By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
AJ Allmendinger won an action-packed Pacific Office Automation 147 – the NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the Portland International Raceway road course Saturday afternoon.
Action-packed being the key words from green flag to checkered; in the rain, in the dry and in the rain again.
Allmendinger literally came from last on the grid to earn the win – after changing “everything but the motor” before the race, he claimed in victory lane. His No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet led only six of the race’s 75 laps and bested Myatt Snider by 2.879-seconds to earn the popular veteran his second Xfinity Series victory of 2022; his other win coming on the road course at the Circuit of the Americas early this season.
“It might be one of the craziest wins I’ve ever had,’’ the 12-time Xfinity Series winner Allmendinger said smiling.
It would be hard to argue otherwise. Not only did the 40-year old Californian Allmendinger start from the rear, he had his first of a half-dozen off-track excursions before even taking the checkered flag. He went down a lap early but managed to stay focused and rally back to the lead lap in a race that had nine cautions and only 21 of the 38 cars on the lead lap at the finish.
“Man I cannot believe this, I crashed before it went green,’’ said Allmendinger, who also earned his first Champ Car win at Portland back in 2006.
“I was making so many mistakes, trying so hard,’’ he added. “I put so much pressure on myself in these races because I know what everyone expects and I know what I expect out of myself, more importantly. But what a win.’’
Snider, who led five laps in the No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet, managed a smile himself acknowledging that runner-up to Allmendinger on a road course isn’t such a horrible defeat.
“Just A.J.’s experience,’’ Snider said, managing a smile as he explained the difference in winning Saturday. “I could tell he…
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