HAMPTON, Ga. – AJ Allmendinger’s whirlwind year continued Saturday at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
JTG-Daugherty Racing officially introduced Allmendinger as their new driver beginning in 2014. He’ll replace Bobby Labonte in the No. 47 Sprint Cup Series entry. The team does not know as this time whether they’ll remain with Toyota or be switching to another manufacturer.
“Originally when we put AJ in the car, we were trying to verify some assumptions,” said co-owner Tad Geschickter during the announcement.
“I didn’t know AJ Allmendinger very well before then. He’s a phenomenal person. I was very impressed with his talent, enthusiasm, the way he interacted with the sponsors and everyone and the relationship I guess kind of evolved over the three races we’ve done.”
Allmendinger is driving the car this weekend at Atlanta and qualified the Scotts Products Toyota 13th for Sunday’s 500 mile ADVOCARE 500. The team has not decided if he will run any more than the already scheduled races as Labonte, who is currently healing from three broken ribs, is slated to finish the year in the car.
But for Allmendinger, he can wait. Over a year ago when he was suspended by NASCAR and taken out of his Penske Racing machine he had plenty of time to sit around and hope for the phone to ring. Penske eventually did come calling and after NASCAR reinstated Allmendinger he put him back behind the wheel.
His Cup ride was already taken but Allmendinger ran select Nationwide events, winning two road course races earlier this year, as well as IndyCar races. Including the Indianapolis 500 where he led laps and seemed to be in contention for the win late before a loose seatbelt derailed his day.
Now, he’s returning to the NSCS in a full-time ride.
“I’m excited. Just in the short amount of time that I’ve had a chance to work with them, the relationship that I’ve built – I feel like Tad and Jodi [Geschickter] and Brad [Daugherty] especially – everybody’s got such good family values, just a good values outlook on life,” said Allmendinger.
“It’s been great for me to be a part of the race team so far. It’s a good, little race team – a one car team. I feel like we can really build this race team and make it stronger and the guys that are on the race team starting with Bobby Hutchens [general manager] and on down the line – Brian Burns, the crew chief, all the guys – they’ve got such good energy, good attitude.”
All parties involved acknowledge the team needs to get stronger, as well as their alliances, in order for them to become consistent contenders. But all involved, including Allmendinger, believe that they can develop into something better. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and building, but the payoff will come.
“It’s just been a great year for me,” Allmendinger said. “All the opportunities that I’ve had to lead to this to be able to be back in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full-time next year is something that at this point last year I never thought would happen.
“Just thoroughly excited and really ready to finish this season off strong and really looking forward to getting to Daytona next year. Just really thankful, happy and I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity.”
