DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 14: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, poses for a photo on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 14: AJ Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, poses for a photo on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

A.J. Allmendinger says he would have preferred to stay in Cup

A.J. Allmendinger admits he would have preferred to remain a full-time NASCAR Cup competitor but remains thankful for the opportunity and confidence Kaulig Racing has in him.

“At the end of the day, my preference was to stay in Cup if we were going in the right direction,” Allmendinger said during Wednesday’s Daytona 500 Media Day.

“At the end of the day, what (owner) Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice and all the men and women of this race team have done for my life over the last six years and hopefully more years down the road of believing in me to drive their race cars – whether it’s Xfinity or Cup of if we ever go Truck racing – whatever it is that they believe in me to drive their race cars, that means the world to me.

“There’s no frustration at all. I’m still so fortunate in my life that they still want me to drive their race cars.”

Motorsport