Allmendinger Latest Addition To Shootout

AJ Allmendinger’s first career pole with Penske Racing last weekend at Kansas Speedway earned him his third career starting berth in next year’s Daytona Shootout at Daytona International Speedway.

He toured the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway in the No. 22 AAA Dodge at a speed of 175.993 mph to earn the pole, becoming the 17^th driver to lock up a spot in the star-studded field of top NASCAR drivers that will compete in the event that kicks off Budweiser Speedweeks 2013.
“To get a pole like this and get in the Shootout and keep building the momentum, it’s a big deal,” said Allmendinger, who is in his first season at Penske Racing.
Eligibility requirements for next season’s Daytona Shootout return to its roots with the field consisting of pole winners and past Shootout winners who have attempted to qualify for at least one race during the 2012 season.

Allmendinger has made two previous Daytona Shootout starts, finishing fifth in 2009 and 12^th earlier this year.

2012 Pole Winners:

Greg Biffle
Carl Edwards
Denny Hamlin
Kasey Kahne
Mark Martin
Martin Truex Jr.
AJ Allmendinger

Past Shootout Champions:

Kyle Busch
Kurt Busch
Kevin Harvick
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Tony Stewart
Jimmie Johnson
Jeff Gordon
Bill Elliott
Terry Labonte
Ken Schrader