AJ ALLMENDINGER
NO. 47 KROGER CLICKLIST CHEVROLET SS
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY PREVIEW
Race: Kobalt 400
Date/Time: Sunday, March 12th / 3:30 PM ET
TV Network/Radio: FOX / PRN Radio / SiriusXM
QUOTES:
Kroger ClickList: “We’re continuing to spread the word about Kroger ClickList all season long and look forward to running the No. 47 Kroger ClickList Chevy at Vegas,” Allmendinger said. “If you have a participating Kroger store in your area, or in the case of Las Vegas, Smith’s, ClickList is super easy and convenient. You order your groceries online and go pick them up when ready! I tried it out myself last weekend and it was awesome. If I can do it, anyone can do it.”
Getting a grip on Vegas: “Vegas is always unique in the sense that we only go out there once,” Allmendinger said. “You know it’s early in the year and so much time has passed and there’s a new downforce package this year. I felt like the last couple of years we’ve really had good speed there. The place has a lot of grip in it. It’s usually challenging because in practice the track has got a ton of grip and by the time you get to race day the sun has kind of been beating down on the track and it gets really slick. Once it gets hot out, it gets slick and it has that desert sand in the air, you are always fighting trying to make sure the track is clean. It’s a tough challenge. It has a couple of bumps in it now too, so it’s a difficult race track.”
Level of importance: “I look at Vegas as an important race,” Allmendinger said. “It’s a 1.5-mile racetrack kind of like a lot of them that we go to. It’s got some grip in it and it’s like a Charlotte (Motor Speedway) and places like that. If you run well, you kind of know that your 1.5-mile program is on the right track. So, it’s always a challenge, but I enjoy going out there.”
Fun track, fun town: “It’s a fun racetrack, but you know it’s Vegas,” Allmendinger said. “Being in Vegas is fun for everybody there. I always feel like Vegas is important because it is the West Coast swing. You’ve got three races on the West Coast. If you have a good race in the first one, it kind of carries on through Phoenix (International Raceway) and then Fontana (Auto Club Speedway).”
West Coast swing: “It used to be tough when we would do one race and then go home and then two weeks later go back out to the West Coast,” Allmendinger said. “I think it is great for NASCAR that they can package everything together as the West Coast swing (#NASCARGoesWest). As drivers, we can do a lot of stuff for the fans to help everybody go to all these places. Really, they are only five to eight hours apart for all three tracks. To try to get as many fans as possible to come to the races, is important to all of us. It’s fun for NASCAR to be able to really promote the West Coast swing and what we are doing out there. For a team like ours that is a little bit smaller it’s tough but in general I think it is handled well and it is definitely better. I’ll say this, we’re grateful for our transport drivers. They have a long journey ahead of them and they do a great job managing everything.”
Avid golfer: “I always try to get in a round of golf no matter where I go on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit,” Allmendinger said. “In Vegas, I’m very lucky. I’ve got some friends that will take me out to Shadow Creek. It’s just a beautiful golf course to go out to and I just enjoy it. Vegas is place where you want to have some fun while you are out there. You know you have a job to do, but it’s nice to get away and have fun. It’s always enjoyable.”
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FAST FACTS:
Career Starts: 301
Wins: 1
Top-fives: 10
Top-10s: 48
Pole Awards: 4
First Start: 3/25/2007 Bristol
First Pole: 4/10/2010 Phoenix
Last Pole: 8/8/15 Watkins Glen
Best Start: 1 – 4/10/2010 Phoenix
Best Finish: 1 – 8/10/2014 Watkins Glen
Driver DOB: 12/16/1981
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Crew Chief: Randall Burnett
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AJ MEDIA/SPONSOR APPEARANCES:
Sunday, March 12th
AJ Allmendinger sponsor meet & greets at LVMS
