The Phoenix Racing No. 51 has a smiley face on the hood

11 Oct
2012

With Kurt Busch in the Furniture Row Racing No. 78 for the remainder of the season, Phoenix Racing went with a new paint scheme for its first race with Busch in another car.

This week at Charlotte, the red No. 51 has a smiley face on the hood and the sides of the car. Why? We'll let car owner James Finch explain:

From Fox Sports:

"If you wreck 25 cars this year, you haven't been smiling much," Finch said. "That's 25 wrecks. I don't think the whole garage has used that much sheet metal this year — except at Daytona and Talladega.

"Twenty-five wrecks would make anyone dizzy. For a small team to repair 25 wrecks and show up for every race on time, I think they did a great job."

Regan Smith, who was in the No. 78 until Busch replaced him this week, was scheduled to be in the car this weekend, but he was called into action over at Hendrick Motorsports after Dale Earnhardt Jr. was diagnosed with a concussion. That opened the spot for AJ Allmendinger, who is making his first start after completing NASCAR's Road to Recovery program.

Allmendinger was suspended just before the July Daytona race after failing a drug test after the Kentucky race, and was replaced in the Penske Racing No. 22 by Sam Hornish and eventually released from his contract at Penske. He qualified 38th for Saturday night's race.

Tags: , , , , Furniture Row Racing, James Finch, Kurt Busch, , paint, Phoenix Racing, , remainder, wreck
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Reports: Joey Logano headed to Penske to drive the No. 22

04 Sep
2012

Multiple outlets are reporting that Joey Logano is headed to Penske to take the seat vacated by AJ Allmendinger earlier this season. It's part of an ongoing merry-go-round of seats that will apparently see Matt Kenseth take over Logano's old ride at Gibbs and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. assume Kenseth's former seat. The odd man out is Sam Hornish Jr., who has been driving the No. 22 since Allmendinger's suspension for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy.

Logano earned the nickname "Sliced Bread" (as in "Greatest thing since ... ") from Mark Martin early in his racing career, but has struggled to live up to such high praise. He has two wins in 136 career Sprint Cup starts, and has never finished a season ranked higher than 16th. Given that Home Depot is one of NASCAR's highest-profile sponsors and had grown accustomed to victory lane with Tony Stewart, Logano's inability to hit similar heights contributed to the end of his time at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Still, Logano is starting to assert himself as a driver. He's had high-profile garage dustups with both Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman, and could perhaps benefit from a change in scenery. At Penske, he'll be teamed with Brad Keselowski, another young driver albeit one who's found more success early in his career, and the two could be a fearsome tandem for years to come. Could be.

This year, he currently sits at 18th but has a chance to reach the Chase if he can win Saturday night's Richmond race. A win there would give him two on the season and vault him over Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards, among others.

None of the sides has made a public comment on the story, but the news is expected to be announced this week.

Tags: , , Hornish, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, , , Penske, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., ,
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Video: What exactly happened with AJ Allmendinger?

08 Aug
2012

So you know the developing story with AJ Allmendinger. Your favorite Yahoo! Sports Jays, Hart and Busbee, are on the case and kicking around the matter. We go with what we know, which is: HOW THE HECK DID THIS HAPPEN? Watch the video, and fire away with your comments below.

Tags: , fire, HAPPEN, , , , , , Yahoo! Sports Jays
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AJ Allmendinger says he tested positive for Adderall

07 Aug
2012

AJ Allmendinger said Tuesday that his positive drug test after the Kentucky race on June 30 stemmed from taking an Adderall pill two nights before the race.

Allmendinger is currently indefinitely suspended by NASCAR and is going through the sanctioning body's Road to Recovery program. He said that he took the pill because he was tired and needed a pick me up, accepting the pill after a friend told him he used it for an energy supplement for workouts.

Adderall, a combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine, is commonly prescribed to treat people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

"It wasn't even crazy or anything like that," Allmendinger told the Sporting News. "It was a pretty low-key night. Throughout the season, just with the struggles and the pressure I was putting on myself and not going the way I had hoped, I hadn't been sleeping very well throughout the year.

"I was honestly really tired and had no energy. A friend of his that was out said, 'I have an energy supplement that I take to work out.' I thought nothing of it because I've taken energy supplements before to work out and been tested on them. … I honestly thought nothing of it and that was probably my big mistake and just the poor judgment that I made."

NASCAR said that the test does not specify the specific substance. Allmendinger earlier said he tested positive for amphetamine, but didn't know what the positive test had stemmed from. He said that he was not concerned when he was summoned for the drug test that the pill would cause any issues and that he was able to trace it back to the Adderall pill after the his B sample test on July 24 confirmed the results of the 'A' sample that was taken at Kentucky.

