Justin Allgaier will Impact the Nationwide Series

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He passed what seemed like half the field and did it all sideways!

That’s what I saw anyway.  And maybe, Penske Racing’s talent scouts saw it too.

I was at the ARCA Re/MAX Series race, the ARCA Eddie Gillstrap 200  at venerable Salem Speedway last Sunday.  I had a great seat and it was an amazing race for all 200 laps.  Frank Kimmel won it convincingly.   But the star of the show was the kid who finished fourth.

Twenty-two-year-old Justin Allgaier was fast early.  Then he got stupid squirrelly —due, we learned, to a near-total lack of brakes.  He pitted a bunch and got down a lap.  And he raced and got the lap back.

On the lead lap again, and still mostly brakeless Allgaier started passing cars.  The car was wicked loose but he passed a bunch and did most of the passing sideways!  It was, an incredible display of a guy driving his ass off.

Justin Allgaier has been driving his ass off for a mostly family run team that, financially and resource-wise, is at a big disadvantage to the big shots of the ARCA Re/Max Series. 

Today he got a big measure of recognition.  Justin Allgaier has signed with Penske Racing to run a schedule of Nationwide Series races in 2009.

Brad Kesolowski came out of an ARCA background to put a stamp on the Nationwide Series with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s  J R Motorsports. Penske Racing will do the same with the classy Allgaier.

In other NASCAR Nationwide Series news, Kimberly-Clark, the longest-standing, continuous primary sponsor in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will visually showcase the Depend brand, Rite Aid and ZERO’s commitment to promoting prostate health by featuring a special paint scheme with the slogan “Driven to End Prostate Cancer” on the No. 27 Ford Fusion NASCAR Nationwide Series entry during the Camping World RV Sales 200 supporting the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma.

The Drive Against Prostate Cancer mobile unit will offer free prostate cancer screenings at Dover International Speedway during the entire race weekend from Sept. 19-21.

The screening consists of a simple blood test and does not require an appointment or health insurance. The test takes less than 10 minutes for a doctor to complete. Physical exams will be available if requested.

The mobile unit, which features a flat-screen TV with satellite programming, Internet access and healthy snacks, will be open Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (all times local).

Male race fans who participate will receive a free T-shirt and can enter for a chance to win a VIP Race Package to the May 2009 Dover race weekend from ZERO.

So if you’re at Dover guys, get checked.  In fact, even if you aren’t, get checked anyway.

Jason Keller will drive the No. 27 with a special paint scheme shown above.