AJ Allmendinger doesn’t have the greatest equipment on the racetrack, however, he’s doing the best he can with what he’s been provided.
“I think so far up to this day it’s been a good season.” Allmendinger explained on Friday in the media center. “The switch over from Toyota last year to the RCR (Richard Childress Racing) alliance this year with Chevy for us has been tough. There is a lot of work that has gone into it.”
The JTG Daugherty Motorsports driver has yet to crash this season – which is important for an under-funded team. He’s finished inside the top 26 every race, with a season-best finish of eighth at Auto Club Speedway.
“I think we have raced really well on Sunday’s.” Allmendinger furthered commented. “Our cars have been fast. The first few weeks we had good runs but we just had some bad luck or just some things that happened (which) took us out of a really good finish.”
Allmendinger enters this weekend hoping to score his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) triumph at Texas Motor Speedway. He’s already had mild success in the lonestar state; he’s earned two top 10 finishes while averaging a finish of 21.6, in only 10 career starts.
“It’s six races in (the season).” Allmendinger expressed. “I don’t want to get too over excited about where we are at, but the direction where the team is headed (is great) and I feel like as we are gelling together I like what is in the future for us. It’s just kind of taking it one day at a time.”
NASCAR’s new Chase system focuses mainly on winning; therefore, finding yourself in victory lane almost guarantees you a spot in NASCAR’s playoffs. Allmendinger still firmly believes he can make the Chase if circumstances present themselves.
“A team like ours, you know the ultimate goal is to win.” Allmendinger explained. “That is why we show up every weekend, but we have got to set realistic goals as well. That is to continually keep getting better. This is a team that was 30th, 31st (in points) last year and we are 16th in points right.”
“We have got to be a consistent top-20, top-15 team to get inside the top-10 and give ourselves shots to win races, to learn how to do that. That is something that, hopefully, we can continue each weekend and get better and kind of keep being in the mix at least and being competitive.”
Allmendinger, who was dismissed from NASCAR for drug related issues a few years back, has revived himself and is now in contention to possibly visit victory lane, and if the 34-year-old competitor can remain focus, the No. 47 team could assume and underdog role and possibly achieve their ultimate goal – making the Chase.
