AJ Allmendinger will return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevy.
Allmendinger has been out of the driver’s seat since July when he tested positive for a banned substance by NASCAR. He was released from his contract at Penske Racing shortly after and entered NASCAR’s drug rehab program. He completed the program last month and was reinstated by NASCAR.
Kurt Busch recently left the No. 51 team to head to Furniture Row Racing replacing Regan Smith. Smith was slated to drive the No. 51 this weekend and on an interim basis but Thursday morning Hendrick Motorsports announced that Dale Earnhardt Jr., would sit out the next two races and Smith was tapped to driver the No. 88 Chevy, opening up the seat at Phoenix Racing. MORE>>>
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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