AJ Allmendinger slams Earnhardt Childress Racing engines after failure in Kansas Cup race

AJ Allmendinger, the Kaulig Racing driver, criticized the Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines when his engine blew up while he was racing at Kansas Speedway over the team radio. ECR Engines is the engine provider for four Cup Series teams this season.

Allmendinger, also known as the Dinger, is known for his versatility and resilience across multiple racing disciplines. He began his career in open-wheel racing, claiming five wins before moving up to NASCAR. He scored his first Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen, driving for JTG Daugherty Racing in 2014.

Allmendinger reinvented his career with Kaulig Racing in 2019, where he was running part-time in the Xfinity Series. After years with the team, he transitioned to a full-time status in 2023 in the Cup Series. He is currently driving the #16 for the team.

AJ Allmendinger said over the radio on May 11 during the AdventHealth 400 (via NASCAR journalist Kelly Crandall on X):

"ECR, you guys f**king suck."

His crew chief, Trent Owens, asked:

"You lose the engine?"

AJ Allmendinger replied ironically:

"Yeah. Shockingly."

AJ Allmendinger has raced in 11 races this season, earning a total of 217 points. He is currently ranked 19th in the Cup Standings with three top-ten finishes.

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AJ Allmendinger highlighted varying expectations between NASCAR tiers

In April 2025, AJ Allmendinger discussed the contrasting expectations between NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and Cup Series, particularly from the perspective of a driver at Kaulig Racing.

He explained in an interview with his team that in the Xfinity Series, both him and the team are expected to compete for wins and challenge for the championship, reflecting the team’s status as a frontrunner in that tier.

In contrast, in the Cup Series, finishing in the mid-field-anywhere from 15th to 20th place-is often considered a strong result for Kaulig, given the heightened competition and resources required at the top level.

"In the Xfinity Series, we're expected to go win races and try to win the championship. In the Cup Series, you know, there's certain weekends that 15th, 20th place, that's a great weekend for us. I've enjoyed this year, just in the short amount of time that we've had so far, working with Ty Dillon on the Cup side of it. That's been a fun teammate to have."

Allmendinger emphasized that while this isn’t where Kaulig Racing wants to stay long-term, being above the playoff cutline in the Cup Series is a positive sign for the organization’s progress.