Allgaier Finishes 38th on Friday Night in Richmond
May 2, 2009
Richmond, Va. (May, 1, 2009) –Penske Racing driver Justin Allgaier was caught up in an early-race incident in the No. 12 Verizon Wireless/Star Trek Dodge Friday night at the .75-mile Richmond International Raceway and wound up with a 38th-place finish.
Allgaier started deep in the 43-car field for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250, but the promising rookie felt like he had a machine capable of moving up to the front. On lap 12, two cars spun right in front of the No.12 Verizon Wireless/Star Trek Dodge coming out of turn 2, and the incident blocked the racing surface. Allgaier did all he could to avoid the melee, but the No. 12 was swept up in the accident.
After the crash, Allgaier drove the car behind the pit wall where the team went to work making repairs to its Dodge Charger. The No. 12 crew did a phenomenal job working on the car and getting it back out onto the track so Allgaier could continue.
The Illinois native raced through the remainder of the event, picking up valuable positions to help score points for the season long championship. Allgaier took the checkered flag in the 38th spot. He and the No. 12 Verizon Wireless team now sit 12th in the Nationwide Series point standings
“I am not sure what happened,” commented Allgaier after the incident. “We were just trying to be careful while making our way forward and I had no place to go. Two cars spun in front of me and the track was blocked. I just hate it for all the guys on the No.12 Verizon Wireless/Star Trek Dodge. We got behind the eight ball a bit in qualifying and had to start near the back. I knew we would have to be cautious at the start and keep our nose clean. I just had nowhere to go when they starting wrecking. We will regroup this week and head to Darlington.”
The Verizon Wireless Dodge team heads to the famed Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina next weekend for the running of the Diamond Hill Plywood 200. The race can be seen live on Friday, May 8 on ESPN 2 with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The race can also be heard live on MRN radio as well as Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 128.
Justin Allgaier Lipton Tea 250 Statistics
Start: 37th
Finish: 38th
Laps: 140/250
Laps Led: 0
Status: Running