Homestead Race Recap

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 Best Buy Ford Fusion

• AJ Allmendinger started in the 12th position for the 267-lap event at Homestead-Miami Speedway
• Allmendinger finished the race in the 15th position at the 1.5-mile track
• Unofficially, Allmendinger finished the season in 15th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings

Race Summary: AJ Allmendinger lined up for the start of the final event of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season in the 12th position. Rain showers caused a brief delay right after the start of the race, but cleared up quickly. During the delay, Allmendinger let his Best Buy Racing team know that the No. 43 Ford Fusion was loose on the bottom of the track and free off of the corners up top. A pit stop on Lap 15 of the 267-lap event enabled Crew Chief Greg Erwin to call for a track bar adjustment, fuel and four fresh tires before sending Allmendinger back out on the track in the 25th position for the Lap 22 restart.

Allmendinger communicated to his crew that the changes made to the car had helped the handling and at the Lap 57 mark, the Best Buy Ford held down 13th place. At Lap 68, the driver relayed to the crew that the car had become free in the corner and tight in the center. Erwin made a track bar adjustment during the next stop, which came 10 laps later. The crew bolted on fresh right side tires during a Lap 85 stop and almost immediately, Allmendinger let his team know that two tires were not the way to go and that the car was no longer handling to his liking.

More rain showers blanketed the area just past the Lap 100 mark, which resulted in NASCAR officials throwing the red flag. After a delay of over an hour, drivers were called back to their cars and the red flag was withdrawn at Lap 111. Allmendinger made a quick pit stop for four tires, fuel, air pres­sure changes and a track bar adjustment before lining up for the Lap 116 restart in 16th place. Patiently making his way toward the front of the field, the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford moved into the Top 10 near Lap 150. Running as high as eighth place, Allmendinger communicated to Erwin that the car was the best it had been all day.

Strategy came into play when the caution was displayed once again for rain with 54 laps remaining in the event. Running 13th when it began to rain, Erwin opted to leave his driver out on the track when many of the leaders pitted in an effort to pick up track position. That decision moved Allmend­inger into third place. A four-tire stop at Lap 229 relegated the team back to 20th place, however, when the green flag flew for the restart on Lap 231. Not long after the restart, Allmendinger relayed to the crew that the Best Buy Ford was extremely tight. Able to pick up several positions in the closing laps, Allmendinger took the checkered flag in the 15th spot.

After posting a career-best season that included one Top-Five and 10 Top-10 finishes, AJ Allmendinger picked up one spot in the final race of the season and finished the 2011 campaign in 15th position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR

Homestead Post-Race Quotes

AJ ALLMENDINGER – No. 43 Best Buy Ford Fusion
Finished 15th
“It’s a little bit sad. We accomplished our goal being top 15 in points, but I want so much more though. It’s one of those things that they deserve a little bit more and I wish I’d given it to them. We’ve got some stuff to work on in the winter. We know that. I love working with Greg because he’s helped me so much. I know I still have a ways to go. We’re making steps and we know the areas we need to work on. I wish I could have won for them, but we’ll get them next year.”

***

MARCOS AMBROSE – No. 9 Stanley Ford Fusion
Finished 39th
“We had some engine issues. We’ve been so reliable all year. We haven’t had a DNF, so to come down to the last race and maybe not finish is gonna be pretty gut-wrenching, but we’re gonna see if we can get it back out there and maybe just do one more lap. It’s a bad way to finish the season, but we’ve had a great year and really wanted to finish on a high note.”

HAS THIS SEASON BEEN A SUCCESS IN YOUR MIND? “Oh, yeah. You can’t reflect on one race and feel bad about this season. We’ve had a great year and I’m looking forward to 2012 and making it better.”

Credit - Ford Racing

Homestead Qualifying Quotes

AJ ALLMENDINGER – No. 43 Best Buy Ford Fusion
Qualified 12th
“That was okay. We struggled a little bit today with the Best Buy Ford. We’ve kind of struggled with getting into the corner and I’ve really struggled to run the top. I think the top is the faster way to go, but I can’t get there right now. It was a solid lap. You can always pick it apart and say it was a little bit better, but we’re working hard. This hasn’t been the best day for us, but Greg Erwin and all the guys are working hard. Hopefully, that gets us a decent starting spot because it’s a long race on Sunday.”

