A.J. Allmendinger Lets Slip SVG’s ‘Language Problem’ as He Warns Drivers Against the Kiwi’s Racing Prowess

Kaulig Racing has been a hive of activity over the past year, buzzing with changes like Shane van Gisbergen joining the team, a flurry of new sponsorships, and a game of musical chairs with drivers switching between the Cup and Xfinity series. Take A.J. Allmendinger, for example, who initially dipped his toes into the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing in 2019 on a part-time ticket, only to jump into the Cup Series full-time in 2023. Unfortunately, the leap didn’t quite stick the landing, with the No. 16 squad missing out on the playoff action.

On top of that, there was buzz earlier on about SVG taking on the full NASCAR Xfinity Series circuit under Kaulig’s banner, sprinkled with a dash of seven Cup races, though the team waving the flag for those Cup starts was left a mystery. Then, as February rolled in, the news broke that he was set to take the wheel for Kaulig. But how are Allmendinger, other teammates, and Shane van Gisbergen meshing on the team? Allmendinger recently shed some light on their budding partnership.

A.J. Allmendinger recently shared insights on rapport with teammate Shane van Gisbergen

Since SVG and his better half set up camp in Mooresville, North Carolina, last December, transitioning from his long-time base in Brisbane, Australia, he’s had his fair share of ‘fish out of water’ moments. It seems the lingo barrier is the first hurdle in his new American adventure while building a rapport with his teammates. And he has truly been trying hard, apparently.

But despite that, in a chat with Bob Pockrass, AJ Allmendinger couldn’t help but chuckle over the communication gap. “It’s going to be a lot of fun; once we learn what SVG is talking about, we still mean Josh [Williams] doesn’t understand any of his words right now. You know our crack social media staff made us try to learn New Zealand words and what they meant. No, no, I don’t think Josh and I got any of them, right? So, But other than that, it’s a lot of fun.”

Allmendinger didn’t hold back on singing the praises of the Supercars champ, tipping his hat to what Shane van Gisbergen has shown he can do behind the wheel of an Xfinity car, warning other drivers of his prowess. “He is world class and then Josh has been in the Xfinity for a while and never been in a real competitive ride so I can’t wait to see. I think he’s really good. Seen what he’s done in lower-tier equipment. So I can’t wait for him to show all of us what he can do.”

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Meanwhile, SVG’s eagerly awaited debut in the Xfinity Series at Daytona saw him nabbing fifth place, but he’ll have to cool his jets until Monday, thanks to the rain playing spoilsport and pushing back the green flag.

The Kiwi driver is all set to clinch his first Xfinity Daytona victory, hoping to turn the page on a less-than-ideal ARCA outing

During the ARCA race, the triple Supercars champ barely made it past the starting blocks, completing just three laps before getting tangled in a massive pile-up on the 4th lap. The chaos unfolded when Gus Dean got a tap from behind, losing control and colliding with his Venturini Motorsports teammate, Toni Breidinger, in the first couple of turns.

Read More: NASCAR UPDATE: Despite Failing to Qualify, Shane Van Gisbergen Will Run the ARCA Race

This domino effect roped in several top contenders, including Van Gisbergen, putting a premature end to their race ambitions. Nevertheless, Shane van Gisbergen is queued up to kick off the delayed race from an enviable fifth spot, thanks to his standout performance in a truncated qualifying round.

With his track record in the Supercars arena, do you reckon SVG has what it takes to weave the same magic in the Xfinity League?