CORONADO, Calif. — AJ Allmendinger has no plans to step away from racing anytime soon.
Allmendinger told reporters Saturday at Naval Base Coronado that he’s set to return to Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 car in the NASCAR Cup Series with no changes imminent.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Allmendinger said. “Like, I laugh when I see that. I mean, according to Chris [Rice, team CEO], I’ve got a contract till like 2032, so I’m not going anywhere. So I do kind of laugh about, like, ‘oh, next year?’ I’m like, that’s not on my mind because I’m here for life in one way or another.”
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A NASCAR competitor since 2006, Allmendinger has become a critical piece of Kaulig Racing since joining its O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program on a part-time basis in 2019 after a long tenure in Cup with JTG Daugherty Racing. After three wins in part-time competition, Allmendinger moved into a full-time O’Reilly ride in 2021 and 2022 before his return to Cup in 2023. The 2024 campaign was again spent chasing an O’Reilly championship, but Allmendinger has found his home again in the Cup Series since the start of the 2025 season.
A native of Los Gatos, California, southwest of San Jose, Allmendinger currently sits 21st in the Cup Series points standings with an average finish of 20.4. On its surface, those middling statistics may not leap off the page — and they certainly don’t satisfy the ever-competitive Allmendinger. But Kaulig’s Cup program — encompassing both Allmendinger and Ty Dillon — no longer receives manufacturer support from Chevrolet because of the team’s affiliation with Ram in the Craftsman Truck Series.
“I don’t like that excuse — for me,” Allmendinger said. “Now, do I look at how we’re running, and in my head I’m like, it’s pretty good for everything we’re up against? Yes. But if I just settle for that, I wouldn’t be doing my job for my race team.”
That has led to frustrated venting on the radio — a vocal release not uncommon for Allmendinger, but notable as he navigates the significant challenges limiting his race team. His frustration stems not from team performance but from his own performance.
“I just don’t want to suck for my race team, honestly,” Allmendinger said. “Like, that’s the ultimate goal. My frustration comes from me. When I’m mad — and believe me, I don’t get in my rental car after the race and go, ‘No, that was OK.’ Like, I get into the rental car after the race, like, God, just … but I’m frustrated with myself because I want to be better for us.”
And as long as there is room for improvement — for himself and for the whole of Kaulig Racing — Allmendinger is happy to keep racing as long as he’s contributing to the success of the program.
“I think it’s always whether I’m doing a good enough job and I’m further moving us and our race team [forward],” Allmendinger said. “That’s what goes back to that frustration part of it. That’s why I’m always like, I need to be better to keep moving us forward. But that’s up to Matt [Kaulig, team owner] and Chris. But yeah, at the end of the day, we’re not going anywhere.”