DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — To say A.J. Allmendinger has a lot on his mind would be an understatement.
One year ago Allmendinger, driving the No. 44 Valvoline-sponsored Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports, finished third in his first Daytona 500. A lot has happened since that faithful day.
Allmendinger still drives for RPM, though the team barely resembles that which Allmendinger drove for at the start of the 2009 season.
Following a merger with Yates Racing — the second such merger Richard Petty’s team has been involved in the last two years — Allmendinger will now drive the famous No. 43 with sponsorship from Best Buy and Ford horsepower provided by Roush/Yates Racing Engines.
“I’ve always been the one to put the most pressure on myself,” said Allmendinger, who has five victories in the now defunct Champ Car World Series to his credit. “I try not to put too much pressure on myself, but the end result is I always do. But knowing that I’m in the No. 43, it’s an honor for me just to be a part of Richard Petty Motorsports, but now to be in the No. 43 and to have Richard personally pick me to be in his race car, it’s an honor.”
It has been a rough road for Allmendinger since making the jump from open-wheel racing to NASCAR. Allmendinger’s first two years in NASCAR with Red Bull Racing were far from successful.
In 2007, his rookie season, Allmendinger struggled mightily. He attempted the entire schedule but failed to qualify 19 times. His best finish was 15th at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October.
The following year was better, but not by much. Allmendinger recorded his first top-10 finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Brickyard 400 that summer, but nine races later he was on the unemployment line after being replaced by Speed.
But now, more than a year after being replaced at Red Bull, Allmendinger now calls Richard Petty Motorsports home and he couldn’t be happier about it.
“I want to go out there and represent Richard in and out of the race car the best that I can,” said Allmendinger. “I’m not speaking on his behalf, but, to me, I know that if I could get the No. 43 back in victory lane it would mean the world to him.
“Whether I go out there and win one race for him or 100 races, to get that No. 43 back in victory lane would mean the world to me. It would be something whether I won a ton of races or I never won again, I could take that and just be proud I was able to accomplish that,” Allmendinger added.
Allmendinger would like to return the No. 43 to victory lane at Daytona — the site of Richard Petty’s last victory as a driver — but Allmendinger knows he has his work cut out for him.
On the positive side, at least Allmendinger doesn’t have to worry about racing his way in through the Gatorade Duels. The No. 43 Ford is locked into the starting field for the 2010 Daytona 500.
“For two years I had to go through watching driver introductions, watching all the famous people and know that technically I wasn’t a part of it because I was just another fan being around there, I was wasn’t in the show,” said Allmendinger, who failed to qualify for the 2007 and 2008 events while driving for Red Bull Racing. “I’m just happy now I don’t have to fight to get into the show anymore because that was the most gut-wrenching, mind-numbing, just the worst thing as a race car driver I’ve ever had to go through. So I’m happy I get to skip that part, but still be part of the show.”