Could AJ Allmendinger be just days away from completing a deal to drive the #41 Target-sponsored car for Chip Ganassi? And did Allmendinger drive his final race in the #84 Toyota? (Yahoo Sports), hearing Allmendinger could well be out of the #84 ride after Dover with Mike Skinner running the car at Kansas and Scott Speed running some races in the car the rest of the season.(9-22-2008) UPDATE: A.J. Allmendinger got the word Wednesday that he will not be back at Red Bull Racing’s NASCAR [#84] team next year. He’ll be replaced, no doubt, by Scott Speed.(Toronto Star)(9-22-2008) UPDATE 2: Mike Skinner reportedly will test A.J. Allmendinger’s #84 Toyota Camry in this week’s two-day open test at Lowe’s Motor Speedway near Charlotte, N.C. Officially, Allmendinger is still in the car for this weekend’s Kansas City race, but that’s very tenuous and likely to change. Skinner drove Allmendinger’s car five times last spring as Team Red Bull called on his years of stock car experience to evaluate the #84. If Skinner replaces Allmendinger this weekend–or at Talladega or Charlotte next month–it will open the door for former Formula One driver Scott Speed to run in Sprint Cup. (He can run up to six races this fall and remain eligible for a 2009 Rookie of the Year effort with Team Red Bull). The shuffling is contingent on Team Red Bull working with Ganassi-Sabates Racing to get Allmendinger into the #41 Dodge currently driven by Reed Sorenson. Team Red Bull expects to confirm this weekend’s driver lineup later on Monday or Tuesday.(Autoweek)(9-22-2008) UPDATE 3: Red Bull Racing Team and driver AJ Allmendinger have agreed to part ways for the 2009 Sprint Cup Series season. Allmendinger is in his second Sprint Cup Series season driving the #84 Red Bull Toyota, which currently sits 34th in owners’ points. “AJ is a talented driver and we really enjoyed working with him,” said RBRT Vice President and General Manager Jay Frye. “He’s come a long way in just two years and we wish him nothing but the best.” In an effort to continue the development of the #84 team, Red Bull athlete Mike Skinner will drive the #84 Red Bull Toyota during this week’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway open test. Skinner has been called upon by RBRT on multiple occasions since the team’s 2006 NSCS entrance, including a five-race stint in the #84 earlier in the 2008 season, as well as mentor duties for both Allmendinger and Red Bull development driver Scott Speed. Skinner will round off a three-car test for Red Bull Racing Team alongside Red Bull development driver Scott Speed in the #82, and Brian Vickers in the #83. Red Bull Racing Team will make an announcement regarding the 2009 driver lineup at a later date.(Red Bull Racing PR)(9-23-2008) UPDATE 4: been told that Allmendinger will be in the #84 at Kansas.(9-23-2008) UPDATE 5: Red Bull officials had hoped to keep Allmendinger at least through next season, but were unwilling to commit beyond that. Sources said Allmendinger has at least one offer of a three-year deal.(ESPN.com)(9-24-2008) UPDATE 6: On Tuesday, Red Bull Racing vice president and general manager Jay Frye said the team would soon be parting ways with driver A.J. Allmendinger — no later than at the end of the 2008 season. Sources confirmed Wednesday, however, that as long as testing continued to go well for Speed in the #82 Red Bull car at Lowe’s, he likely will replace Allmendinger in the #84 Red Bull entry for at least several races down the home stretch of this Cup season. Allmendinger will drive the #84 at Kansas this Sunday, but nothing has yet been finalized for who will drive the car beyond that.(NASCAR.com)(9-24-2008)
