News

FORT WORTH, Texas (November 1, 2008) - Justin Allgaier, piloting the No. 12 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger, posted a 21st place finish in Saturday’s O’Reilly Challenge race at the Texas Motor Speedway, his second NASCAR Nationwide Series start for Penske Racing.

Allgaier, who started in 13th place for the 200-lap event on the 1.5-mile speedway, scraped the wall on lap five, causing minor damage, not enough to pit.  As the opening laps of the race unfolded, Allgaier began losing positions after reporting in that the Mobil 1 Dodge was tight all the way around the race track.  By lap 11, he had slipped to 20th position. 

Despite Allgaier’s efforts to find a different line on the race track, he lost a lap to the leaders on lap 38.  Allgaier came down pit road on lap 51 for four tires, fuel, and wedge adjustments hoping to “free” the race car.  He restarted the race on lap 52 in the 29th position and advanced to 25th by lap 56.

Allgaier worked hard, but he reported to the Mobil 1 team that the car would fall off on the long run bringing back the tight-handling condition.  By lap 95, Allgaier fell two laps down to the leader, despite his consistent lap times. 

Caution fell on the Texas track on lap 113, and the No. 12 team brought Allgaier into the pits for more track bar and wedge adjustments.  When the race restarted on lap 119, Allgaier was in 23rd, and once again had a fast short run.  However, the Mobil 1 Dodge began getting tight, so the team came back down pit road under a subsequent caution to add spring rubbers to the right rear.  After returning to the track in the 23rd position, Allgaier was able to advance to 21st place, but became “aero tight” when behind another race car.

Another caution period began, and Allgaier came down pit lane for the third time of the day to take on four Goodyear tires and more adjustments.  Thanks to fast pit work, the No. 12 Mobil 1 team put Allgaier back on the track without losing any positions, restarting 21st on lap 184.

On lap 189, with just 11 laps left in the event, Allgaier, who was on the inside of another competitor, had the air taken off his car, sending him into a spin through the front stretch grass.  Allgaier was able to make a quick recovery and held onto the car and the position, finishing the 200-lap race in the 21st position.

"We struggled with being tight all day,” said Allgaier after the race concluded.  “Texas is a tough track because the heat gives out the tires sooner than other tracks.  We were able to adjust for the short runs but lost grip on the long runs and we became pretty aero tight around other cars.

“These guys on the No. 12 Mobil 1 Penske Racing Dodge worked so hard on this car and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to work with them.  We'll go back to the shop and talk about it and see if we can't do something better in Phoenix next week."

Allgaier will be back in the No. 12 Penske Racing Dodge at the Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, November 8, 2008 for the running of the Hefty Odor Block 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.  The race will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. EST and will air on MRN radio at 4:30 p.m. EST.