AJ Allmendinger Sends Strong Message to ‘Most Bad*** Driver on the Planet’

Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger has been in NASCAR since 2006, and he has faced off with some absolute legends. Now he has dished out some major praise for Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson.

Allmendinger spoke to NBC Sports’ Parker Kligerman after finishing second behind Larson at Watkins Glen International on August 21 — the second time in a two-day span. The road course ace explained that he probably would have won if he had gotten ahead of Larson on the final restart considering that his car was better in the first half of the track. He just couldn’t pull off the move.

“That’s why I think he’s the most bad*** driver on the planet,” Allmendinger said. “Because he doesn’t really make any mistakes. We see what he can do in any race car. Second sucks two days in a row, but to race with Kyle Larson for the win in any race is pretty special.”

Allmendinger and Larson put on a show during the final run to the checkered flag. They both passed leader Chase Elliott after Larson used an aggressive move to get by his teammate, and then they battled over the road course. Both showed their road course expertise while avoiding any slip-ups that would open up opportunities for Joey Logano or any other driver.

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Larson Was Equally Complimentary

GettyKyle Larson (left) had praise of his own for AJ Allmendinger (right).

Larson and Allmendinger have had their fair share of battles in multiple NASCAR series. The last two races at Watkins Glen International were only the latest examples, but they only further increased the respect between the two men.

As Larson explained during his post-race media availability, Allmendinger is one of the best road racers in NASCAR. His 11 combined road course wins in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series are a testament to this fact. Having him in the rearview mirror brings up some nerves that can play a factor late in the race and force other drivers to make mistakes. Larson also said that Allmendinger would win even more if he had equipment on the same level as his.

“I’ve always had a lot of respect for AJ,” Larson said. “I think it’s a little bit less of that now because he does a really good job in the Xfinity Series, but I feel like he’s one of — if not the most — underrated guys in the NASCAR — any series in NASCAR — of my career that I’ve had in stock cars.

“You can just tell when drivers are really good. For AJ to put himself in position every single time on a road course, whether it be any series that he’s in, is amazing. As well as good of a job as he does in the Xfinity Series on ovals. I feel he really carries that car a lot of times. You can compare him to his teammates, and he’s always outrunning them. I feel like that’s kind of a way to judge how good a driver is.”

These 2 Veterans Had Limited Races Against Each Other in 2022

GettyAJ Allmendinger (right) dealt with an engine issue at the Charlotte Roval.

Allmendinger is not competing in the full Cup Series schedule in 2022. Instead, he is in pursuit of his second consecutive Xfinity Series regular-season championship and a second consecutive appearance in the championship four.

The Dinger has only made 12 starts in points-paying races and two starts in exhibition races. He debuted the Next Gen No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet during the trip to the LA Memorial Coliseum in February and then he competed in the All-Star Race in May.

Allmendinger only has two races remaining on his part-time schedule. He will return to the No. 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 17, the event that serves as the Round of 16 cutoff race. Allmendinger will then round out his schedule with a race at the Charlotte Roval, a track where he has won three straight Xfinity Series races.

Allmendinger only made five Cup Series starts in 2021 while driving the No. 16, which included a win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when Larson finished third and the playoff race at the Charlotte Roval. He was not able to capitalize at the North Carolina road course as an engine issue ended his day early while Larson went on to capture his seventh win of the year.

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