***

MARCOS AMBROSE – No. 9 Stanley Ford Fusion
Qualified 18th 
“I just didn’t know what line to take. I went a bit higher than what I probably should have, but we’ll take it. I’ve just got to thank Ford Racing for putting on this huge show here. It’s great to finish here at the big Ford event. We’ve got Carl with a chance to win, Ford as well, and I’m real excited about it. With Stanley and DeWalt, it’s just been a ripper year. It’s been fantastic to drive with the King and I just want to thank all of my boys and Todd Parrott on the box. It’s been a really strong effort for us.”

Credit - Ford Racing

Homestead Race Preview

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 Best Buy Ford Fusion

• AJ Allmendinger has made three starts at Homestead–Miami Speedway
• Allmendinger enters the weekend in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings
• Allmendinger’s best finish (fifth) at the 1.5-mile track came in last year’s season finale at Homestead.

Allmendinger on Racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway: “I’m excited to be going to Homestead. I’ve always run really well at that track. I’ve got three finishes of 11th-place or higher there, and I’m really looking forward to going back this weekend. We had a great run in Phoenix last weekend and I know Greg (Erwin) and the whole Best Buy team have worked really hard to give me a great race car this weekend that will be capable of winning. I can’t think of a better way to end my season than to get my first Cup Series win, and I think I’ve got a real shot at it this weekend.”

Crew Chief Greg Erwin’s Thoughts on Homestead-Miami Speedway: “Homestead is a tricky place to get around. It has multiple grooves, which makes it a great place for drivers to get their cars working on the top and bottom of the race track. Having multiple racing grooves makes it an exciting race for the fans to watch. Tire “give up” is high, similar to some of the older racetracks we go to and a good long run can make a big difference. The Ford engine has performed very well at the intermediate tracks this year, and I expect the fans will see a great championship battle this weekend. AJ has a terrific average finish at Homestead and I think his confidence is growing every week. Everybody here at RPM would love to see AJ get his first Cup series win at Homestead this weekend. The winner will carry a lot of momentum into the 2012 season and we are going to try really hard to get that Best Buy Ford in Victory Lane at the end of the day on Sunday.”

Chassis History: The No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports team has prepared chassis No. 783 for this weekend’s event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This Best Buy Ford Fusion was run previously this season at Chicago and Charlotte.

Notes: Allmendinger has three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway and has finished inside the top-15 in all three events at the 1.5-mile track. Allmendinger enters Homestead in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings. He has completed 100 percent of laps (801) attempted at the track and has an average finish of 8.1.

Allmendinger will have a different look this weekend as Best Buy will return as the primary partner on the No. 43 Ford Fusion for the final race of the 2011 season.

Don’t miss out on your chance to meet The Dinger! AJ will be appearing at the Best Buy store in Miami, Fla. (10760 NW 17th Street, Miami, Fla. 33172). The appearance is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 17, from 5-7 p.m. ET and is open to the public.

Can’t get enough of AJ? The Dinger will visit the Ford Display at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET for a 15 minute Q-and-A session.

The last of 12 Best Buy “Re-Tailgate” events will occur Sunday. A combination of 100 premiere Best Buy customers and Best Buy employees will be invited to a private tailgating event. The guests will get the opportunity to meet Allmendinger, and attendees will be given a pit tour before enjoying the race from their grandstand seats.

Allmendinger will be running a special decal on the decklid of the No. 43 this weekend to commemorate Dale Inman’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and eight championships as a crew chief.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR

Phoenix II Race Recap

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 WIX Filters Ford Fusion

• AJ Allmendinger started from the front row for the 312-mile event at Phoenix International Raceway
• Allmendinger finished in the race in the sixth position at the one-mile track
• Unofficially, Allmendinger sits in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings

Race Summary: AJ Allmendinger started Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event from the outside of the front row and the second-place starting effort was the fourth of the season for the No. 43 team. A quick caution just three laps after the green flag flew gave Allmendinger the opportunity to relay to his team how slick the track was before restarting on Lap 6 in the fifth position.

