A.J. Allmendinger will return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025 with Kaulig Racing, the team announced Thursday afternoon on social media.
Allmendinger drove the team’s flagship No. 16 car full-time in Cup last season, where he recorded seven top 10s and scored his third career victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in October. He returned to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full time this year – the place where he won consecutive regular season titles in 2021 and 2022 – and has 10 top 10s through 20 races.
Running a part-time Cup slate this season, Allmendinger has three top 10s in 10 starts with sixth-place finishes at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway, Circuit of the Americas (Tx.) and Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. He’s also responsible for Kaulig’s first Cup victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in 2021.Â
Originally from Los Gatos, Calif., Allmendinger debuted with Kaulig in 2019 after his full-time NASCAR career seemingly came to an end after the 2018 campaign with JTG-Daugherty Racing. He’s responsible for Kaulig’s first Cup victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in 2021, which came seven years after Allmendinger’s maiden Cup win at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) Int’l in 2014.
The 42-year-old first went full-time in the Cup Series in 2007 with the Red Bull Racing Team and qualified for just 17 races. He spent time with Richard Petty Motorsports from 2008-2011 before moving to Penske Racing in 2012. Allmendinger failed a random drug test and lost his ride in July of that year but worked toward a full-time return in 2014 after going part-time in 2013.
Before coming to NASCAR, Allmendinger ran open-wheel cars, driving in the now-defunct Champ Car World Series. He also made six IndyCar Series starts in 2013.Â
Other information, including team personnel and a car number, are currently unavailable.
This is a developing story.