Allmendinger out

muggle not · 3 Mar 2008, 23:43 (Ref:2143693)

Looks like Allmendinger may be out of a ride.

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/head...out/index.html

LAS VEGAS -- Red Bull Racing is considering temporarily pulling A.J. Allmendinger from his Toyota as it reevaluates that struggling program.

Allmendinger failed to qualify for Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, making him 0-for-3 on the season. In contrast, teammate Brian Vickers has made all three races in the other Red Bull car.

"We can't keep missing races. It's just not an option," said general manager Jay Frye, hired in January to turn around the second-year Red Bull program.

"We're looking at several different ideas, all aimed at figuring out what's wrong with that program, how we can fix it and how we can get that car into races. But it can't continue the way it is. It just can't."

One of the options being considered is pulling Allmendinger from the seat and replacing him with a veteran who can help assess the program and get the car into races. Among the available drivers are Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson, who are currently pitching in to fill an open seat at Bill Davis Racing, and Sterling Marlin and David Stremme.

"We love A.J. and we're 100 percent committed to him and want to develop him," Frye said. "This is not at all giving up on A.J. But we just can't do nothing and risk having a season like that team had last year."
....................................read on.

jonesi · 4 Mar 2008, 00:23 (Ref:2143718)

NascarNow mentioned at the end of their show that Mike Skinner would move over to #84 this weekend and Benson would be in #27.

Dutton · 4 Mar 2008, 02:38 (Ref:2143761)

If the upshot of that would be him going into ALMS/unified-OW, then I could certainly cope with him being dumped.

fieldodreams79 · 4 Mar 2008, 02:49 (Ref:2143769)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutton

If the upshot of that would be him going into ALMS/unified-OW, then I could certainly cope with him being dumped.

agreed. should've never left. i hate it for AJ, tho.
can't say i'm surprised, but maybe he and PT can get together on another team again.

Hazza · 4 Mar 2008, 03:59 (Ref:2143793)

No.

He's gotta move to annother team and win 3 races in a row.

Knowlesy · 4 Mar 2008, 12:25 (Ref:2144091)

Oh dear AJ Allmendinger.

johntt · 4 Mar 2008, 15:00 (Ref:2144185)

What Allmendinger needed was a full-time Nationwide ride alongside his Cup commitments. Doing trucks here and there didn't strike me as being enough. When he drove for Ganassi a few times last year it helped him a lot in qualifying for the Cup races.

If I was him i'd look at an Indycar seat or a mix of Trucks/Nationwide and then have another go at Cup-level racing.

Knowlesy · 4 Mar 2008, 15:24 (Ref:2144202)

You know, I think AJ showed really well when he got the seat time last year. He copped a lot of criticism, but he has some speed and I was looking forward to watching him this year. Once he failed to qualify for Daytona though (which is a true lottery) the wind was knocked out of his sails.

I'm sure he'll get a chance again soon. And he sounds quite pleased to be learning from Skinner as well.

I wonder if Scott Speed will get a drive in the 84 at the road courses then? He is due to debut in Trucks so he is starting to move up the ladder at least.

johntt · 4 Mar 2008, 16:37 (Ref:2144253)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

You know, I think AJ showed really well when he got the seat time last year. He copped a lot of criticism, but he has some speed and I was looking forward to watching him this year. Once he failed to qualify for Daytona though (which is a true lottery) the wind was knocked out of his sails.

I'm sure he'll get a chance again soon. And he sounds quite pleased to be learning from Skinner as well.

I wonder if Scott Speed will get a drive in the 84 at the road courses then? He is due to debut in Trucks so he is starting to move up the ladder at least.

Speed moving up to Trucks - sounds good, he could have quite a career in stock cars judging by the way he's taken to them.

**FIRE** · 4 Mar 2008, 16:40 (Ref:2144258)

Not a surprise Allmendinger is out. Of course it's easy now to make conclusions but maybe it was better if he had done a full Busch season last year.

When will Speed make his truck debut?

Knowlesy · 4 Mar 2008, 16:42 (Ref:2144260)

This Friday at Atlanta.

StuiE · 5 Mar 2008, 10:45 (Ref:2144821)

Quote:

Originally Posted by johntt

What Allmendinger needed was a full-time Nationwide ride alongside his Cup commitments. Doing trucks here and there didn't strike me as being enough. When he drove for Ganassi a few times last year it helped him a lot in qualifying for the Cup races.

If I was him i'd look at an Indycar seat or a mix of Trucks/Nationwide and then have another go at Cup-level racing.

Totally agree, he qualified for alot of races when he was racing Busch for Ganassi, I guess RedBull don't want to run a Nationwide program until they run the CoT in Nationwide?

I hope he gets another shot at it, he has alot of promise, just needs more experience.

muggle not · 5 Mar 2008, 14:59 (Ref:2144955)

I think all of the O.W. drivers are making a mistake by not running a full season in Nationwide or Trucks before making the attempt to go Cup. Their chances of success would be greatly improved.

gttouring · 5 Mar 2008, 18:15 (Ref:2145090)

well he does not have the finesse to drive a stock car on ovals. or for that matter he hasn't shined in the road courses either- he had magic in open wheel and the stock car can't be pushed that hard, maybe he should race sprints and come back to nascar, or just go the IRL World series can't beleive he would flounder back there...
he could just be a flash in the pan though, it does happen

mountainstar · 5 Mar 2008, 22:26 (Ref:2145240)

I think he made a huge mistake back in 2006. He should have stayed at Forsythe and kept winning, perhaps the championship, then made a move.

A lot of people underestimate what it takes to drive a stock car well.

He'll get a contract pay out and that's the last we'll hear of him.

Knowlesy · 5 Mar 2008, 22:55 (Ref:2145258)

Yeah, it's quite funny how many people enter stockcars seemingly thinking it will be easy. Especially those from oval backgrounds.

It looks bloody impossible to me, especially in a bad car. You have to have talent like no other, it's so different

R59 · 5 Mar 2008, 23:23 (Ref:2145272)

I can say, from experience, that you have the head of the nail accurately under the hammer.

It is SOOOOO different to road course racing. You have to leave our road course head in your pit garage, and fit your "turn left" head. Driving the way that you would on a road course will quickly lead to an interview with the concrete.

I would say though, that people with front-wheel-drive racing experience will get on better! You have to be committed and smooth to be fast.

What's more, you have to be able to concentrate with your spotter chattering in your ear continuously. Some people can't do it - look at the driver's on the road who slow down to answer the phone, and drive like they're on drugs while talking to their mum/wife/boss/etc.. They obviously can't chew gum and walk at the same time!

gttouring · 6 Mar 2008, 00:14 (Ref:2145297)

maybe that's almendinger's problem... the spotter is distracting him unlike in champcar..
oh wait AJ can't Qualify the car

Jacko44 · 6 Mar 2008, 03:22 (Ref:2145357)

Can someone else qualify the car for him and he races... he'd have to go to the back of the pack but atleast he may get more driving experience...

Is that allowed???

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