Tags: Adderall, , , amphetamine, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, body, drug test, energy supplement, , ,
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AJ Allmendinger makes first public statement since test failure, on Twitter

25 Jul
2012

Just hours after the revelation that his B sample tested positive for a still-unrevealed stimulant, AJ Allmendinger took to Twitter at about 2 a.m. Eastern to make his first public statement on the matter. All words sic'd:

"I just want to say thank you first and foremost for all if u sticking by me. Please dont think me being means i havent been reading all ur / Support. And man, it means more than u eill ever know. Im sorry we even have to have this going on. But i promise ..i will do whatever it / Takes to get to the bottom of this and get back our there no matter what. Thanks guys."

But this being the Internet, which is stuffed chock full of opportunistic, hide-behind-a-screen vermin, Allmendinger's statement immediately came under attack for its, shall we say, less than term-paper quality written English. An hour later, Allmendinger offered up this addendum:

"Hey..sorry to u guys jumping on my spelling..it wasnt a "pr" statement..it was me typing from my heart...sorry it wasnt perfect"

Perhaps we're reading too much into this, but you'll note that Allmendinger never says he's "innocent" or denies taking whatever substance exceeded test levels. If that's the case, he may be considering a fight based not on the pass-fail of the test but on the substance triggering the failure.

So it sounds like Allmendinger will continue to fight to get back behind the wheel. How he plays the next few weeks and months will determine his future in the sport.

Tags: , eill, havent, , , public statement, , , test failure, wasnt
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AJ Allmendinger indefinitely suspended by NASCAR after B sample test

24 Jul
2012

AJ Allmendinger has been indefinitely suspended by NASCAR after his "B" sample confirmed his positive test for a stimulant.

On June 30, Allmendinger was temporarily suspended by NASCAR after his "A" sample tested positive for an unapproved drug, which his representative characterized as a stimulant. Neither NASCAR nor Allmendinger's camp have revealed the specific reason for the positive test.

"On July 24, Allmendinger was found to have violated Sections 12-1  [actions detrimental to stock car racing] and 19 [NASCAR's substance abuse policy] of the 2012 NASCAR rule book," NASCAR said in the release.

"As outlined in the rule book, NASCAR next will provide Allmendinger a letter outlining a process for reinstatement. By agreeing to the letter, he will be allowed to participate in the Road to Recovery Program."

Sam Hornish, who has driven the Penske No. 22 the past two races in Allmendinger's absence, will continue to fill in Sunday at Indianapolis and the following week at Pocono, according to Penske Racing.

"Penske Racing was notified today of AJ Allmendinger's positive B sample test. We respect NASCAR's policy and the process they have taken with this matter," the team said in a statement.

"Penske Racing is very disappointed with the result of the B sample test and will evaluate its course of action as it pertains to AJ over the coming week."

According to a statement by Allmendinger representative Tara Ragan, the test was "within nanograms of accepted standards."

"This was not the news we wanted to hear and we will work to get to the source of what may have caused this," the statement from Ragan said. "To that end, we have secured the services of an independent lab to conduct thorough testing on every product within AJ's home and motor coach to find what might collaborate with his test, which created results that were within nanograms of accepted standards. We are working closely with NASCAR and Penske Racing to identify the next action steps in this process. ... We expect to have further updates in the upcoming days."

According to USA Today, "stimulants are defined as including amphetamine, methamphetamine, Ecstasy (MDMA), Eve (MDEA), MDA, PMA, Phentermine and other amphetamine derivatives and related compounds" in the NASCAR rule book. (Many ingredients that fit into the above categories are legal. Allmendinger has an endorsement deal with the energy supplement "Fuel in a Bottle," but there is no indication that product had anything to do with the test results.)

Allmendinger signed a one-year contract with Penske to replace Kurt Busch after the 2011 season and had one top 5 and three top 10s through the first 17 races of the season. Allmendinger got his start in the Sprint Cup Series with the now defunct Red Bull Racing team and then moved to Richard Petty Motorsports before arriving at Penske. Allmendinger came to NASCAR from the also now defunct Champ Car World Series, where he won five races in 2006 and finished third in the points standings to current IndyCar drivers Sebastian Bourdais and Justin Wilson.

2012 had been viewed as a "prove-it" year of sorts for the driver, predicted by many to grab the first Sprint Cup Series win of his career and as a potential Chase dark horse. But now we've gone from wondering if and when Allmendinger will be in victory lane to if and when we will ever see him back in the Sprint Cup Series.

The last Sprint Cup Series driver to test positive under NASCAR's current drug testing policy was Jeremy Mayfield, who said that his positive test for methamphetamines was due to a combination of Adderall and Claritin-D. Mayfield has never been reinstated by NASCAR and was arrested in November for possession of meth and stolen property.

There is no timetable for Allmendinger's possible return if he elects to enroll in NASCAR's Road to Recovery program. And if he does elect to pursue legal action, there's also no telling when a resolution would be found. (Mayfield's legal battle with NASCAR stemming from his positive test ended after he declined to file a final appeal this spring.) No matter what his course of action, even if Allmendinger reveals the specific reason for the test and enters NASCAR's treatment program, the events of the last week won't be forgotten, but they'll be much easier to be forgiven.

