AJ Allmendinger left San Diego with something more useful than a feel-good road-course run: a genuine route back toward the NASCAR Cup Chase.
The Kaulig Racing driver finished fifth in Sunday’s Anduril 250 at Naval Base Coronado, turning a weekend that began with uncertainty over simulator preparation into his strongest Cup result of the season. According to Jayski’s post-race report, Allmendinger scored 45 points and cut 33 points from the provisional Chase gap.
Sonoma now carries real weight
That matters because NASCAR’s western road-course swing does not end with San Diego. The Cup Series now heads to Sonoma Raceway next weekend, giving Allmendinger another immediate chance to make his road-racing strength count.
His San Diego result also sharpened the meaning of his earlier stance that he expects to stay with Kaulig, covered by ReadMotorsport when Allmendinger shut down Kaulig exit talk before the race. That comment now lands differently with the No. 16 suddenly within 21 points of a provisional Chase position.
The result came on a day when several road-course threats either lost control of their afternoons or fell into trouble. ReadMotorsport had already covered the pressure around Tyler Reddick’s San Diego setback and Carson Hocevar’s front-row opportunity, but Allmendinger’s quieter points haul may prove just as significant.
San Diego did not hand Kaulig a victory. It did, however, turn Sonoma from another strong-track target into a live playoff test.
