1on1: A.J. Allmendinger (cont'd)

Q: You said it just hasn't worked yet. What is the biggest problem that you have had?

Allmendinger: I think the biggest thing is the Friday pressure. You go through it for a year -- and then this year for whatever reason I was really confident after testing. It is racing. One has been rained out and in Vegas we just completely missed it all day. That was tough after the way we tested there.

I think the Friday pressure is tough for all of us. I think hopefully the biggest thing Mike can help us with is to figure out what we need on that one lap qualifying and just getting the car better. He is one of the best at it. I think if we can just get out of the mode of the Friday pressure and just work on that, Sunday would be easy. I could run top-20, top-10. Brian [Vickers] has obviously done a good job on the other side of that. There is no reason to think that I wouldn't do the same job as he is doing. We just have to get out of that funk.

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Q: Do you feel like you were pushed or maybe you pushed yourself too fast to move ahead too quickly in NASCAR?

Allmendinger: It wasn't something where I think I pushed myself too fast, but yeah, it is the situation. I would have loved to run all the Truck races that were at the same places as the Cup races last year and all of the Busch races -- Nationwide now this year -- to develop. You look at guys like Juan [Montoya] and guys like Dario [Franchitti]. They have ran so many laps in different types of NASCAR vehicles just to get acquainted with it and I haven't gotten that chance, but it is the situation you are put in. It was difficult and it has been rough, but you can't look back and change anything. You just have to move ahead and that is something that we are doing right now. For me I just have to keep the confidence in myself that I can do this. I know I can do this.

Q: How difficult was adjusting to this particular car full time and what kind of factor was that?

Allmendinger: I actually feel more comfortable in this car than I did in the standard car. It is just that this sport is so tough. One little thing like not having one extra lap at the Duel starts a downhill spiral. In Fontana it rained and in Vegas we just missed it. I feel comfortable in the car. As I said, in the testing at Phoenix the cars were good right away the entire test. I just feel good in the car. We just need to get things right as a team.

Q: Mike said he is going to work on getting it where you don't come in feeling the pressure and under the gun, but the veterans who try to qualify their way in feel pressure and under the gun. How are you not going to feel pressure coming in to make it or not make it into a race?

Allmendinger: You are always going to have that pressure, but I think what you need to do most is get the car so you have the confidence that you are in the show every weekend and it feels exactly like whatever racetrack you are at whether you are at Phoenix or Texas.

Q: Do you feel like you have been trying to overcompensate and take over for everyone else on the team?

Allmendinger: I think it comes down to what we are going to find out. I can tell you that I put more pressure on myself than anybody will ever put on themselves. That is something that I think when things are right that is one of my biggest assets. When things are wrong it is probably one of the things that hurts me the most. In Vegas for instance last week, did I think we had a good car? No, I think we just missed it. But at that same point, I still put all of that on my back -- that somehow I still should have got in the show.

As Mike said, you can't do that. Maybe in a different race car that I used to drive you could kind of strap that onto your back and hang on and get more out of it, but we know that here when it's not right you can't do that. I'm still trying to learn that. There are times when I put that into my head and say 'OK, maybe it was the car and I can't do anything about it,' but I always want to do everything that I can. Those guys on the [No.] 84 team are the hardest working guys that I've ever seen and because of that I put more pressure on myself to get the car in the show and run well just for them. As Mike said, that is something that I need to learn. The longer I do this probably the more I will learn that. At the same point I still want to do everything I can to get the car into the show and work hard for it.

Q: Did you kick the toolbox at first when you found out about the change?

Allmendinger: No, because we were at Phoenix and the team would have still been mad if I kicked their toolbox. I couldn't do that. It is just one of those things where it never helps the ego when someone says you are going to get replaced, but at the same point I understand the reasons why Jay is doing it. I respect those reasons and I know in the long run it is only to help me and I'm OK with that.

Yeah, I know Mike is going to get in this racecar and he's going to make all of them and he's going to run well. Why shouldn't he? He is Mike Skinner. That's who he is. On that fact, he may even make the equipment look better than it is because that is how good he is. At the same point, in the long run this is to make the equipment the best it can be and to help me. I'm just going to do everything that I can to be a better racecar driver in and out of the racecar. When we get back in it, I know I will be better than ever.

Q: Is there anything you wish you could have done different as far as learning and adapting to these cars?

Allmendinger: There is nothing to me that I would have done any different personally, but oh yeah I would have loved to have been in the racecar more and more whether it is the [new car] or a Nationwide car or a truck. That is something that I wish I could have been in. I remember talking to Juan after like the first four weeks last year and I'm said 'hey, how are you doing?' And he said 'Man, I'm tired. I've been in a racecar everyday of my life.' I'm like 'Cool, I've been sitting at home.' We didn't do a lot of testing. I didn't run any of those races really except for a few Truck races. Then the Nationwide races I ran at the end of the year, which obviously helped me a ton. It is what happens. Situations and deals fall through and it's nobody's fault. If I could do it all over again I'd be in a racecar every day of my life. It is what it is and this is where we are now.

Q: You are a tough guy. How hard has this been emotionally?

Allmendinger: It doesn't help the ego to get taken out of your racecar. Let's get it straight. I'm not sitting here with a smile on my face saying 'All right, the 84 car is going to go on the racetrack without me.' At the same point, I understand the reasons. Jay is doing everything he can. He has told me that he believes in my ability just like I do so we are just doing this for the right reasons. I'm going to be there as much as I can and just improve myself. And more importantly show to my guys that I'm not backing out of this. I'm not riding into the sunset. I'm going to be here stronger than ever. I'm going to be here for them because they are working hard and they are my guys still. It is not like we are leaving here. After four races we will be back in it and ready to go.