Allmendinger moved into the fourth spot at Lap 31 and communicated to the team that the No. 43 WIX Filters Ford Fusion was handling pretty well except for being a tick tight in the center of the corners. Allmendinger drove down pit road to the attention of his crew during the scheduled competition caution at Lap 42 and Crew Chief Greg Erwin called for fresh left side tires and fuel during the stop. The No. 43 machine restarted in seventh place, and by Lap 69, Allmendinger had driven into second.

Allmendinger battled a bit of a tight condition for much of the race, but remained inside the Top 10 for the majority of the event. A pit stop on Lap 161 resulted in the No. 43 lining up for the ensuing restart in ninth place after problems arose in the mechanics of the pit stop. The California native began another ascent toward the front of the field and had made it all the way to third place before communicating to the crew that the car was the best it had been all day at Lap 219. During a pit stop several laps later, the crew opted to make no adjustments to the car. Allmendinger lined up for the Lap 225 restart in fifth place.

Track conditions changed throughout the event and the car became very loose with about 80 laps remaining. Allmendinger fell back as far as 11th, but was able to begin to work his way back toward the front of the field not long after. A final pit stop at Lap 287 enabled Erwin’s crew to change left side tires and fill the tank with fuel. Allmendinger held down ninth place with 18 laps left in the race and by the time the checkered flag flew, he had made his way up to the sixth position.

Sunday's finish marked the No. 43 team's 10th Top-10 effort of the season. Allmendinger sits in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings heading into next weekend’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Only 25 markers separate Allmendinger from 13th place in the point standings.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR

Phoenix II Post-Race Quotes

AJ Allmendinger, No. 43 WIX Filters Ford
Finished 6th
“It is a credit to all the guys on the 43 and at RPM. The test was really good and we came back really good. Man, I don’t know. We lost on that one restart. I don’t know. The tires chattered a little bit. The tires were so sensitive and they chattered and got hung out. I overdrove one lap and got in the dirt and that killed us from there. Sixth is okay but I feel like we deserved better. We have to work on our pit stops. Thanks to the 6 guys, our Ford teammates coming over and pitting the last two stops. That was a big difference.”

WHAT WAS BEHIND THAT CALL? “We were bad. We were losing four or five spots on a stop. You can’t do that and win a race and those guys are pretty good. They did a good job.”

***

Marcos Ambrose, No. 9 DeWalt Ford
Finished 8th
“We had a good car today. We just needed a bit of clean air to get the nose down and feeling good. I am proud of my DeWalt team, they did a good job and we were solid all day long.”

THIS CONTINUES A REALLY GOOD SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON FOR YOU. “Yeah, it bodes even better for the first half of next season.”

Credit - Ford Racing

Phoenix II Qualifying Quotes

AJ Allmendinger, No. 43 WIX Filters Ford
Qualified 2nd

Post-Qualifying Run
“That was insane. The track is way different than what we had yesterday and the Wix Filters Ford was fast. Greg Erwin and everyone at RPM did a good job. Marcos put a good lap up and explained to us what the track was going to be like. I am not sure that will hold up, it wasn’t a great lap by any means but it will be a good starting spot at least.”

Press Interview
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR LAP OUT THERE TODAY? “You kinda watch everybody out there to see how quick the race track is going to be and it was a lot different than yesterday. After being on a race track that had so much grip. I messed my first lap up and just tried to basically back my second lap down to get a clean lap in and see where that put me. I definitely knew there was a chance of it getting beat. I was surprised it held up as long as it did with the guys that were behind me. It is really cool to have Ford with the first three cars and I am excited about tomorrow. I think our car will be really quick. We were good in race trim and more than anything we have to see how the track plays out now.”

 

WERE YOU SURPRISED WITH THE DEGREE THE TRACK CHANGED AND WAS IT A MATTER OF GUESSING RIGHT ON THE SET UP? “It was definitely a huge surprise. Obviously the sun is out and it is warmer but for as much grip as the track had yesterday you would think maybe it would be a little slower. At night last night I think the quick time was like a 25.50 by Carl so to be almost a second slower was a huge surprise. I was in the hauler watching the first 10 or 15 cars run and you see Jimmie go sailing off and almost get in the wall. Every car seemed to get looser and looser. At that point you have what you have. We tightened it up from yesterday. Marcos put up a good lap and fed back what the track was like so I went in there with an expectation and my first lap was worse than even I expected. It was definitely a lot different than yesterday.”

