FONTANA, Calif. – A.J. Allmendinger will lead the field to the green flag during Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Production Alliance Group 300 at Auto Club Speedway.
Wheeling the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing, Allmendinger rocketed to the top of the charts with a 40.038-second lap late in qualifying Saturday at the two-mile oval. It’s the fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series pole of the 40-year-old Allmendinger’s career.
Saturday’s event is the first NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Auto Club Speedway since 2020 prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
LINEUP: Production Alliance Group 300
“The Nutrien Ag Solutions Camaro was pretty dialed in,” Allmendinger said. “We were a little tight in practice. Bruce (Schlicker, crew chief) did a great job making the adjustments going into qualifying. These qualifyings make me a little nervous again because I haven’t actually done a lot of them in the Xfinity Series at tracks like this.
“Good start to the day. We’ve got a long race ahead of us, but at least we get to lead the field.”
Cole Custer, making a rare NASCAR Xfinity Series start for SS Greenlight Racing in partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing, qualified second with a 40.046-second lap.
Brandon Jones will line up third for Joe Gibbs Racing, with his new teammate Trevor Bayne qualifying fourth. Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Daniel Hemric qualified fifth.
Noah Gragson, Landon Cassill, Daytona winner Austin Hill, Sheldon Creed and Jeremy Clements completed the top-10.
Joe Graf Jr., Will Rodgers and Brennan Poole failed to qualify for the 38-car field.
The Production Alliance Group 300 is scheduled to begin shortly after 5 p.m. EST.