NASCAR: 5 replacement candidates for Kyle Larson
By Asher Fair
A.J. Allmendinger
Like Daniel Hemric and Jamie McMurray, A.J. Allmendinger was recently released from his full-time NASCAR Cup Series ride and unable to find another ride. He was released by JTG Daugherty Racing after the 2018 season and has since joined the NBC Sports broadcast team.
While Allmendinger is on the older end of the NASCAR driver spectrum at the age of 38, he never officially retired from NASCAR competition either, despite completely missing the 2019 Cup Series season, the first season he missed entirely since he began competing in 2006.
Additionally, he has since competed in several Xfinity Series races. He signed an eight-race deal to drive for Kaulig Racing this year after competing in five races for the organization last year and winning the race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway roval.
He clearly still enjoys competing, so if he makes himself available for Chip Ganassi Racing to sign, it could be a win-win for both sides.
It would give the team a veteran driver to hold them over until they can assess the driver market for the 2021 season, which they may have had to do anyway with Kyle Larson having been a pending free agent, and it would give Allmendinger a great opportunity he never could’ve imagined to cap off his Cup Series career.