Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Event: Kobalt 400
Coverage Begins/Race Start: 2:30 PM / 3 PM EST
TV/Radio: FOX / PRN, SIRIUSXM
TEAM QUOTES:
Good time for grilling: “We’ve got Kingsford Charcoal on our Chevrolet for the first time this season,” Allmendinger said. “It’s the perfect timing because Daylight Saving Time (Sunday, March 9) is around the corner. What are you going to do with your extra hour of daylight? It’s a great opportunity to get out and grill.”
Thoughts on Vegas: “I mean it is Vegas,” Allmendinger said. “It’s always a great crowd. Being in Vegas is always a fun time too and I enjoy going there. Because it is the first mile-and-a-half track, we are wanting to see where that program is since we do so many races at those types of tracks. I am looking forward to it because it is another chance to keep moving the team in the right direction. Hopefully, we can build some momentum.”
Gauging the program: “Vegas is a place where I have struggled a little bit,” Allmendinger said. “It is one of the fastest mile-and-a-half tracks that we race on. I did not race there last year and I am not sure what this new car will feel like. I am glad we have a four hour test session on Thursday to work the kinks out and see where our mile-and-a-half program stands.”
More track time: “I think for our single-car team, it is really important to have the extra time on track,” Allmendinger said. “It’s significant because it is leading into the track that we are going to race on. It is key to have a good four hour test to have a nice starting spot for the weekend. We have only had one test so far. So, this is really good for us.”
Gaining confidence: “Going into Vegas, we feel like the stuff that we’ve worked through with RCR (Richard Childress Racing) has given us a lot more confidence,” crew chief Brian Burns said. “We have the notebooks to look at from RCR and know how to really benefit from this alliance deal. There is a lot of potential there. Now, we have got to put a whole race together to see the results.
“The alliance has been really good,” Burns continued. “Just being able to get their feedback and share their notes and how they feel about things and bounce ideas has been vital to the success of our program. I think it is really helping our team. Maybe you don’t see the initial speed right away or the results, but I think as the year goes on, it is going to help us become a better race team.”
Enjoying the new qualifying format: “We did the new qualifying format for the first time last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway and it’s fun,” Allmendinger said. “It’s like anything that’s brand new, you’ve got to work the kinks out. I like it and I think it makes it exciting. It goes down to the last second. Whether you are trying to make it to the next group or you are going for pole, it’s good. It gives you a couple shots at it. When you get to certain tracks like Atlanta for example, you only have one run because of tires.”
“It kind of surprised me that as soon as qualifying started at Phoenix everybody jumped out there to try to get a good lap,” continued Allmendinger. “I don’t know if it was because of a big cloud that was over the track at the time. I think each track is going to be a little bit different until you do this eight or ten times and you figure out what strategy is the right thing. Temperature is obviously a big deal. In that half hour, if you feel like it’s going to cool down a little bit, you may want to go out a little later. In figuring it out, you’ve just got to go to each type of track. That’s what’s great about the NASCAR schedule, the first five or six weeks – we went from a superspeedway (Daytona International Speedway) to a flat one-mile Phoenix International Raceway and this week is Vegas, which is a real fast mile-and-a-half. After Vegas, we have high-banked short-track racing at Bristol Motor Speedway and back out west to Fontana (Auto Club Speedway), which is a two-mile track and then a Martinsville (Speedway) short-track. We’ve just got to get through all those different types of tracks and see how qualifying plays out at each track.”
FAST FACTS:
AJ Allmendinger has four starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average start is 20.0 and his average finish is 28.5. Allmendinger’s best finish at Vegas is 19th (3/6/11).
Career Starts: 193
Top-fives: 5
Top-10s: 30
Pole Awards: 2
First Start: 3/25/2007 Bristol
First Pole: 4/10/2010 Phoenix
Last Pole: 4/22/2012 Kansas
Best Start: 1 4/10/2010 Phoenix
Best Finish: 2 4/1/2012 Martinsville
Driver DOB: 12/16/1981
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Crew Chief: Brian Burns
GET OUT & GRILL:
When it gets cold outside, real grillers start a fire. So throw on those ridiculous sweaters you got for the holidays and grill up some of these cold weather classics. Head on over to Grilling.com and let us know what you grill for race day!
FAN OF THE WEEK:
Enter NOW for a chance to ride along with AJ Allmendinger during a race this season!
Throughout the season our JTG Daugherty Racing “#47 FAN OF THE WEEK” will have their photo featured on AJ’s car.
Every week this season, we will post the “#47 FAN OF THE WEEK” theme, with instructions on how you can enter. The best fan photo submitted to us VIA Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram will be chosen the following Monday and will be featured on the #47 car the following weekend.
Last week we asked you to GET OUT AND GRILL and submit your best Kingsford Charcoal grilling pictures and we are happy to announce that Abhi Chauhan from Tennessee is our #47FanOfTheWeek and will have his picture featured on AJ Allmendinger’s Kingsford car this weekend in Las Vegas. Congratulations Abhi!
Whether you tailgate at the track or grill out with friends and family in the backyard, we will be looking for the “BOLDest” AJ Allmendinger fans this week as we launch our BUSH’S Grillin’ Beans edition of the #47FanOfTheWeek contest! So, get your cameras ready, and if we pick you as the #47FanOfTheWeek we’ll put your image on AJ Allmendinger’s car and you can be his co-pilot at the race in Bristol next week… WATCH OUR TWITTER AND FACEBOOK PAGES FOR DETAILS!
DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE THIS HASHTAG – #47FanOfTheWeek and send your picture to us on Twitter: @NASCAR47 or Facebook: JTGDaughertyRacing
GOOD LUCK!
AJ’S WHEREABOUTS:
Friday, March 7th
6:30 to 7:30 PM The Pub at Monte Carlo at 3770 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Sunday, March 9th
8:50 AM to 9:05 AM Freightliner Appearance at LVMS
9:30 AM JTG Daugherty Racing sponsor meet and greets
