Penske Racing has named AJ Allmendinger as the driver of the #22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge. Allmendinger is coming off a career best season that saw him post a top-5 and 10 top-10’s while finishing 15th in the final driver standings.
Allmendinger had been driving the #43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports for the last two seasons and had previously driven the #44 for the team after leaving Team Red Bull.
In his career Allmendinger has made 152 starts at the NASCAR Sprint Cup level with four finishes inside the top five.
Last season Kurt Busch drove the #22 Dodge to two victories but following his actions at Homestead in November the two sides parted ways after six seasons. Following his release it was rumored that he could succeed Allmendinger in the #43 car but Jack Roush who supplies RPM with it’s parts appears to have put the brakes on that.
David Ragan who drove the #6 car for Roush Fenway Racing is considered the favorite to land in the #43 car for 2012. There currently is no sponsorship for the car who saw Best Buy opt to sponsor Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards for a total of 11 events in 2012.