***

Marcos Ambrose, No. 9 DeWalt Ford
Qualified 3rd

Post-Qualifying Run
“It felt horrible, treacherous and nasty. I hope the sun comes out. I think we will start in the first half of the field. If you can beat the championship leader it is pretty cool. I tell you what though, I am really thankful for DeWalt, Stanley and Ford and everyone else that supports me. Our team is getting better and better each week. We have had a good couple of months and I am looking forward to 2012.”

Press Interview
TALK ABOUT YOUR LAP OUT THERE. “It was pretty sketchy. I was pleased to get through it really. It was a lot slicker than yesterday with a brand new surface and tire I don’t think anyone knew what to expect. I was pleased with my lap. We used our scuffs. I think the front two used sticker tires out there. All things considered I think we took a conservative approach to it and it paid off.”

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FOR TOMORROW? “It depends what the weather does. We have some rain forecast and it might clean that rubber off and we have to start again, who knows? We have to really watch the weather. It seems there is a lot of grip here when the sun is down. It felt great yesterday afternoon. The track was fast and we were and today with the sun out it was a disaster. It was really slick. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. If it is cloudy then you can expect fast speeds and happy drivers. If the sun is out like this then it could be a handful.”

Credit - Ford Racing

Phoenix II Race Preview

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 WIX Filters Ford Fusion

• Allmendinger has made six starts at Phoenix International Raceway
• Allmendinger enters this race in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings
• Allmendinger won his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole at Phoenix in last year’s spring race

Allmendinger on Testing at Phoenix in October After Track Reconfiguration: “I really like racing in Phoenix, I always enjoying going to the West Coast because I’m close to home. When we tested there the track started off really slick and as more cars ran, it began to rubber up. It felt like maybe there was a groove and a quarter or a groove and a half that built up by the end of the test. I think the layout of the race track seems fun. There’s a lot more room and a lot more grip off of Turn 2. I think they did a good job on the race track. We ran a lot of laps and I felt like we learned some things when we tested back in October. I feel like the crew and I have some momentum going into this weekend after our Top-10 finish in Texas last weekend. I know Greg and my whole WIX Filters crew really want to get a win this season and I think we will have a
good shot at it this weekend. I love racing at Phoenix and I’ve been fast there in the past, so I’m looking for good things this weekend.”

Crew Chief Greg Erwin On Going to Phoenix: “Going into the test in Phoenix we had some ideas and some thoughts based on some information and data that we had, but until we really got on the race track and made laps, we weren’t really sure what to look for. The No. 43 unloaded off the truck and ran really fast without having to make a lot of adjustments. We worked through a bunch of different combinations and we were pretty happy at the conclusion of the test. Our goal is to get a “W” before the season is over and hopefully this is our weekend and we will see the WIX Filters Ford in Victory Lane on Sunday.”

Chassis History: The No. 43 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 736 for this weekend’s event at Phoenix International Raceway. This WIX Filters Ford has been run previously this season at Richmond, Kansas and Loudon. It was also tested at Phoenix International Raceway on Oct. 4-5.

Notes: Allmendinger has six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Phoenix International Raceway and his first Sprint Cup Series pole came in last year’s spring race at the 1.0-mile oval. His best finish (ninth) came in this year’s spring race. Allmendinger has completed 1,936 of 1,939 laps attempted at the track and has an average finish of 17.4.

Allmendinger will have a different look this weekend as WIX Filters will be the primary partner of the No. 43 Ford Fusion.

The 11th of 12 Best Buy “Re-Tailgate” events will occur Sunday. A combination of 100 premiere Best Buy customers and Best Buy employees will be invited to a private tailgating event. The guests will get the opportunity to meet Allmendinger and attendees will be given a pit tour before enjoying the race at Phoenix International Raceway from their grandstand seats.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR

AJ Allmendinger Says Thank You ahead of Veterans Day

With just two races to go in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, AJ Allmendinger has a lot on his mind as he hopes to once again close the year out on a high note with strong finishes in his No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Fusion.
But between his testing duties at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this week and his return to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend for the 500-mile race, Allmendinger took some time out to say thank you as the nation prepared to celebrate Veterans Day this Friday.

