For the first time in NASCAR Cup Series history, the top drivers will take on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course instead of the oval. Xfinity Series driver AJ Allmendinger will compete in the historic race while seeking the checkered flag, but he does not care that the win would not be the Crown Jewel Brickyard 400. For Allmendinger, simply winning at IMS is significant, regardless of the circumstances.
The 39-year-old Kaulig Racing driver made the comments during a media session on Tuesday, Aug. 10. He explained that there is a certain mystique to IMS that expands beyond motorsports. Allmendinger knows that the most casual fans know about the track and what it represents to the drivers and teams. He also explained that drivers who win at Indy still get to see their names in the history books.
“There are certain places where if you just say the name of the race track, the generic fan — or not even a fan of motorsports — they know what that place is,” Allmendinger told media members during a session that Heavy attended. “That’s what Indianapolis means to me. You can say, ‘yeah, I won at Indy. I won at the race track.’ And they know how big of a deal that is.
“They may not even know what series it is that you are talking about, but the fact that you say you’ve won there, it means something. … I don’t have an opinion about whether it’d be bigger to win on the oval or the road course. A win at Indy is a win at Indy, and when you go win there, you still get to kiss the bricks.”
Allmendinger Will Pull Double-Duty at Indianapolis
GettyAJ Allmendinger (right) races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2020.
A full-time Xfinity Series driver for Kaulig Racing, Allmendinger will make multiple starts during the trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He will suit up for the Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard on Saturday, Aug. 14, and then he will make his fourth Cup start of the season in the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on Sunday, Aug. 15.
All three of Almendinger’s Cup starts in the 2021 season have taken place on road courses due to his ability to contend for wins when making left and right turns. He climbed into the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro on Feb. 21 for a race at the Daytona Road Course and posted a seventh-place finish after starting 34th.
Allmendinger made his second Cup start of the year on May 23 at Circuit of the Americas. The veteran turned in a strong performance during qualifying and locked up a starting position inside the top 10. He then ran near the front of the pack during a rain-shortened race, finishing fifth overall under red-flag conditions.
The veteran’s latest Cup start did not pan out like the others. Allmendinger joined the Cup Series drivers at Road America on July 4, once again showcasing his skills during qualifying. He started the race in third and finished second in Stage 1. However, he ended his day 29th overall while Chase Elliott locked up another win.
The Veteran Remains Winless at the Brickyard
A veteran with 374 Cup Series starts and 47 Xfinity Series starts to his name, Allmendinger is one of the many drivers yet to reach Victory Lane at IMS. He has attempted 10 times on the oval and once on the road course but remains winless.
Allmendinger’s best opportunity to win was the 2020 Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard. He started 30th in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro but raced his way into contention for the win. The veteran led two of the 62 laps while battling teammate Justin Haley, as well as Noah Gragson and Chase Briscoe, en route to a fourth-place finish and 34 points.
Allmendinger will have two more opportunities to lock up his first win at the track on Aug. 14-15 while driving for Kaulig Racing. According to NASCAR’s site, he is not one of the heavy favorites to win due to the presence of Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Martin Truex Jr. However, Allmendinger still has favorable odds (20-1) to win the Cup Series race, topping Kevin Harvick (25-1) and Kurt Busch (25-1) among others.
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AJ Allmendinger on a Mission To Kiss the Bricks at Indy