Kaulig Racing taps AJ Allmendinger to take over Cup Series car full time in 2025

AJ Allmendinger is back to the NASCAR Cup Series. Kaulig Racing announced that he will compete full time at the highest level in 2025.

The talented driver began his partnership with Kaulig Racing in 2019, when he embarked on a part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. He would continue in that capacity until 2021, when he was promoted as a full-time Cup Series driver.

AJ Allmendinger then ran for two more seasons at the Cup Series level before stepping back to the Xfinity Series full-time for the 2024 campaign.

Now he’ll be back at the top level.

The 2021 and 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season champion, AJ Allmendinger has run 440 NASCAR Cup Series races over 17 years, securing 78 top 10 finishes and three wins.

His last win came at the 2023 Bank of America Roval 400 (Charlotte Roval).

Austin Dillon’s playoff berth revoked

While the AJ Allmendinger news is welcome for many fans of NASCAR, the big news this week has been the penalty levied on Austin Dillon following the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway.

After wrecking both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the last corner of the last lap, officials have revoked Dillon’s automatic playoff berth, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.

Dillon has also been docked 25 points. His spotter, Brandon Benesch, has been issued a three-race suspension. Benesch was heard telling Dillon over the radio “wreck him” in reference to Denny Hamlin as the two approached the start-finish line.

In the aftermath of the race on Sunday it felt like there was a shift. There was a certain mood to the postrace interviews and ceremonies. Now we know that NASCAR felt the same way and is punishing Dillon for his reckless driving on the last lap.

On3’s Jonathan Howard also contributed to this report.