Could #47 JTG/Daugherty Racing be looking to make a driver change at Michigan International Speedway next weekend? Although Bobby Labonte has driven the No. 47 car since 2011, with the team teetering just within the top 30 in owner points, sources tell FOXSports.com that AJ Allmendinger has been approached to fill the seat and offer a fresh opinion. Labonte, who turned 49 on Saturday, has 21 career Sprint Cup wins but has not posted a top-five finish in the car since he debuted with JTG/Daugherty in the 2011 Daytona 500. The 2000 Sprint Cup champion scored top 10 finishes last year at Daytona and Martinsville Speedway but his best result in 2013 was 15th in the Daytona 500. After a busy month of May in the IndyCar Series including a top 10 finish in the Indy 500 Allmendinger, 31, returns to stock cars this weekend at Pocono Raceway with Phoenix Racing. He will start 18th on Sunday after qualifying was rained out on Friday. Team owner Tad Geschickter could not be immediately reached for comment.( FoxSports ) MORE AJ Allmendinger will replace Bobby Labonte next week at Michigan International Speedway as JTG Daugherty Racing looks for answers for its struggling performance. Labonte is tentatively scheduled to return to the car the following week at Sonoma Raceway. The 2000 Cup champion, Labonte is mired in 28th in the standings with a season-best of 15th at Daytona. Having driven for JTG Daugherty Racing since 2011, Labonte does not have a contract for next season, but team co-owner Tad Geschickter said Saturday that this change is just to get a second opinion. The team does not have sponsorship for five races in 2013 and Allmendinger could run all of those five but that is still to be determined, said team co-owner Brad Daugherty. ‘Were not replacing Bobby hes still our driver’ Geschickter said. ‘But we have a few races that we dont have any sponsor activation and it was pretty easy to do (a change and) some benchmarking. The big issue for a single-car team, how else do you benchmark for your car? & Michigan is the only one set in stone (for a change). Bobby will be back in the car at Sonoma. It is just a good opportunity for us to verify what Bobby thinks the main issue is.” Allmendinger declined comment on the reports Saturday, deferring to Geschickter.( Sporting News )(6-8-2013) UPDATE: 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte will share seat time with AJ Allmendinger in the #47 Toyota Camry fielded by JTG Daugherty Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the remainder of the 2013 season. The team is currently eyeing five races with the first taking place in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan. The move is being made by the single-car operation to help refine the direction for the teams development of the Gen-6 Camrys housed in their Harrisburg, N.C. shop. Allmendinger believes he can assist the JTG Daugherty Racing team. ‘I have raced for Phoenix Racing some this year and feel confident Ill be able to provide JTG Daugherty Racing with a good comparison’ said Allmendinger. ‘Im thankful for this opportunity to work with the team and Bobby (Labonte).” ‘At the end of the day, the name of the game is to provide value to our sponsors’ JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter said. ‘We are realistic about our position in the garage as a single-car operation. However, we have always been able to punch above our weight to deliver a great value to our partners on and off the track. We have not been doing that with the new car and this move is an additional step in determining what areas we need to work on to improve our performance.”( JTG Daugherty Racing )
