TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY RACE RECAP
Race Summary: With severe weather forcing the field for the Aaron’s 499 to be set per the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book, AJ Allmendinger lined his No. 43 Insignia/Best Buy Ford Fusion up in the 23rd starting position for Sunday’s race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. As the race got underway, Allmendinger took his time and paced himself to steadily climb through the field.
NASCAR brought out a competition caution flag at Lap 20. Allmendinger reported he needed no changes to his Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Fusion but came down pit road for his crew to add four new Goodyear tires and fuel. Allmendinger quickly climbed towards the lead pack of cars as the field went back to green. At Lap 32, with a little push from Kyle Busch, he broke into the top-10 and drove up to the sixth position.
Allmendinger didn’t need too much time after entering the top-10 before climbing to the lead position. On Lap 35, the No. 43 Insignia/Best Buy Ford took the lead - and became part of history. Sunday’s race at Talladega Super-speedway boasted a NASCAR and track record-setting 88 lead changes among 29 lap leaders throughout the event. But as Talladega and restrictor plate racing go, within a lap he was back to second.
The driver would maintain a position among the top-15 until a scheduled green flag pit stop at Lap 65. The 43 crew went with right side tires and fuel on the stop. As Allmendinger got back up to speed, he reported urgently back to his team that his car was running hot and that they might have a fuel pressure issue. He drifted to the back of the field but luckily any further issue didn’t materialize.
Allmendinger was able to squeak by a multi-car accident on Lap 84. Another solid stop from the 43 crew put the driver in the top-15 again on the restart. As the laps wound down, the driver managed to stay clear of the multi-car incidents that sent the race into three green-white-checkered flag attempts. When the checkered flag finally flew, Allmendinger had the No. 43 Insignia/ Best Buy Ford Fusion in the 19th position.
Allmendinger and the No. 43 team sit in 24th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup owner point standings heading into next Saturday’s race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, and are only 42 markers outside of the top-20.
Allmendinger on the Talladega Event: “I’m really proud of this Insignia/Best Buy team. My guys worked really hard and gave me some really good stops. You never know what Talladega is going to bring. This place is so crazy. Our Ford Fusion was really fast. My crew chief Mike Shiplett and spotter Tony Hirschman were definitely key in keeping me calm and out of those accidents today.”
The following is the finishing position of the other Richard Petty Motorsports drivers:
Kasey Kahne,driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford 21st
Paul Menard, driver of the No. 98 Turtle Wax/ Menards Ford 25th
Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 19 Stanley/ Bostitch Ford 33rd
Next Race
Date: May 1, 2010
Race: Heath Calhoun 400
Track: Richmond International Raceway
Laps: 400 Laps/300 Miles
TV Information: 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX
Radio Information: 7:30 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio