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Kaulig Racing's veteran driver AJ Allmendinger is set to return to the Cup Series in Bristol later this week.
Allmendinger returned to the Cup Series in 2023. The move was on the heels of a successful four-year stint with Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series, which included two regular-season championships and numerous other victories. While he failed to make his way into the Cup playoffs last season, the 42-year-old secured an iconic win at Charlotte Roval.
For the 2024 campaign, Allmendinger was announced back into the Xfinity Series on a full-time basis, piloting the No. 16 Chevrolet once again. Four races into the season, The Dinger has recorded impressive performances. He finds himself seventh in the drivers' standings.
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As the Xfinity Series takes a break in the upcoming Bristol NASCAR weekend, AJ Allmendinger is once again set to return to the Cup Series.
Allmendinger is set to take over the driver's seat of the Kaulig Racing's No. 16 Chevrolet. He will compete in the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 17. This comes after 22-year-old driver Derek Kraus made his first two starts in the NASCAR Cup Series over the past two weekends, piloting the No. 16.
AJ Allmendinger gets a new sponsor ahead of Cup Series return
With him making his Cup Series return in Bristol, Allmendinger's No. 16 Chevrolet has received a brand new sponsorship boost.
The No. 16 Camaro ZL1 will feature PepsiCo's Mountain Dew and CHEETOS® brands during the Food City 500 race at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
Reacting to the news, Kaulig Racing team president Chris Rice expressed his enthusiasm, saying (via Jayski):
"We’re excited to continue our partnership with Food City. This group has always been a lot of fun to work with and have become part of our Kaulig Racing family. We’ll have plenty of Mtn Dew in our hands and ‘Cheetle’ on our fingers on the pit box to get us through 500 laps."
Meanwhile, Food City president Steven C. Smith echoed Rice's statement. He said:
"Food City is proud to once again team up with our friends from Kaulig Racing and PepsiCo to sponsor AJ Allmendinger and the Kaulig Racing No. 16 Camaro ZL1 for the historic return of the Food City 500 to Bristol Motor Speedway."
AJ Allmendinger's latest outing at Phoenix Raceway ended with an 18th-place finish on March 9. Joe Gibbs Racing's Chandler Smith won the aforementioned race.
