AJ Allmendinger, No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet
Qualified 26th
ON HIS QUALIFYING RUN: “We struggled today a little bit. The whole day has been kind of messed up. We have really been struggling with some brake trouble. The guys are working hard. I think in race trim, it’s not as bad as the outright speed in qualifying trim. We’ll just keep working hard. We’ve got two practices tomorrow. I started 29th here in the first race here and finished second so we will be alright and good to go.”
Friday, October 26, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Martinsville II Race Preview
Despite the fact that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be back in his #88 Hendrick Motorsports ride this weekend which once again leaves Regan Smith available, AJ Allmendinger got the call to get behind the wheel of the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. The final decision was announced Tuesday morning so the team could prepare their car for this weekend's short track event.
AJ's last run at Martinsville was a huge success with his career best finish of 2nd place after a late race wreck jumbled up the front half of the field. When the race restarted for the final time AJ had the opportunity to try the short track bump and run on leader Ryan Newman in order to win, but chose to race him cleanly. A lot of people felt like AJ should have done anything to get his first win, but AJ went on record as saying that he would rather take a clean 2nd place finish.
This will be AJ's 3rd race with Phoenix Racing. So far he has finished 24th and 35th at Charlotte and Kansas respectively, but he ran better than he finished at both tracks. Let's hope that this Sunday ends that streak and the team is fortunate enough to get the good finish that they're capable of.
Weekend Schedule:
Friday, October 26
12:00 - 1:30 pm NSCS practice (SPEED Channel)
3:40 pm NSCS Qualifying (SPEED Channel)
Saturday, October 27
9:30 - 10:25 am NSCS practice (SPEED Channel)
12:00 - 12:55 pm NSCS practice (SPEED Channel)
Sunday, October 28
11:30 am Drivers' Meeting
1:00 pm Driver introductions
1:30 pm NSCS TUMS Fast Relief 500 race (ESPN)
AJ's last run at Martinsville was a huge success with his career best finish of 2nd place after a late race wreck jumbled up the front half of the field. When the race restarted for the final time AJ had the opportunity to try the short track bump and run on leader Ryan Newman in order to win, but chose to race him cleanly. A lot of people felt like AJ should have done anything to get his first win, but AJ went on record as saying that he would rather take a clean 2nd place finish.
This will be AJ's 3rd race with Phoenix Racing. So far he has finished 24th and 35th at Charlotte and Kansas respectively, but he ran better than he finished at both tracks. Let's hope that this Sunday ends that streak and the team is fortunate enough to get the good finish that they're capable of.
Weekend Schedule:
Friday, October 26
12:00 - 1:30 pm NSCS practice (SPEED Channel)
3:40 pm NSCS Qualifying (SPEED Channel)
Saturday, October 27
9:30 - 10:25 am NSCS practice (SPEED Channel)
12:00 - 12:55 pm NSCS practice (SPEED Channel)
Sunday, October 28
11:30 am Drivers' Meeting
1:00 pm Driver introductions
1:30 pm NSCS TUMS Fast Relief 500 race (ESPN)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Kansas II Race Recap
AJ Allmendinger’s weekend in Kansas
The #51 Phoenix Racing Chevy continued to be fast as the
race weekend officially started with a 9th place run in the 1st
practice followed by a qualifying effort of 13th. Saturday was a
continuation of the strong runs with a 9th place and 14th
place in the two practice sessions.
With AJ being in the top 15 in every practice and test
session at Kansas
After being released from the care center AJ talked to the
media about the wreck and what it has been like driving for James Finch and
Phoenix Racing.
AJ Allmendinger, No. 51
YOU SAID YOU FELT IT COMING, WHAT HAPPENED?
