AJ Allmendinger was a threat to win in all five of his NASCAR Xfinity Series starts with Kaulig Racing in 2019, and he ultimately took his third-career NXS victory at the Roval in Charlotte in the fall.
Now, it appears as though Allmendinger’s solid run with the team has sparked up more part-time duty for the 38-year old veteran as Kaulig Racing’s team president Chris Rice revealed on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Monday, that Allmendinger will be back with the team in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.
On today's #SXMOnTrack with @Riceman61 & @LarryMac28 talked with @C_Rice1 who revealed a familiar face, (@AJDinger) will return to the team's number 16 entry @DISupdates in February… pic.twitter.com/w7yWBfbvsd
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) December 30, 2019
“My PR department will probably kill me,” Rice said, “but I’ll be more than glad to let you know that AJ Allmendinger is coming back to run Daytona with us in the 16 car. AJ has done us a great job. We’ve got more things that we’re going to announce in January, but AJ is going to pilot that car and I know he will do a great job. He did a great job in July, so I look forward to it.”
While Allmendinger was a legitimate contender in all five of his starts, it turned out his car wasn’t legit in two of those efforts. Allmendinger’s car failed post-race inspection and was disqualified at Daytona in July and again at Watkins Glen in his next start four races later.
Allmendinger will be behind the wheel of the No. 16 car, which the organization utilized with Ross Chastain in the July Daytona race a season ago.
Justin Haley returns to the organization’s No. 11 car full-time in 2020 and Chastain will operate the No. 10 machine for the full-season as well.
