Kaulig Racing Race Recap | Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250 - Speedway Digest

SHANE van GISBERGEN
No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro

Shane van Gisbergen and his WeatherTech team won their first pole award of the season earlier Saturday afternoon and started the 79-lap event in Sonoma from the first position. Van Gisbergen held on to the lead from drop of the green flag and lead every lap in stage one. Under the stage one break, the WeatherTech team hit pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
With varying pit strategies at the end of stage one, Van Gisbergen restarted the second stage in seventh on lap 25. With his WeatherTech Chevrolet feeling better this run, Van Gisbergen cracked the top five by lap 30. Continuing to run the fastest lap times during the stage, Van Gisbergen ended the stage in second on lap 45.
Following a trip to pit road under the stage two caution break, Van Gisbergen restarted the final stage in fifth. The caution flag waved just after the restart with Van Gisbergen scored in fourth. Staying out under the caution, the WeatherTech team restarted fourth on lap 56. Van Gisbergen took over the second spot on lap 57 and then took over the lead with 10 laps remaining, ultimately crossing the finish line and earning his second-consecutive win.

“What a great day! I’m so thankful to WeatherTech, Chevrolet, all the men and women at Kaulig and Trackhouse racing for the support. It wasn’t easy, but we battled all day and ultimately came home with the win!”

Shane van Gisbergen

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro AJ Allmendinger qualified fourth for the Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250.
On lap one, Allmendinger took over third place. By lap five, Allmendinger was running fifth reporting his No. 16 Celsius Chevy was loose. When the first stage ended on lap 20, Allmendinger was running second, earning nine stage points. The team came to pit road during the stage break for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.
Allmendinger restarted the second stage in 13th place. Early in the run, Allmendinger reported his race car was loose. Allmendinger came to pit road under green from 13th place on lap 42 for a scheduled green flag pit stop. Crew chief, Alex Yontz, called for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. Allmendinger finished the second stage in 34th place.
After the field came to pit road, Allmendinger restarted the third stage in third place. The No. 16 took second place on the restart and maintained that position as the caution came out the first lap back green. Allmendinger restarted in second on lap 55 and fell to third by lap 56. The caution came back out on lap 66; Allmendinger was scored in third. The team stayed out and restarted on lap 69. On the first lap green, Allmendinger spun after contact with the No. 18 and fell back to 25th place. The No. 16 finished in 17th place.

“We didn’t have the speed we needed to go win the race. We fought really hard to put ourselves in position to make the most out of our day until we were spun at the end. Proud of my team for their effort all week to get this car race ready.”

AJ Allmendinger

JOSH WILLIAMS
No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro Josh Williams qualified 28th for the Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 250.
Williams began a slow march forward by picking off three cars in as many laps. His progress slowed as the segment progressed, but after moving into 23rd on speed, he finished stage one in 17th after multiple frontrunners pitted.
Williams came down pit road for tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment during the stage caution. He restarted in 21st on lap 24 and once again began methodically marching through the field, taking 17th on lap 38. After another set of green flag pit stops made by some front runners, Williams took the second green-white-checkered flag running in 12th.
Williams pitted for tires, fuel and a minor trackbar adjustment, and after a quick stop from the Alloy Employer Services pit crew, he rolled off for the final stage in 11th on lap 49. On the restart, Williams was involved in a race-ending wreck, forcing him to retire the No. 11 Chevy Camaro. He finished 37th.

“I wouldn’t call that a momentum killer. I mean, we went from 28th up to 11th halfway through the race. We were gonna have a good day. [Crew chief] Kevin Walter and our pit crew did a great job with the adjustments.”