“It was getting tight the last couple of laps, but I just thought that was how the race track was going. I had that for the first run. Then I went in turn one, and felt it get really tight. I actually radioed in and said ‘I’m pitting this lap’. I tried to checkup down the back straightaway and try to save it and make sure it didn’t blow. Unfortunately it did. I just feel bad for everybody at Phoenix Racing. James Finch; Hendrick horsepower. The car was really fast. We were running so well. I thought we could have an easy top-10, if not a top-five. Just so disappointed. These guys work so hard. This small group of guys, they’ve been through so much this year. They work their butts off. I really enjoyed it. I hope I’m in the car next week. I don’t know, but if not, James Finch, everybody at Chevy, Hendrick giving me this opportunity. It has meant the world to get back in this sport. I love this sport, and I hope I’m back next week. But if not, I thank James, Steve Barkdoll and everybody for what they’ve done.”
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Kansas II Qualifying Report
AJ Allmendinger, NO. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet
Qualified 13th
HOW WAS YOUR QUALIFYING LAP?
“It was pretty good. This place is really fast right now so when you are in practice you kind of get that rhythm of going out there. We have been fighting just a little bit tight in practice. I got down into (turns) one and two and got right along the (white) line and it just got me a little free so I had to pedal it just for a second. When the speeds are this high if you pedal it just a little bit you lose a little bit of time. I’m happy overall so far - the whole week has been really good. As a driver you always want a little bit more, but that should I think keep us right inside the top-15 which will be good for us and we will try to get it good for 400 miles.”
HOW DO YOU THINK YOU CAR IS GOING TO BE FOR SUNDAY?
“I think it’s got out right speed so far the whole weekend. I think the speed is there, but the biggest thing is the fact that as you keep going out there on tires you keep getting quicker. Nobody has really gone out there on new tires and just run a ton. I think we will be alright. We definitely have good speed and track position is going to be everything so it’s the way that is going to play out. All of us have to be smart and not make any mistakes. I think if we can do that we can have a solid top 15 if not better on Sunday.”
Qualified 13th
HOW WAS YOUR QUALIFYING LAP?
“It was pretty good. This place is really fast right now so when you are in practice you kind of get that rhythm of going out there. We have been fighting just a little bit tight in practice. I got down into (turns) one and two and got right along the (white) line and it just got me a little free so I had to pedal it just for a second. When the speeds are this high if you pedal it just a little bit you lose a little bit of time. I’m happy overall so far - the whole week has been really good. As a driver you always want a little bit more, but that should I think keep us right inside the top-15 which will be good for us and we will try to get it good for 400 miles.”
HOW DO YOU THINK YOU CAR IS GOING TO BE FOR SUNDAY?
“I think it’s got out right speed so far the whole weekend. I think the speed is there, but the biggest thing is the fact that as you keep going out there on tires you keep getting quicker. Nobody has really gone out there on new tires and just run a ton. I think we will be alright. We definitely have good speed and track position is going to be everything so it’s the way that is going to play out. All of us have to be smart and not make any mistakes. I think if we can do that we can have a solid top 15 if not better on Sunday.”
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Kansas II Race Preview
This Sunday at Kansas
Speedway will mark AJ Allmendinger’s 2nd start in the NASCAR Cup
series after being reinstated by the sanctioning body in September. It will
also be his 2nd start in the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet owned by James Finch.
Last Saturday night at
Charlotte AJ was able to garner a 24th place finish for the Phoenix
Racing team even after having to serve a penalty under green flag conditions
for an uncontrolled tire during the prior pit stop. But most importantly, AJ
finished the race with the car intact and had a solid top-20 run going before
having to serve the pass-thru penalty.
The hopes and expectations
for Sunday’s race in the Kansas heartland are much the same as they were last
Saturday night. For AJ to get as much speed as he can out of the #51 machine
while making sure to finish every lap of the race. The team and driver have
much to learn about each other, but fortunately have two extra days to work
together prior to this weekend’s racing event. Due to the reconfiguration of
the race track, NASCAR is allowing the Spring Cup teams to get some extra
practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
AJ is no stranger to finding
speed at the Kansas racetrack. In April of this year he sat on the pole and led
the first 44 laps while driving the #22 for Penske Racing. A fuel injection
problem brought an end to the dominant performance in the early part of the
race, however. Prior to the 2012 Spring race AJ’s best finish was 9th
at the track.
