After Losing His Full-Time Cup Ride, AJ Allmendinger to Drive at Daytona in the Number 16 Kaulig Car

Kaulig Racing has announced that AJ Allmendinger will be driving the No.16 Cup car at the Daytona 500. Earlier, a move back to the Xfinity series was confirmed for him after just one full season with Kaulig in the Cup Series. However, with the recent announcement, it looks like the team is yet to sort the part-time slot for the 2024 season.

Allmendinger had one win and seven top-10s in the 2023 season in the Cup Series. He managed to finish sixth at the Daytona 500 last time around, so Kaulig has played its card well in the hopes of yet another strong start to the season by the veteran driver. The 42-year-old knows a thing or two about getting good finishes at Daytona and his best there includes two third-place finishes in 2009 and 2017.

AJ Allmendinger to feature in Cup Series despite a full-time return to Xfinity for the 2024 season.

With Allmendinger back racing in the Cup Series, he will have to put in a double shift as he is also competing full-time in the Xfinity Series. His part-time return to the Cup series was announced by Kaulig Racing via Twitter. The post shared read, “Driving the No.16 Chevrolet, @AJDinger will make his 11th start in The Great American Race on February 18, 2024!”

Back in 2019 when Allmendinger was working on NBC as an analyst, it was Kaulig Racing who brought him back to the racetracks. However, it was not until 2023 that he got to race full-time in the Cup Series. Unfortunately, he missed out on the playoffs despite having a decent run throughout the season. It was as if his only shot at redemption was in vain after all the good work he put in.

The highlight moment for Allmendinger was his only win at the Charlotte Roval. He eventually finished a disappointing 21st in the overall points standings. Ultimately, Kaulig Racing had to make a tough call to relegate the California native to the Xfinity Series.

With Daniel Hemric to lead the charge for the team in the Cup Series, a race by Allmendinger does suggest that Kaulig may be looking to run a rotational shift just as they did in the 2022 season. One might raise a question on how the team is run but for ‘the Dinger’, Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice have always had the best interest in their hearts for the team.

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Kaulig Racing is a family forever for the Dinger

Though Kaulig aspires to be one of the best teams on the NASCAR circuits, they had initially fallen short of their ambitious pursuits. In search of trophies, they found a somewhat retired NASCAR driver in Allmendinger in 2019 and he has helped the team reach its peak. The first Cup race win in 2021 at Verizon 200 Brickyard was followed by last season’s win at Charlotte Roval. This has made him a special part of the Kaulig family.

It was during the announcement by Kaulig that he will drive full-time in the 2024 Xfinity Series, that owner Matt Kaulig expressed his emotions towards the No.16 driver. He said, “AJ has always embraced what we are trying to do as an organization, and his contribution to the culture at Kaulig Racing is what truly makes him forever a part of our family.”

One thing is for sure. Kaulig Racing does need to find a permanent solution to their Cup Series driver dilemma. While AJ Allmendinger will do what he does best for the team, expectations will need to be checked for their run in the 2024 season.

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