WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — AJ Allmendinger’s crash at Kentucky Speedway almost three weeks ago left him with a bandaged left hand and a thumb that required X-rays. Those scans came back negative, and the 34-year-old driver says it hasn’t given him trouble since.
Still, Allmendinger maintained he’s suffering some ill effects — just not from that.
“Nah, I feel like I’ve just been gut-punched and kicked in the not-such-fun place the last seven weeks,” Allmendinger said, “so that’s more the lingering effect.”
Allmendinger’s remarks came Tuesday during Day 1 of a two-day organizational test for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams on the fresh pavement at Watkins Glen International, site of the JTG-Daugherty Racing driver’s only premier-series victory in 2014. Given his road-racing pedigree, the 2.45-mile road course serves as an ample opportunity when the series returns Aug. 7 for the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen.
But worn down by the results of the last two months — a nine-race stretch with a 23.9 average finish and three DNFs — Allmendinger says he’s placing a greater value on bettering the No. 47 team’s overall execution than punching a ticket to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs with a one-race wonder.
“Performance everywhere’s just got to improve,” Allmendinger said. “It’s no secret I love this race track, I love road course racing. It’s my background, but it’s no different mentality than going to Pocono this weekend, going to Bristol after that, going to Michigan. We’ve just got to be better as a team — all of us together.
“This is a place — here and Sonoma, just road course racing in general — where I think a driver can make more of a difference, but you’ve still got to have the right package.”
The two-day test afforded Allmendinger some extra prep time on the track’s new asphalt. And while Watkins Glen ranks as a track where Allmendinger might control his own fate, minimizing the mistakes and misfortunes that have dogged the No. 47 Chevrolet of late is the priority, according to first-year crew chief Randall Burnett.
“It’s definitely one of AJ’s niches — here, Sonoma, he runs really well at Martinsville. We’re definitely trying to capitalize on that,” Burnett said. “That’s why we’re up here testing, making sure we can put our best foot forward on this deal. We’ve been working really hard on all of our programs — our mile-and-a-half stuff’s come a really long way this year. We’ve still got to get better for sure.”