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Sonoma, CA – As A.J. Allmendinger prepares to make his 500th career NASCAR Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway, the veteran driver is reflecting not just on the longevity of his career, but also on the persistent inner doubts that have fueled his remarkable journey. Allmendinger’s path to this significant milestone is one of the most unconventional in the sport’s history, marked by interruptions, a successful transition to other racing disciplines, and a tenacious drive to prove his worth.
The 44-year-old racer’s career trajectory defies typical NASCAR narratives. Before even establishing himself in stock cars, Allmendinger achieved considerable success in open-wheel racing, including a five-win season in CART and an outright victory at the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona in 2012 after a dramatic battle. He also came agonizingly close to winning the Indianapolis 500 in his sole appearance at the Brickyard. His NASCAR Cup Series career, however, has been a stop-and-start affair, punctuated by periods away from the sport. Yet, he remains a competitive force, recently securing a top-five finish at San Diego and currently positioned just outside the playoff picture with Kaulig Racing, a team that operates with considerably fewer resources than many of its rivals.
At Sonoma Raceway, Allmendinger is slated to start eighth, a stark contrast to his rookie season with Red Bull Racing in 2007, where he failed to qualify for 19 events. Today, he stands as a three-time Cup Series race winner, complemented by an impressive 18 victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (formerly the O’Reilly Series).
When asked about the significance of his 500th start, Allmendinger revealed a candid and introspective perspective during a press conference. "Yeah, I mean, it’s funny," he admitted. "I didn’t even think about the 500th start until our race team started posting about it. You know, I think there’s two ways to think about it and it’s the way I am mentally about myself. You think 500 starts, immediately my mind goes, ‘well, damn, I wish I had won more.’ Yeah, I wish in these 500 starts, there’d be more ups. But if you’d ask 2007 A.J. as I was missing most of the races on a brand new race team like, ‘hey, by the way, 19 years later, you’re going to be at start 500 at Sonoma’, I would have been like there’s not a chance in hell. I’m literally just trying to get to the next one."
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This internal dialogue highlights the driving force behind Allmendinger’s sustained presence in the sport. "I guess it’s good and bad because it’s what pushes me," he explained. "But, you know, I spent so many years early on just trying to make one fast lap in practice, make the race, show some sort of speed or put together just one good race. But people still wanted me to drive their racecars, and I guess it’s probably, unfortunately and fortunately, the way my mentality is still of I’m always out there trying to prove it to myself that I still belong here. It’s what drives me insane sometimes. It’s also what pushes me to want to be at my best every second of the day, to prove it to myself. Matt (Kaulig), Chris (Rice) and Trent (Owens), everybody on this race team is always like you got nothing to prove. You’ve done everything. And I’m like, no, I still have to wake up tomorrow and prove it to myself."
The choice of Sonoma Raceway for this personal milestone adds an emotional layer. "To be able to do it here (at Sonoma Raceway) especially, is pretty amazing," Allmendinger stated. "It would be one hell of a victory lane. There would be a lot of wine, mixed with Celsius, mixed with some other stuff probably. You might have to carry me out of victory lane, so hopefully that happens.”
Allmendinger expressed surprise at the relatively small number of drivers who have reached the 500-start benchmark. He learned he is the 48th driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to achieve this feat, a fact he initially found astonishing given his perception of the sport’s history. "I’ll be honest, the fact that I’m the 48th person, I just thought there were more people that have done it, so I didn’t think much of it," he confessed. "That kind of shocked me that I’m the 48th driver to reach that milestone. I think it’s something I’ll look back when I’m done and, you know, kind of go through the fun times. Getting to have Aero (his son) at a lot of these races now and how just super excited he is. He just loves it. I’m going to have to do more because racing is not cheap. I keep trying to get a golf club in his hands and he just keeps screaming at me about race cars, so I think I’m going to be here for a little bit longer."
His immediate focus, however, remains on performance. "But yeah, for me, I just always want to be better," Allmendinger reiterated. "So I think maybe at the end of it, I’ll look back and be like, ‘hey, that’s pretty amazing that I’ve gotten to do so many of them’. But right now, I just want to be better.”
The resurgence of Allmendinger’s career is intrinsically linked to his association with Kaulig Racing. He credits team owner Matt Kaulig and president of racing operations Chris Rice for providing him with the opportunity to transition from a career primarily focused on television appearances and sporadic IMSA races to a full-time NASCAR schedule. This second chance, he believes, prevented him from ending his career on a somber note.
“This is my home," Allmendinger declared, referring to Kaulig Racing. "Sometimes it can be a dysfunctional home on all ends. I’m the first one to admit it… I’m a little crazy, you hear it on the radio. But we love each other and we will fight to the death for each other. When I thought I retired the first time, I had two Xfinity wins and one Cup win. And now, we have like 21 wins together. I’ve gotten to kiss the bricks at Indianapolis. I got to win at Charlotte. I got to win on ovals. I got one of the coolest finishes ever at Bristol. I owe the happiness of my career to them. Whether it’s good enough in my mind, which like I’ve said, I wish I’ve done more. But if I would have retired the first time, I would have been kind of miserable about not doing enough. We’ve done some pretty damn cool things, and hopefully we’ve got more to go. I owe the happiness of my career when I’m done to Matt and Chris.”
Allmendinger’s career statistics at Kaulig Racing are impressive. Since joining the team, he has accumulated numerous wins across both the Cup and Xfinity Series, including significant victories at circuits like Charlotte Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. His performance at Sonoma, a road course where he has historically performed well, offers a chance for further personal and team achievement.
The driver’s acknowledgment of his inner struggles, juxtaposed with his tangible achievements and the unwavering support of his team, paints a picture of a racer who continues to push boundaries, both externally and internally. As he takes the green flag for his 500th Cup Series start, A.J. Allmendinger carries with him a career defined by resilience, a passion for competition, and the enduring quest for self-validation.
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