Phoenix Racing had a good
showing at Kansas in April also. Kurt Busch qualified the #51 Chevy 14th
on the grid and brought it home in 17th place. The reconfiguration
of the track will be new for all the drivers and should even the playing field.
With two extra days of practice there are high hopes that the Phoenix Racing
team will have another successful outing with AJ behind the wheel.
Testing runs from 2-6pm/et on
Wednesday and 9:30-12:30pm/et on Thursday. The weekend events start at
12:30pm/et on Friday with the first scheduled practice. Qualifying coverage will
start at 5:00pm/et on ESPN2. There are two rounds of practice scheduled for
Saturday: 11:00-11:50am/et and 1:50-2:50pm/et. The race will be broadcast on
ESPN with pre-race ceremonies starting at 2:00pm/et on Sunday.
Photo courtesy @PhoenixRacing51
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Charlotte II Race Recap
AJ Allmendinger was back in NASCAR Sprint Cup action this weekend, making his first Cup start since June. Returning to work after completing the NASCAR Road To Recovery program, Allmendinger joined Phoenix Racing in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night.
After the team rallied to make last minute adjustments and outfit the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet to fit the new driver, Allmendinger was back in the swing of things as he showed encouraging pace in the opening practice sessions.
While his enthusiasm for entry speed cost him on his Thursday night qualifying run and he had to settle for 38th on the grid, Allmendinger knew he had a solid car underneath him. With 500 miles to run and a clear focus on just getting the most out of the weekend, Allmendinger approached the Bank of America 500 as a chance to get back into the grove over the course of a long race on his adopted home track.
After starting 38th, Allmendinger quickly worked his way up to the mid-twenties, staying on the lead lap with his Smiley-Faced Phoenix Construction Chevrolet deep into the night. A late-race pit road procedural penalty saw him losing time to the leaders as he had to make the long, slow way down pit lane at a crawling penalty pace before returning to the pack at full speed.
But despite all the variables that come with working with a new car, a new crew chief, and a whole lot of new faces, Allmendinger focused on his job to bring the Phoenix Construction car home in 24th place.
"It was great to get back into a Cup car, and I just want to thank James Finch and everyone at Phoenix Racing for giving me this opportunity--I'm really grateful," said Allmendinger. "I was hoping I could have repaid that favor with a little bit stronger finish. But it was great to get back in the car and compete again. It was a solid weekend all around despite everything coming together so quickly. I want to also thank everyone who has been so supportive through this entire process. It meant a lot, and now we are all focused on building on this and looking forward to whatever comes next."
Credit - www.ajallmendinger.com
After the team rallied to make last minute adjustments and outfit the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet to fit the new driver, Allmendinger was back in the swing of things as he showed encouraging pace in the opening practice sessions.
While his enthusiasm for entry speed cost him on his Thursday night qualifying run and he had to settle for 38th on the grid, Allmendinger knew he had a solid car underneath him. With 500 miles to run and a clear focus on just getting the most out of the weekend, Allmendinger approached the Bank of America 500 as a chance to get back into the grove over the course of a long race on his adopted home track.
After starting 38th, Allmendinger quickly worked his way up to the mid-twenties, staying on the lead lap with his Smiley-Faced Phoenix Construction Chevrolet deep into the night. A late-race pit road procedural penalty saw him losing time to the leaders as he had to make the long, slow way down pit lane at a crawling penalty pace before returning to the pack at full speed.
But despite all the variables that come with working with a new car, a new crew chief, and a whole lot of new faces, Allmendinger focused on his job to bring the Phoenix Construction car home in 24th place.
"It was great to get back into a Cup car, and I just want to thank James Finch and everyone at Phoenix Racing for giving me this opportunity--I'm really grateful," said Allmendinger. "I was hoping I could have repaid that favor with a little bit stronger finish. But it was great to get back in the car and compete again. It was a solid weekend all around despite everything coming together so quickly. I want to also thank everyone who has been so supportive through this entire process. It meant a lot, and now we are all focused on building on this and looking forward to whatever comes next."
Credit - www.ajallmendinger.com
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