Allmendinger, who has carried the colors for both the Air Force and the Paralyzed Veterans of America on his Richard Petty No. 43 this year, counts himself lucky to get to know some of the amazing individuals who have served the United States in the past, and countless others that still do today.

“I don’t really have a history of military in my family, so getting to meet so many good people in the armed forces has been really cool for me,” said Allmendinger. “What they all do every day, as a team, for our country is so important. The more I learn about what they do, and the more people I met, the more impressed I am. It’s humbling to have so many people with such talent out there representing and protecting me. It’s important for us to think of all the sacrifices that our veterans and their families have made through the years. Not just on Veterans Day, but every day.”

AJ Allmendinger started both rounds of competition at Phoenix from the front row in 2010, and will look to make the most of the recent test on the repaved surface as NASCAR heads west for the penultimate round of the 2011 season. The Best Buy Racing driver will sport the WIX Filters paint scheme this weekend as he looks to build on his run to 10th place at Texas last weekend.

Credit - www.ajallmendinger.com

Texas II Race Recap

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 Immortals/Best Buy Ford Fusion

• AJ Allmendinger started in the 26th position for the 500-mile event at Texas Motor Speedway
• Allmendinger finished in the race in the 10th position at the 1.5-mile track
• Unofficially, Allmendinger sits in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings

Race Summary: AJ Allmendinger started the AAA Texas 500 in the 26th spot and at the drop of the green flag began to make his way toward the front of the field. After just 35 laps, Allmendinger held down the 16th position.

The first pit stop of the day came at Lap 43 of the 334-lap event. Because his driver was happy with the handling of the car, Crew Chief Greg Erwin opted not to make any changes to the Immortals/Best Buy Ford and the crew went to work bolting on four fresh tires to the car as well as filling the tank with fuel. Allmendinger returned to the track in the 13th position.

At the Lap 66 mark, the driver of the No. 43 machine let his team know that the handling of the car had become a little loose in and off the corners and tight in the center. A pit stop at Lap 90 enabled Erwin to make a wedge adjustment to the car. Allmendinger commented during the first caution period of the day, which came at Lap 113, that the car was better after the changes.

Allmendinger made his way into the Top 10 just prior to the 200-lap mark and continued to move forward. Lined up for a restart at Lap 207 in eighth, he held down ninth place when another caution flag flew at Lap 240. The crew opted for four fresh tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment this time around. A lightning quick stop by the Immortals/Best Buy team helped Allmendinger pick up two positions and he lined up for the green flag at Lap 245 in seventh.

A two-tire pit stop at lap 264 kept the No. 43 Ford inside the Top 10 until the handling of the car began to slip. Allmendinger fell back to as far as 24th, but began to move back toward the front of the pack with 30 laps remaining in the event. When the checkered flag flew, Allmendinger had wheeled the Immortals/Best Buy Ford into the 10th spot.

Allmendinger’s Thoughts on the Race: “That was probably the most comfortable I’ve ever felt on a mile-and-a-half track, especially one like this. It was fun. From the start we were just passing cars and making good adjustments. The track was tough because the sun would keep popping out and the track would change a lot, but overall, I felt like it was definitely the best I’ve ever felt in a car around one of these places. We just got a bad break there on the two tires. It was a good fight to get back to 10th, and more importantly, that’s something to build on.”

Sunday's finish marked the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports team's ninth Top-10 of the season. Allmendinger sits in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings heading into next Sunday’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR

Texas II Post-Race Quotes

AJ ALLMENDINGER – No. 43 Immortals/Best Buy Ford
Finished 10th
“That was probably the most comfortable I’ve ever felt on a mile-and-a-half, especially one like this. It was fun. From the start we were just passing cars and making good adjustments. The track was tough because the sun would keep popping out and the track would change a lot, but, overall, I felt like it was definitely the best I’ve ever felt in a car around one of these places. We just got a bad break there on the two tires. We didn’t need that extra caution. I got back into sixth on the restart and we were good, and then the yellow came out and we went backwards after that. It was a good fight to get back to 10th, but, overall and more importantly, that’s something to build on.”

