“I’m probably too old for this job”: AJ Allmendinger holds off William Byron to secure dramatic COTA victory

AJ Allmendinger won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday (March 25), but he took an unusual path to victory. AJ Allmendinger, who led 28 of the 46 laps, including the opening 14, nearly won until he spun on a restart following contact with Aric Almirola on Lap 20.

Allmendinger was knocked to 26th position as a result, and the fight resumed. The 41-year-old regained the lead after colliding with then-leader Sheldon Creed on Lap 33 and putting him off track.

Despite several attempts by William Byron to catch him in the final 14 laps, Allmendinger fought off each threat and won by 0.853 seconds. AJ Allmendinger's victory in the Xfinity Series is his first of the year and his 16th overall; 11 of those victories have been on road courses, including this race from the previous year.

Allmendinger said during the post-race interview:

"I hate I had contact with Sheldon. I was trying to stay off him but I hate that happened. This car was really hooked up. With all the damage we had, it definitely hurt the car. Man, I’m probably too old for this job.”

"William Byron is one of the best ones in the sport right now, seeing all Cup races he’s winning. I knew it was going to be tough, I was just trying to fight to get back up to the front there."

Third-place finisher Ty Gibbs was followed by Sammy Smith in fourth place and Justin Allgaier in fifth. Riley Herbst, Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, Creed, and Daniel Hemric round out the top ten.

The four series regulars who placed the highest in the race—Sammy Smith, Allgaier, Hemric, and Mayer—qualified for the $100,000 Dash4Cash prize in Richmond's race the following weekend.

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Sheldon Creed Finishes 9th in Interesting COTA Xfinity Race After Collision With AJ Allmendinger

On Saturday, Sheldon Creed made his 43rd NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the Circuit of the Americas. Creed's weekend in Texas began promisingly, as he qualified fourth on Friday (March 24). He was quick out of the gate on race day, rapidly climbing to second place in the first lap.

Creed took over in the lead after Allmendinger dropped out of the top 20 after receiving an unnecessary caution. Creed continued to lead for 12 consecutive laps until a yellow came out just before the end of stage two.

He blasted from outside the top five to the lead in just one lap with new tires, proving that a split pit strategy was no problem. After Custer got caught in the gravel on lap 33, he took the lead and won stage two.

After finishing stage two in the top 10, Allmendinger rapidly moved up to second on the lap 33 restart after starting from 29th. A few laps later, he and Creed were engaged in a fierce duel for the lead when their cars collided, sending the No. 2 car tumbling out of the lead at turn 19.

Creed remarked that he was aware that he needed to play defense because William Byron and AJ Allmendinger both have quick long-run cars.