second. Allmendinger would come in third with Brandon Brown, who had been involved in an earlier wreck salvaged a fourth place finish. Sage Karam rounded out the top 5.
In a post race interview, Allmendinger expressed his hatred for the plate style racing telling the media, “I’m just happy to get out of this place alive. I absolutely f***ing hate this racing. So anytime I can walk away and feel my legs and my arms and have a top 5 finish, I’m okay with that.”
What do you make of Allmendinger’s comments regarding plate racing and the carnage it usually involves?