Texas Race Recap

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 Valvoline Ford Fusion
• AJ Allmendinger started the 500-mile event at Texas Motor Speedway from the 15th position
• Allmendinger finished the Samsung Mobile 500 in the 19th position
• Unofficially, the No. 43 sits in 13th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings

Race Summary: Starting the race at Texas Motor Speedway in the 15th position, AJ Allmendinger quickly worked his way up to the ninth spot in just five laps. Though the Valvoline machine was gaining positions quickly, Allmendinger informed crew chief Mike Shiplett he was fighting a loose race car.

After making two pit stops under yellow flag conditions in the early laps of the event to correct the loose condition, Allmendinger informed Shiplett the No. 43 Valvoline Ford Fusion was turning better in the middle of the corners and was smoother on entry into the turns. Working his way to the fifth position on Lap 108, Allmendinger again let the crew know that the No. 43 Ford was getting very loose.

As the laps wore on, Allmendinger began to fight more and more with the handling of the Valvoline machine and Shiplett instructed the Richard Petty Motorsports crew to make trackbar and wedge adjustments during the next several pit stops. A pit stop under green flag conditions coupled with handling issues caused Allmendinger to fall a lap down by the midway point of the 500-mile event.

On Lap 214 of the 334-lap race, Allmendinger held down the 22nd position and relayed to the crew that the car was loose in and out of the corners and tight in the middle of the turns. Shiplett called for chassis adjustments on the Valvoline car during the remaining three pit stops of the race and when the checkered flag flew, Allmendinger crossed the finish line in 19th position.

Unofficially, Allmendinger picked up one spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings and now sits in 13th spot heading to Talladega Superspeedway next weekend.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR