AJ Allmendinger Reflects on Difficult Race in Atlanta: 'We Need to Be Better'

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Alex Harrington is a contributing sports writer located in the West Midlands, England. His focus is on F1, NASCAR, and the technology behind the sport. Alex joined Newsweek in March, 2024, having previously written for DriveTribe, Men's Journal, and Sports Illustrated. He is a graduate of the Open University with a BA (Hons) degree in Business. You can get in touch with Alex by emailing,  a.harrington@newsweek.com. You can find him on X @AlexOnRacing.

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AJ Allmendinger has reflected on his challenging race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, admitting that the team needs to do a better job, despite a valiant effort over the weekend.

Racing with the No. 16 Action Industries Camaro ZL1, Allmendinger started in 12th position but faced a tough battle throughout the race, finishing in 14th place after struggling to control his machinery.

For the California native, Atlanta Motor Speedway has been a track of previous success. In 2021, he clinched his first NASCAR Xfinity Series oval victory here, a big jump for the driver who was previously defined by road course wins. This year's race, however, wasn't so easy.

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AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. James Gilbert/Getty Images

The race began positively for Allmendinger, positioned in the middle of the pack, but as the laps unfolded, he faced increasing difficulty. Despite the team's best efforts, his performance was hampered by a challenging car setup.

The car's handling became a bigger problem, with the driver reporting that the vehicle felt loose during a caution. Crew Chief Trent Owens made attempts to rectify the car's issues early on by adjusting the nose of the vehicle during the first stage break. However, progress was limited throughout most of the race.

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Allmendinger said the following via a press release from the team:

"Hard fight all night, just struggled with balance overall. Then when you get back there in traffic, it's hard to make the right moves.

"I definitely need to be a little bit better making the right moves. I'm proud of the guys; we made a lot of changes to make the car as good as we could.

"We salvaged a decent finish there at the end, but we need to be a little bit better overall."

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