So, you bring your team from the basement to seeing the light in the form of the top 35 in points. You drastically improve in performance, and also give Team Red Bull another reason to be the most underrated Toyota team, if not, one of the most underrated NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams out there.
Yet, AJ Allmendinger, who had quite the adjustment to make from open wheel cars to stock cars, who's turned his performances around, is being "thanked" by TRB by getting the shaft for 2009 and possibly as early as this weekend.
Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champ Mike Skinner will urge the #84 car at least in today's and Wednesday's test session at Lowe's Motor Speedway and perhaps for the remainder of 2008.
Yes, Allmendinger hasn't quite lit the world on fire, or even been a consistent top five player.
But, anyone who wants to question this young man's determination behind the wheel of a stock car need not look back too far. Remember his qualifying effort in Las Vegas last year?
He nearly brushed the wall, spun his car around, and fell short of the field. But, he gave it his all with a team and manufacturer that was definitely behind the curve.
Some say he came into the top series too soon, and perhaps he should've had more time in ARCA and the Nationwide Series. But he's proven this season that given a good opportunity and solid equipment, he can bring home a decent to as much as a good finish.
Probably the worst kept secret since Ray Evernham "dodging" questions about his future back in '99, it's speculated that former F1 American racer/Trucks racer/ARCA racer Scott Speed will be behind the wheel of the 84 next season.
Speed, who captured a Trucks' race win at Dover in June, has shown some flashes of brilliance in Trucks and in the ARCA series. But, can he translate that into instant Cup success? Or will he be another footnote to the "Young Face/Bad Race" racer mold that is seen all too often in these days of NASCAR?
So good luck to AJ Allmendinger on finding a solid ride for '09. For Scott Speed or whoever replaces the "Dinger," be ready to try and step it up.
10 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment
D-Boy 9 months ago
Its rumored that Red Bull has been in active discussions with Chip Ganassi to get Allmendinger the #41 seat. Although that's a seat that definitely needs some work to show what he's capable of.
Though my favorite current drive is Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger's a close second and he's also my brother's favorite driver(it helps that the first race my brother ever went to in person was the 2006 Cleveland Grand Prix. You know how that'd make him a fan of the guy), so we both hope he'll get a ride somewhere, and somewhere GOOD.
But who knows? An Allmendinger/Montoya team might be a surprisingly good combination. LEts hope that AJ gets a good ride for '09.
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S M Napier 9 months ago
Great first article, Rob. Welcome to B/R, looking forward to read more of your great NASCAR articles. Feel Allmendinger deserved at least a one year deal, while it gives him a second chance to prove himself and it gives "the Speed Demon" (Scott Speed's new nickname, can't take the credit for it that belongs to Mary Jo our wonderful C/L), a full year in trucks and six races in Sprint Cup in '09.
But really what cost him his job was that Dietrich Mateschitz the Red Bull mogul, wants Speed in Sprint Cup in 2009.
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Kara Martin 9 months ago
Hey Rob. Welcome, always great to have another NASCAR fan!!! Great first article, I look forward to more to come!
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Mary Jo Buchanan 9 months ago
Rob, great work and welcome to the NASCAR B/R family! I think AJ will land on his feet - he is a good up and comer. Perhaps Red Bull just wasn't quite the fit for him anyway. Great read and keep 'em coming!
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Rob Tiongson 9 months ago
Thanks for the compliments and welcome guys! I appreciate it very much and I look forward to sharing more of my insights on here. Pretty cool knowing we have a place like this where we fans can sorta be the journalists who cover the stars on the field and chime in our two cents on the stories of the day/year.
I have to agree with you on that, Ryan. What concerns me with the Ganassi deal is the struggles CGR is having in finding sponsors for his NASCAR program. I know JPM has got Wrigley supporting him for at some segment of 2009, but if they look to turn their team around, it all starts with of course the almighty dollar from sponsors. Kind of a shame, since I remember a time when unsponsored to teams who had somewhat low budgets were able to compete and put up a good fight against the power teams of NASCAR.
Scott Speed is a heckuva talent, and I do think he'll be successful in NASCAR. That being said...I sure wished TRB expanded to a 3 car team. They'd have three of the sport's fresher talent who may not get the headlines, but are good dark horses throughout the season.
Mike, you raise a very interesting point. In addition to that, I think it's the economical issues going on. But make no mistake that Dietrich Mateschitz seems to be a huge supporter of Speed.
I totally agree with you too, Mary Jo. I felt sorta the same way when Vickers bolted from HMS to TRB though it seems both parties benefited quite well since the split.
If I recall, AJ drove for Chip last year in a Nationwide race, right? I seem to remember hearing how he raced well in his car, so anything, especially in NASCAR, can and will happen.
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D-Boy 9 months ago
Yeah, AJ drove a couple Nationwide races for Ganassi last year. I do believe he was driving for Ganassi when he had the big crash with Brad Keselowski at California, in fact.
On the Cup side, however, Ganassi still has Target sponsorship for the #41 so far as I know(I know the relationship is continuing on the IRL side, and I'd assume it would continue on the Cup side, as well). So that shouldn't be much of a concern. Montoya's recent runs have shown that removing the financial drain of the #40 team appears to be giving benefits.
There's also rumor that Ganassi is planning to switch to Toyota power next year, as Dodge has been obviously lacking this year on the shorter tracks.
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Christopher Leone 9 months ago
Allmendinger will attract sponsorship dollars - if not by his performance, by the fact that he's a former Red Bull athlete. Those guys have high profiles in the entertainment industry by virtue of association with the brand alone. Target, which is HUGE on brand association - to the point where they don't even have the company name on the car - will commit to a guy like AJ.
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Mike Edens 9 months ago
Dietrich Mateschitz has made a huge mistake one that will come back to bite him...we only need to look back a few years ago when Carl Russo and his second rate racing teams of Rusport couldnt figure how to put a car under Aj, but after Rusport released him, the proffessionals at Forsythe racing new what the kid needed to fly. As far as Scott goes this is another opportunity thats been handed to him. Must be nice to inherit a car in the top 35 but the questions remains with all the premadonna grooming that has been going on with Speed, can he keep the car in the top 35. Ask Vickers how his pit stops have been and you will understand the struggles of a young Dinger.
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D-Boy 9 months ago
Scott Speed will do okay. He has a Truck Series win plus several ARCA wins, as well as the ARCA series point lead. I think he'll have little trouble keeping the car in the top 35. Much as I hate to admit it, he might outdo Allmendinger.
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Mike Edens 9 months ago
Dietrich Mateschitz has made a huge mistake one that will come back to bite him...we only need to look back a few years ago when Carl Russo and his second rate racing teams of Rusport couldnt figure how to put a car under Aj, but after Rusport released him, the proffessionals at Forsythe racing new what the kid needed to fly. As far as Scott goes this is another opportunity thats been handed to him. Must be nice to inherit a car in the top 35 but the questions remains with all the premadonna grooming that has been going on with Speed, can he keep the car in the top 35. Ask Vickers how his pit stops have been and you will understand the struggles of a young Dinger.
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