Kansas Race Preview

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 STP Ford Fusion
• Allmendinger has made three starts at Kansas Speedway
• Allmendinger enters the race in 13th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings
• Allmendinger’s best finish (ninth) at the 1.5-mile track came in 2008

AJ Allmendinger on Kansas: “I’m very excited to go to Kansas this weekend. I’m honored to represent STP and it’s going to be really cool to drive the ‘72 replica of “The King’s” car with the Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo Red paint scheme. I’ve run well in the past at Kansas with two Top-10 finishes in three races there and it would be really cool to get STP back to victory lane.

“I’m encouraged going into this weekend, especially after our Top-5 finish at Charlotte. We struggled a bit at 1.5-mile tracks in the past and I feel like we are headed in the right direction on that program. It was good to see both RPM teams lead and finish near the front of the field last weekend. Mike Shiplett and the guys on the STP team have worked really hard on the mile and a half program because it’s such a big part of the schedule. Now I’m ready to get to Kansas and see what we’ve got.”

Crew Chief Mike Shiplett’s Thoughts on Kansas: “Kansas is a fun race track. It’s really fast and tires are going to fall off quick there because the track is starting to get some age to it. Tires are going to be really important all day. The biggest handling issue we’ll fight in Kansas is the car getting tight in the middle of the corners. We need to make sure we get the STP Ford to turn good in the middle of the corners and at the same time not get too free on exit. A good handling car is going to prevail as the tires wear down.

“Our 1.5-mile program is improving and we definitely made some gains in Charlotte that will help us this weekend in Kansas. We are starting to get the STP Ford to turn in the middle the way AJ likes it to. We still have a little ways to go, but overall I’m happy with the improvement we’ve had the last two weeks in Charlotte.”

Chassis History: The No. 43 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 736 for this weekend’s event at Kansas Speedway. This STP Ford has been run previously this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Richmond International Raceway.

Notes: Allmendinger has two Top-10 finishes in three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway. Allmendinger’s best finishing position at Kansas (ninth) came in 2008. Allmendinger gained three positions in the points after his fifth-place finish at Charlotte and enters this weekend in 13th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings. Allmendinger has completed 100 percent of laps attempted (801) a the 1.5-mile speedway.

Allmendinger will have a different look this weekend as STP will be the primary partner of the No. 43 Ford Fusion. The STP branded No. 43 car will make its return to the track during the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway to celebrate 39 years in racing.

The No. 43 STP Ford Fusion will be a modern replica of the 1972 paint scheme driven by Richard Petty featuring the original Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo Red.

The No. 43 team spent Tuesday testing at Virginia International Raceway in preparation for the upcoming road course events.

Can't get enough of the Dinger? AJ will visit the Ford Display on Sunday at 8 a.m. for a 15 minute Q-and-A session.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR