AJ Allmendinger Hunting Victories; Craving Chase Berth

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April 4, 2014

allmendinger_ Jeff Zelevansky — Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

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 30^th, 31^st (in points) last year and we are 16^th 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.

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Harvick wins O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 pole; four drivers miss qualifying

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SM Staff

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April 4, 2014

kevinharvick_Jonathan Ferrey_Gettyimages — Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

At first it looked as though Kevin Harvick wouldn’t be able to get on track during the first round of qualifying due to being one of the 17 drivers with issues in pre-qualifying technical inspection. However, in the last two minutes of the first round, Harvick was able to get his No. 5 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet on track and make his lap, topping the charts.

Harvick backed up that time in the following two rounds of qualifying to score the pole for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Harvick scored his first Texas Motor Speedway Nationwide Series pole with a lap of 29.195 seconds. It marks Harvick’s 25th career Nationwide Series pole.

“I messed up the entry getting into three but it still drove good,” Harvick commented post-qualifying. “We had a little bit to overcome but the guys have been working hard and its nice to have all the JR Motorsports cars up front.”

Matt Kenseth qualified his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the second spot for his sixth top-10 start of 2014.

“We are a little off on balance so hope the balance is good tonight and we can hang up front there,” Kenseth said.

Points leader Regan Smith qualified third, followed by his boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Elliott Sadler. Chase Elliott was the highest qualifying rookie in sixth and puts all four JR Motorsports cars in the top six.

Brendan Gaughan was seventh, followed by Trevor Bayne, Ryan Blaney and Dylan Kwasniewski. Blaney was the last driver to take to the track in the first round as he got done with inspection and was on track with 40 seconds remaining on the clock.

Blaney and Harvick were among the 17 drivers that had problems in pre-qualifying inspection as a result of “camber, toe and rear-end housing issues” per NASCAR’s Director of Competition Robin Pemberton. Pemberton added that many of these teams had these issues during yesterday’s inspection before practice.

NASCAR implemented a new procedure for technical inspection, using the same format that they use in the Cup Series with putting the cars on a plate and measuring that way.

“New procedure for the Nationwide cars and lots to be learned by everybody,” Pemberton noted.

Fontana winner Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Chris Buescher and Ty Dillon each were unable to post a lap as a result of not being able to get through pre-qualifying inspection without issues before round one of qualifying was complete. As a result, they will make up the last four spots on the starting grid.