Even upon possible reinstatement, there's no guarantee that a ride will be available for Allmendinger. Penske admitted that there were already inquiries about the availability of the No. 22, and without a win to his credit, there may not be any suitors for Allmendinger.

Tags: , , , Penske, Penske Racing, sample test
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AJ Allmendinger tested positive for stimulant, rep reveals

11 Jul
2012

We now know at least the type of violation which got AJ Allmendinger pulled from the seat of the No. 22 Shell Dodge just hours before last weekend's Daytona race: a stimulant.

Tara Ragan, vice president of Walldinger Racing, released the following statement, presented in full:

"In an effort to help our colleagues in the media report on this in a timely and accurate manner, we wanted to provide some additional details regarding AJ's sample 'A' test results. AJ tested positive for a stimulant. He has no idea why the first test was positive, and he has never knowingly taken any prohibited substance. AJ is collecting his medicines and supplements for testing to determine whether an over-the-counter product caused his positive test.

"AJ and all of us at Walldinger Racing respect NASCAR's testing program, and he has requested that his 'B' sample be tested as part of the process of getting to the bottom of this. We will have the opportunity to review all of the scientific data surrounding the test following the 'B' sample test, but our understanding is that AJ's test was slightly above the threshold. As of this morning, we have not been given notice of when the testing of the 'B' sample will take place. Thanks again for all of the support of our fans, team, and sponsors as we continue working through the process."

This shuts down several possibilities (hard narcotics, for instance) and opens up several others, most notably the possibility that Allmendinger may have unknowingly taken some sort of stimulant that triggered the positive result. Allmendinger recently signed a sponsorship with an energy shot compound called "Fuel in a Bottle," but there is no indication as yet that any specific substance contributed to the positive result.

USA Today notes that NASCAR's rule book defines stimulants as including "amphetamine, methamphetamine, Ecstasy (MDMA), Eve (MDEA), MDA, PMA, Phentermine and other amphetamine derivatives and related compounds."

There has, as yet, been no scheduled testing of the B sample. If that sample was found to be in violation, Allmendinger would be suspended indefinitely and not even considered for reinstatement until he completed a treatment program.

Sam Hornish Jr. will be driving the 22 this weekend at Loudon.

Tags: , amphetamine, , , sample test, , Tara Ragan, , test results, Walldinger, Walldinger Racing respect
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Video: AJ Allmendinger questions, retiring numbers

11 Jul
2012

There are several big questions orbiting NASCAR this week, none bigger than the fate of AJ Allmendinger. Though the story is still in progress, we kick around the key components of the issue right here. And on a less solemn note: should numbers be retired from NASCAR? Busbee says yes, Hart says no. Listen to our arguments and have your say right here. Enjoy, friends.

Tags: , Enjoy, fate, , , ,
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Video: Wrap up the Daytona weekend right here

09 Jul
2012

This past Daytona weekend was one of the more interesting outings we've had all year. From an outstanding Nationwide race to a war of attrition in the Sprint Cup level, you couldn't quite figure how anything was going to play out, and that doesn't even account for AJ Allmendinger's, uh, "incident." But at least we've now got a new catchphrase, "A sample," to go with "Channel 2" and the orange cone and all those other memes. Relive the best of the weekend with the video above.

And for those of you looking to dodge work a little longer, here's the full race rewind:

On to New Hampshire!

Tags: , , attrition, catchphrase, Channel, Daytona, Daytona weekend, interesting outings, , , war, war of attrition
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AJ Allmendinger failed random NASCAR drug test, Hornish to replace him at Daytona

07 Jul
2012

Just hours before the Coke Zero 400, NASCAR has announced that AJ Allmendinger has failed a random drug test and has been pulled from the seat of the No. 22 Shell Dodge. Sam Hornish Jr. will be his replacement, and had to fly to Daytona from Charlotte with barely two hours' notice.

NASCAR tested Allmendinger during the Kentucky race weekend. According to NASCAR Vice President Steve O'Donnell, Allmendinger's "A" sample tested positive; according to NASCAR, he has the right to request a test of his "B" sample within 72 hours. O'Donnell spoke to the media at 6 p.m. Eastern but took no questions. There was no indication of what substance triggered the failure.

Allmendinger has been "temporarily suspended," with no word on how long he will be out.

"NASCAR notified Penske Racing this afternoon that AJ Allmendinger was administered a drug test earlier this week, and those results tested positive," Penske said in a statement. "NASCAR has a strict drug testing program that Penske Racing fully supports. Penske Racing will work with NASCAR through this process and its next steps. Sam Hornish Jr., will drive the No. 22 car in tonight's Coke Zero 400."

Allmendinger's teammate Brad Keselowski responded almost immediately on Twitter, noting "No comments on 22 car tonight as we focus on tonight's race. Thank u in advance."

Further details as they become available.

Tags: , , coke, drug test, , Penske Racing, random drug test, , Sam Hornish Jr., , Zero
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