Credit - Ford Racing

Dinger Fan Story #10

I have been an avid NASCAR & Richard Petty fan since 1976. When Richard retired at the end of the 1992 season I quickly became a fan of the car & number. There have been numerous drivers but in my opinion no other has brought the same level of excitement to the 43 as AJ Allmendinger.

 

My son Kyle, my wife Jan & myself have been driving the 2400 miles to Michigan International Speedway for nine years. Every year we buy pit passes & every year we seem to get closer to the drivers & crews. This year we were treated to garage passes which enabled us to get "real" close to the action. While wandering in the garage area I was able to take over 800 pictures.Most were of the 43 on & off the track. We were introduced to AJ inside the 43 Best Buy hauler & had an opportunity to watch 1st practice on top of the trailer. The race was awesome. AJ started 29th, battled an ill handling race car all day & still managed to get out of there with a top 10 finish. An experience of a lifetime.

 

Michael P.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

 

 

Texas II Race Preview

AJ ALLMENDINGER
No. 43 Immortals/Best Buy Ford Fusion

• Allmendinger has made seven starts at Texas Motor Speedway
• Allmendinger enters the race in 16th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings
• Allmendinger’s best finish (10th) at the track came in 2009

Allmendinger on Texas Motor Speedway: “I feel like every time we go to Texas we improve and learn something we can apply the next time we go. Texas is a fast 1.5-mile track. We’ve got a really cool looking paint scheme with Immortals on the car this weekend and I’d love to see the No. 43 car in Victory Lane Sunday. We had a Top-20 finish at Texas in the spring, so I’m
hopeful for good things this weekend in the Immortals/Best Buy Ford.”

Crew Chief Greg Erwin’s Keys to Getting Around Texas Motor Speedway: “You carry a lot of speed into the corners at Texas. It’s a really fast track, especially in the fall with the cooler temperatures. We are taking what has been our best car the second half of the season to Texas this weekend. We had good runs at Atlanta and Dover with this car and a Top-10 finish at
Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway a couple of weeks ago. I have a lot of confidence that we will be fast this weekend in our Immortals/Best Buy Ford.

“In the middle of Turns 1 and 2 and Turns 3 and 4 there are bumps on the race track where the tunnels go underneath. It puts a little hump in the center of the track and there is an opportunity for the car to bottom out at those places if we get overly aggressive, so we’ll have to be careful of that. All in all we are excited about this weekend and really looking forward to going to Texas.”

Chassis History: The No. 43 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 710 for this weekend’s event at Texas Motor Speedway. This Immortals/ Best Buy Ford has been previously run this season at Texas, Charlotte, Atlanta, Indianapolis and Dover.

Notes: Allmendinger has seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway and three Top-15 finishes at the
1.5-mile track. Allmendinger’s best finish (10th) came at the fall race at Texas in 2009. He has completed 2,143 of 2,338 laps attempted at the track and has an average starting position of 17.7.

Allmendinger’s car will have a different look this weekend as Relativity Media is co-sponsoring the No. 43 Ford Fusion alongside Best Buy to promote its upcoming 3D epic adventure film, Immortals, which is scheduled to be in theatres 11/11/2011.

The 10th of 12 Best Buy “Re-Tailgate” events will occur Sunday. A combination of 100 premiere Best Buy customers and Best Buy employees will be invited to a private tailgating event. The guests will get the opportunity to meet Allmendinger, and attendees will be given a pit tour before enjoying the race from their grandstand seats.

Four Star General Mark A. Welsh III will be attending the race this weekend on behalf of the U.S. Air Force. General Welsh is Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Commander, Air Component Command, Ramstein; and Director, Joint Air Power Competency Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He is responsible for Air Force activities, conducted through 3rd Air Force, in an area of operations covering almost one-fifth of the globe. This area includes 51 countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and the Arctic and Atlantic oceans with a total population reaching nearly one billion people speaking more than 80 languages. He also has administrative control of 17th Air Force, providing support, logistics and resources to U.S. Africa Command.

Credit - Richard Petty Motorsports PR