Phoenix Preview

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 Valvoline Ford Fusion

• Allmendinger has made three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Phoenix International Raceway
• Valvoline returns to sponsor Allmendinger’s No. 43 Ford this weekend
• Allmendinger finished 13th in the fall race in Phoenix last season

Allmendinger’s Take On Phoenix: “I am ready to get back to racing this weekend and look forward to heading out to Phoenix. We ran well there in the second race last season and picked up a top-15 finish. I really believe this No. 43 Valvoline Ford Fusion team can pick up where we left off out there.

“We had a rough go of it back at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and our day ended way too early. I was proud of my guys for working so hard to get back in the race and I think this Richard Petty Motorsports team is eager to get back on track and make up what we lost. We’ve tested at the little track at Rockingham (N.C.) and have two short track races under our belts. We know what we need to do and this team has what it takes.”

Thoughts From Crew Chief Mike Shiplett: “This weekend’s race at Phoenix kicks off a long stretch in the season where we won’t see a break until July so we’ve been working really hard in the shop to make sure we’re prepared for everything that might come at us. We’ve got a great group of guys and we are always ready to go, but we have to make sure we are prepared for anything that might happen. If you get behind during this stretch, it’s tough to make it up, especially if something unforeseen happens and you find yourself with extra work in the shop.

“In Phoenix, you really fight drive off and can get bad loose off the corner. That and the fact that the race starts in the day and goes into the evening will keep a crew chief and a driver on their toes. You’ll have certain adjustments that you need to make to keep the splitter from hitting the ground too hard when the sun starts to set. It’s a little tough to know exactly what you’ll need because we don’t have practice during the time of day in which we race. The key is to keep the car handling well as the day changes into night.”

Chassis History: Chassis No. 277 has been prepared by Shiplett and the No. 43 Valvoline crew for this weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway. This particular chassis ran at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California in February.

Support The Paralyzed Veterans of America: There are several ways you can help support the PVA, a veterans service organization established in 1946 that helps our military heroes who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction. Enter a raffle to win a Jeep CJ-2A Willys restored by Petty's Garage. Visit http://www.pva.org/jeep. And don’t miss out on the second annual King’s Cup—Karting For A Cause event hosted by Richard Petty on Tuesday, May 25. To learn more about how you can participate in the King’s Cup, visit: http://www.pva.org/gokart.