The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Wisconsin on Sunday, July 4, for 62 laps at Road America. Two road course experts will take part in the first Cup race at the track since 1956 while preparing for the 2022 season. AJ Allmendinger and Austin Cindric will both climb into Cup cars one day after competing in the Xfinity Series race at Road America.
Team Penske announced on Monday, June 28, that Cindric will be back in the No. 33 Ford Mustang for the race at Road America. Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass then reported that Allmendinger will be back in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro, marking his third Cup start of the season. Ty Dillon will also take part in the race while driving the No. 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota Camry.
The No. 33 @PIRTEKUSA Ford Mustang is back for some #NASCAR cup racing!
Check out this 🔴⚪🔵 scheme that @austincindric will run this weekend at @roadamerica!
Allmendinger and Dillon are not strangers to the Cup Series considering that they both have multiple full-time seasons at NASCAR’s top level on their resumes. Cindric, on the other hand, is currently finishing out his Xfinity Series career before moving to Cup on a full-time basis in 2022. He has five starts in 2021 so far with a best finish of 15th in the season-opening Daytona 500.
Cindric will now put his road course expertise on display while seeking yet another win at Road America. He is the defending Xfinity Series winner at the Wisconsin track, and he has two top-five finishes in four starts. Cindric has also captured the checkered flag at Watkins Glen, the Daytona Road Course, and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Allmendinger Impressed During Early-Season Road Course Races
GettyAJ Allmendinger prepares for an Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
A veteran with 373 Cup Series starts to his name, Allmendinger has only made two starts at the top level since moving back to the Xfinity Series in 2019. He suited up for the Daytona Road Course race on Feb. 21 and then returned to the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro for a trip to Circuit of the Americas on May 23.
Allmendinger impressed during his limited starts in the 2021 season. He started the Daytona race 34th overall and steadily worked his way through the field. The veteran driver avoided several incidents on the track that sent other drivers to the garage and ultimately captured a seventh-place finish. He then qualified seventh at COTA and raced his way to a fifth-place finish.
Along with his recent success at road course races on the top level, Allmendinger will enter the weekend at Road America with several Xfinity Series wins to his name. He has two wins at the Charlotte Roval, one at Road America, and two at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Allmendinger also has top-five finishes at COTA, Watkins Glen, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
Cindric & Allmendinger Can Secure Solid Starting Positions
GettyAustin Cindric (left) and AJ Allmendinger (right) race at Daytona.
With the Cup Series making its return to Road America for the first time since 1956, NASCAR will provide its drivers with the opportunity to test out the track prior to competing for points. The weekend will feature both practice and qualifying sessions for the Xfinity and Cup Series.
Cindric and Allmendinger will climb into their Xfinity Series cars on Friday, July 2, for a 50-minute practice session, starting at 4:05 p.m. ET. They will then return to the Wisconsin track on Saturday, July 3, for qualifying at 11:35 a.m. ET and the Xfinity Series race at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The Cup Series drivers will kick off their portion of the race weekend with a 50-minute practice session on July 3, starting at 12:35 p.m. ET. They will qualify on Sunday, July 4, at 11:05 a.m. ET. The drivers will then return to their stock cars on July 4 at 2:30 p.m. ET to cap off the weekend with the Jockey Made in America 250 Presented by Kwik Trip.
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Road Course Experts Return to Cup Series at Road America