Not surprisingly, Penske Racing announced yesterday that
they have officially released AJ Allmendinger after the driver was placed on
indefinite suspension for failing a pair of drag tests.Allmendinger was suspended in early July when
he failed a drug test as part of NASCAR’s random drug testing program.Under that system, samples are taken and then
split into two portions so if a test comes back positive – the driver can
request that the second portion be tested to ensure that the procedure was
completed properly.Unfortunately for AJ
Allmendinger, his second test also came back positive which resulted in an immediate
suspension from NASCAR.
AJ Allmendinger issued a statement on the release, including
the following portion:
“I apologize for the distraction, embarrassment, and difficulties that my
current suspension from NASCAR has provided. As I stated last week, I have
begun NASCAR’s Road to Recovery program and look forward to using those
resources and its completion to compete again in NASCAR in the near
future.”
AJ Allmendinger can be reinstated for completing the NASCAR “Road
to Recovery Program” and the young driver reportedly plans to begin the program
immediately.However, that evidently was
not enough for Penske Racing as he has been fired from his position as the
driver of the #22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.Also, no driver who has been suspended for
violating the NASCAR drug policy has returned back to their former success.
“Penske Racing fully supports NASCAR’s substance abuse
policy and we are disappointed with AJ’s positive drug test results,” said
Roger Penske. “AJ is a terrific driver, a good person and it is very
unfortunate that we have to separate at this time. We have invested greatly in
AJ and we were confident in his success with our team. The decision to dismiss
him is consistent with how we would treat any other Penske Racing team member
under similar circumstances. As AJ begins NASCAR’s ‘Road to Recovery’ program,
we wish him the best and look forward to seeing him compete again in
NASCAR.”
Now that AJ Allmendinger has officially received the boot,
NASCAR Nationwide Series regular Sam Hornish Jr will continue to drive the #22
Dodge Charger “for the foreseeable future” – likely meaning that Hornish will
at least finish the season behind the wheel of Allmendinger’s old ride.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
