Convo: Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger took a break at Atlanta to talk about his NASCAR aspirations, leaving a successful Champ Car team and his plans for the rest of this season, including this weekend's Nextel Cup race.

What was the evolution of your career planning, from participating in the Red Bull Driver Search -- which is a Formula One-oriented thing -- to ultimately landing in NASCAR?

Stats at a Glane Allmendinger's Truck stats Race St. Fin. Status New Hampshire 32 13 running Talladega 25 5 running Atlanta 2 34 crash

Allmendinger: In the Red Bull Driver Search, at that point you are just kind of searching around so see what you want to do for your career. I went through the Driver Search and really got to meet some of the Red Bull people.

I really enjoyed the Driver Search but at that point I had already made a name for myself in open wheel racing here in the States and thought that was the best place for me to stay. I told Red Bull that I wanted to work with them in the future in some means and fortunately enough in 2004 I was signed by them as a driver athlete while in the Champ Car Series.

Over the last couple years, I really enjoyed Champ Car. But when I was let go this year from my first team at RuSPORT, I put out the feelers for everything at that point.

As drivers, we see NASCAR all around in the States and we know how popular it is. I kind of put the feelers out there to see if there was any opportunity. I made a couple of phone calls and through Red Bull as a driver athlete, got to get on the phone with Bill Davis.

I just wanted a truck test to see what it was like. I did the test and he has given me a couple of races and I did fairly well at that. Honestly, I really enjoyed the racing more than I ever expected to.

I knew I was going to have fun because of the competition level. You are racing against 36 to 43 guys out there. The nuances of driving the truck were a lot fun and Toyota was gracious enough to give me that opportunity with Bill Davis.

Because of that [Team] Red Bull took a look at me and was pleased with how I did and thank God they are giving me this opportunity to get this chance.

You've said this has been a crazy year for you, getting fired by RuSPORT and rehired by Gerry Forsythe in Champ Car, and then getting some NASCAR opportunities, so can you describe what an emotional rollercoaster it's been?

Allmendinger: It feels like at times my head has been spinning. The emotions I went through from being released, to being rehired, winning five races and then having this opportunity come up -- It's been something I would never have imagined or would ever happen to me.

This is a year I will never forget. I've learned so much from it. It's been amazing and fantastic.

After coming to Forsythe's team under unusual circumstances, it seemed you gelled with the team and had the potential to be a championship contender in 2007 -- so with everything previously in your career pointing you towards Champ Car or even Formula One, was moving to NASCAR a difficult decision?

Allmendinger: I mean, that was a difficult decision. As I've said, I was thinking about it before it was ever even offered to me, just trying to get myself ready. Forsythe did so much for me and my career and I know that without them and what they did for me, I wouldn't even be sitting here right now because I wouldn't have gotten the chance to show my ability and to win those races to make people notice over here [in NASCAR].

So ultimately it was difficult. But I wanted to surround myself with a supporter like Red Bull, that's been a part of me for the last three years and really allowed me to show my ability. They stuck with me when I was let go from RuSPORT and said 'no matter where you go we're going to stick with you.'

Because of that it made it a lot easier to come and take the chance, knowing that it's still a brand new team and a brand new manufacturer coming into Nextel Cup, but we've all seen what Toyota's been able to do in the Craftsman Truck Series and in other forms of motor racing.

We know that once they hit it right, they can be dominant. And it's the same thing with Red Bull and their organization.

What kind of learning curve do you expect to experience as you move from open wheel to NASCAR stock cars and how do you feel about your adaptation to this point?

Allmendinger: Oh, it's tough. There's nothing similar at all from a NASCAR vehicle to a Champ Car vehicle. It's completely different, but I've really enjoyed it. Red Bull and the whole Bill Davis team have been fantastic to allow me to come in here.

I'm going to make mistakes. We all want to be perfect, but they don't put any pressure on me to be perfect -- and that's what's been great and makes it a fantastic experience.

I know it is going to be difficult. I never want to come in here and say that we are going to dominate or that we are going to go in and win races right away [but] I have confidence in my ability, definitely confidence in the team's ability and in the manufacturer's ability.

We know it is going to be a struggle. Ultimately, the first six or seven races next year the goal is to make each race because we are going to have to qualify on time. Wherever we start at, we want to keep improving through each quarter of the year and by the end of the year, if we can say we are a lot better from where we started, then for me as a driver and us as a team, then we can say it was a great year.

It is just about improving from the first of the year until the end of the year.

With rookies being under a lot of pressure to produce right off the bat, do you have a greater comfort level since you had a relationship with Red Bull coming into this deal -- and what are your, and the team's expectations for 2007?

Allmendinger: There's comfort, but ultimately I've still go to perform. I know that. It's not like I can sit back and say 'they've been such a supporter that I can take three or four years and learn. I can't. I know I've got to perform but no matter what pressures I get put on me by other people, I still put the most pressure on myself.

I don't want to go out there and be a hazard on the racetrack and struggle and run 30th every weekend. I know, at times -- and probably early on in the season -- it's going to happen. I've set myself up for that.

But that's not where I want to be all year in my career. So the most pressure comes from myself. I've always done that and that's the way I'm going to go into next season. That's why I take so many things I have to learn with pride and take the chance on them because I feel like I can do it and keep learning.

With Forsythe replacing you for the last Champ Car event, does that open the door for more NASCAR races down the stretch this season -- and what is your anticipated schedule as of now?

Allmendinger: I was obviously disappointed with [Forsythe's] decision. I respect it, but I was disappointed because I wanted to finish off the season and to go win one more race for the guys that have meant so much to me.

But at the same point, [Team Red Bull] has no plans set in stone at this point, other than we're running Texas. That was already the plan before I ever showed up here.

