A.J. Allmendinger: Thanks But No Thanks

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.