AUTO CLUB 500 RACE REPORT
AUTO CLUB 500 RACE REPORT
Race Summary: AJ Allmendinger lined up for the running of the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. in the 29th position and battled with a loose handling Ford Fusion during the early laps of Sunday’s race. A long green flag run to start the event resulted in the Best Buy Ford losing one lap to the leaders, but the “lucky dog” rule and a well-timed caution flag on lap 51 enabled the team to get back on the lead lap.
Weather and track conditions changed throughout the race and Allmendinger let his crew know that his Richard Petty Motorsports entry was handling tight just prior to a caution period on lap 58. Crew chief Mike Shiplett made the most of every opportunity on pit road to make changes to the car, including making wedge, air pressure and spring rubber adjustments during the course of several pit stops. Allmendinger held down the 25th spot with 50 laps to go and battled hard to retain that position when the checkered flag flew.
Allmendinger on Fontana: “We struggled a bit this weekend, but I’m proud of my Best Buy crew for working so hard during the race. The Best Buy Ford Fusion started the day off really loose and I know the guys made a ton of changes to the car, which eventually helped it. The track conditions seemed to change a bit during the course of the event and during the mid-stages of the race, we were actually pretty good. We got behind the eight ball when we stayed out just a little too long waiting out the rain and we were never able to make up that lap. Nonetheless, the guys never gave up and I’m proud of them. I think we’ve got a good baseline now and we should be a little better right off the truck next week in Las Vegas.”
The following is the finish position of the other Richard Petty Motorsports drivers:
Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford 34th
Paul Menard, driver of the No. 98 Energizer/Menards Ford 18th
Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 19 Stanley Ford 24th
Next Race
Date: Feb. 28, 2010
Race: Shelby American
Laps: 267 Laps/400.5 Miles
TV Information: 3 p.m. ET on FOX
Radio Information: 3 p.m. ET on PRN and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio