AJ ALLMENDINGER INFORMATION TIDBITS
Favorites…
Sport: Aside from auto racing, to watch is football…to play is golf.
Sports Team: I’m a man without a team now that (Brett) Favre has retired. Gosh, guess Green Bay Packers?
Hobbies: Working out, golf and karting.
Food: Anything with chicken! Chicken and pasta. I also like “hole in the wall” Mexican.
Restaurant: JD Rockers has the best sandwiches and salads. El Torito has the best chips, salsa and tableside guacamole.
Movie: “Dumb and Dumber,” “Tommy Boy” and “Fast & the Furious” movie.
TV Show: “King of Queens,” “How I Met Your Mother” and old episodes of “Two and a Half Men.”
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Note: This release came to our email @ 11:52am eastern, well after Penske’s announcement that AJ had already joined them at 11:23 am.
STATEMENT FROM RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS
REGARDING THE RELEASE OF AJ ALLMENDINGER
CONCORD, N.C. (Dec. 21, 2011) – “Richard Petty Motorsports has released AJ Allmendinger to pursue other opportunities within the sport,” stated team Chief Executive Officer Brian Moffitt. “AJ is a talented driver whom we all enjoyed working with and we wish him the best.”
“Our plan remains to run a two-car team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012 and we are continuing down that path,” said Moffitt. “We believe there are several very talented drivers who are still available and would embrace the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the legendary No. 43 Ford Fusion. We continue to move forward and are optimistic about the future of this race team.”
ALLMENDINGER TO DRIVE THE PENSKE RACING
NO. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL DODGE IN 2012
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 21, 2011) – Penske Racing has named AJ Allmendinger as the driver of the team’s No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Allmendinger, who has competed in the Cup Series since 2007, is coming off a strong season that saw him finish 15th in the series standings while battling for a position in the Chase for the Championship. The 30-year-old native of Los Gatos, Calif., earned one top-five, 10 top-10 and 22 top-15 results in 2011 while driving the No. 43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports.
“I am really excited about the opportunity to join Penske Racing and drive the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge in 2012,” said Allmendinger. “I have always admired Roger Penske and the way his teams compete and win in every series where they race. It is a privilege for me to represent such iconic and respected brands as Shell and Pennzoil, AAA and Dodge. I am honored to join Penske Racing and I will do my very best to continue to build on the standard of excellence established across the organization.”
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KURT BUSCH STATEMENT ON MUTUAL AGREEMENT TO LEAVE PENSKE RACING
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 5, 2011) Kurt Busch issued the following statement today regarding the news that the 24-time NASCAR Sprint Cup winner and 2004 Cup champion had reached a mutual agreement with Penske Racing to leave the team:
“I am grateful to Penske Racing for six very productive years. Together we won a lot of races — 16 in all. I’m proud that we won on a variety of tracks and this past season reached Victory Lane four times. Another highlight was pushing my teammate to a Daytona 500 win. I also appreciate the lasting friendships I’ve made while working with our great sponsors through the years, including Miller Lite, Shell and Dodge.
“Coming to a mutual agreement to go our separate ways is a positive step for me. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took time to reflect on what is most important to me and realized I need to find a way to put the fun back into racing. It’s time for a fresh start. Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it allows me to take a deep breath and work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person.
RELATED LINK: kurtbusch.com
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