Allmendinger On West Coast HOF Induction: It Hasnt Quite Sunk In Yet
Written by I Dig Sports
LEXINGTON, N.C. A.J. Allmendinger has raced for nearly three decades and now his accomplishments will be remembered forever. The 43-year-old California native is set to be inducted into the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025.
On Thursday, Allmendinger will join west coast legends, such as, Rick Mears, Jeff Gordon, Hershel McGriff, Dan Gurney, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch in the fabled West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.
Allmendinger has left his mark in several racing disciplines, including open wheel, CART and IndyCar, IMSA and sports cars, and still remains a highly-competitive racer in NASCAR, racing for an Xfinity Series championship as recently as last November.
Allmendinger burst onto the NASCAR scene as a road-racing ace, and continues as one of the winningest road racers in NASCAR history, but has also established himself as a consistent force every weekend now as a full-time competitor in NASCARs premier Cup Series. Allmendinger drives the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, his seventh year with the organization.
It hasnt quite sunk in yet, said Allmendinger. Its unique to be in a situation receiving this honor, knowing I still have the opportunity to go out every weekend with Kaulig Racing and continue to build on my career and what we have accomplished together. Its special to share this accomplishment with my wife, Tara, and our son, Aero James.
I love having Aero at the race track, and I know having him be as a part of this will make it emotional and a lasting memory.
Kaulig Racing Team Owner, Matt Kaulig, reflects on the impact Allmendinger has had since joining the team in 2019.
I think everybody will agree that A.J. has really made Kaulig Racing to be what it is today, said Kaulig. It changed our lives when we brought A.J. into the fold on a part-time basis and really started running up front and winning races.
Allmendingers determination and competitive drive brings a pressure on himself and Kaulig Racing to compete with the best.
To be a professional race car driver, you have to be competitive, continued Kaulig. AJ is probably the most competitive person that I have ever met. On the racetrack, he can handle the pressure he puts on himself to perform at the highest level of our sport every week, and he does it for all the men and women involved in every aspect of our race team.
Chris Rice, Kaulig Racing Team President, acknowledges the pressure Allmendinger brings as a positive to push the team to always be at their best.
When you have talent like A.J. has, that shows the sky is the limit, said Rice. Kaulig Racing won our first Cup race in only our seventh Cup start. Weve won a lot of races over the past five years because AJ pushes us to be better. AJ taught us how to win and we will forever be indebted to him for that. And he is not done. He has a lot left in the tank and AJ and Kaulig Racing will continue to do great things together.