I don't know about any more truck races, yet. I don't know if I'll be able to do anything at Phoenix in Busch or trucks, and I don't think we'll do it in Cup because they don't have the cars for it.

But [leaving Champ Car completely] leaves the possibility open for it. We have nothing set in stone, so we'll see.

Do you have any fears that you'll be compared to Juan Montoya, as another open-wheel guy coming into NASCAR at the same time -- even though you are from two different periods in Champ Car -- and you're coming into NASCAR together and competing for rookie of the year?

Allmendinger: I'm excited. I love it. I love that a guy with his talent and his ability -- especially his [name recognition]. Everybody knows who he is and the recognition that he gets -- I love being compared against that.

I know that he's going to an established team with established cars that are running really well right now. So maybe he's got a bit of an advantage to start with. But I know that I made the right decision to go to the right place to keep working hard -- and at the end of the year we should be a lot better than when we started.

But I take that with so much pride and I'm excited by it. I know that if it comes down to it and I end up beating him for rookie of the year -- or a young guy like David Ragan who's jumping in next year -- that I've had a great year and it means a lot to me.

You want to race against the best guys. You don't want to just race against guys that are coming into the series and maybe don't have as much talent or something like that. And we all know that in the Nextel Cup Series, top to bottom the talent level is so high.

So I take all that with pride and I'm ready for it.

Assuming you'll make more money in NASCAR, how much of a consideration was that in your decision to switch disciplines?

Allmendinger: Unfortunately, as I'm looking out the window, if it keeps raining, I won't make any money, they said, because I won't qualify for the race [when the rainout lineup was set per the rulebook].

I never really like to go into details of my contract, but with everything that has been out there, I'm not going to lie. I will make more money, but it is because I will be doing double the races, or over double the races.

I'm doing more media, I'm doing more things off the racetrack, because of that I have to earn more money. Obviously, in the future, if I can be more successful and be one of the top-tier Nextel Cup drivers, the money will come [but] that wasn't anything in my decision.

After crashing at New Hampshire in qualifying, you rebounded in the race. You had a top five at Talladega and qualified second at Atlanta -- so to do that did you wipe the slate clean and come here with an open mind? How have you seemingly adapted so quickly?

Allmendinger: I always want to come in and win and I'm going to do everything that I can to make myself learn and try to be the best at it. But you've got to surround yourself with great people and that's what I've been able to do.

Like we were talking about: I made a mistake in Loudon but they didn't get down on me -- they busted their butts and got the back-up truck ready. At Talladega they just gave me all the information that they could and we had a great finish.

It's a lot of stuff being thrown at me, but I take it with a lot of confidence and knowing that I've just got to learn it. I can do it -- I've just got to learn it.

Do you feel like, with Montoya's move and this weekend Sam Hornish Jr. announcing a limited stock car program with Penske, you are on the leading edge of a wave of open wheel guys coming to NASCAR?

Allmendinger: I don't know. I can't speak for anybody else. At this point it was the right opportunity for me. I've had such a great relationship with Red Bull and the support that they have given me that I was willing to take this chance [because] I know the effort that they put into it and that Toyota puts into their programs and how successful they want to be.

I just knew for me that this was the right chance for me to take and it would be crazy for me to turn it down. I think it really comes down to that in NASCAR, whether it's in Nextel Cup, or through the Busch ranks, the Truck ranks or even ARCA -- there is just a lot more opportunity for drivers to get into a seat, make a living and get their name recognized.

In open wheel racing, there are only 17 to 18 cars in each series and that is tough to get in there and get your name recognized and get a ride.

What was your reaction to truck racing at Talladega?

MOST POPULAR Features Headlines Opinion Video Conversation: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Conversation: M. Waltrip Conversation: E. Sadler Last Lap: Best of the rest By the Numbers: Daytona 500 More Features Roush No. 6 Cup hauler involved in injury crash Big checks from Toyota a threat or mere myth? Higher speeds, added wrecks close LVMS test Driver opinions differ on LVMS after testing NASCAR puts limit on past champ provisional More Headlines Here's hoping NASCAR fixes the 2007 schedule Jr.: I expect to drive the 3 Top 35 rule is Toyota's worst enemy for 2007 Top 10: Predictions Partial in the buff pose shows Edwards is buff More Opinion NASCAR.COM Junior's future with DEI Earnhardt Jr. on his contract and relationship with Teresa Improve competition Learn how the Car of Tomorrow could improve competition More Videos

Allmendinger: I was saying to myself 'what the heck am I doing in the middle of this?' For me Talladega was some of the most fun I've had in a racecar. It was awesome. In Champ Car we didn't race many superspeedways by the time I got into the series.

You usually are going to be only two- or three-wide because in an open wheel car if you touch wheels it can be really dangerous and a big accident is going to happen. For me being four- or five-wide didn't affect me that bad -- it was just a lot of fun.

The thing I had fun about was trying to pick the right line and decide when to go and not to go. It was so fun and I can't wait to get to Daytona next year to be part of the Nextel Cup Series and see what that it's all about.

With your truck experience at Talladega, do you feel like you have a good baseline going into the Daytona 500, and that it won't be a total unknown?

Allmendinger: Well, I'll still have the rookie stripe on me so I'm definitely going to get punted to the back several times. The race at Talladega gives me a little bit of the experience at Daytona, but it is not like I'm going in there with the mindset that I know it all now and have learned everything I can.

It is going to be way different in the Cup cars obviously. The talent level there from top to bottom is so huge and it's going to be difficult to be one of the top guys. Just racing that [truck] race gives me a little bit of knowledge so that I'm not blindsided at Daytona, but there still is going to be a lot to learn.