NASCAR star AJ Allmendinger will be going to Daytona Thursday and Friday to do a little racing—with an emphasis on “little.”
Allmendinger will participate in the World Karting Association Daytona Kartweek event at Daytona, the 2011 Margay Sprint Championships Manufacturers’ Cup on Dec. 29–30, racing a 125-cc, 28-hp go-kart on a .7-mile course in the infield at Daytona.
Allmendinger will compete in three classes: TaG 1, TaG 2, and Parilla Leopard, where he will be facing some of the nation’s best kart drivers. At the Zoom-Zoom Nationals in March 2011, Allmedinger captured a pair of seconds and a sixth-place finish.
“It’s great to come out and stay sharp with some karting, but it is always so tough to jump in and go against the guys who do this week in and week out. I just want to say that in case I don’t win anything!” Allmendinger joked in a press release.
All three classes race what are known as “Touch and Go” karts, so called because they have electric starters on their two-cycle engines. Other carts need to be push-started. These tiny racers weigh just a couple of hundred pounds, have no suspension and no front brakes. Races typically last less than 15 minutes.
Allmendinger, who recently signed on to drive the NASCAR Pprint Cup No. 22 Penske Shell-Pennzoil Dodge, is also preparing to race in the Grand Am Rolex 24 at Daytona, Jan. 28–29, 2012.
Allmendinger drives karts in the off-season to keep his reactions sharp, and simply to enjoy competition. “It is really very competitive, so I sometimes have to remind myself that I am out here to have fun and hopefully do well,” Allmendinger said. “I’m looking forward to doing a lot of karting over the next few days.”
Twenty different classes will race during the two-day event. A schedule is available at www.worldkarting.com/downloads/eb-2011/1211_mc_daytona.pdf. Live video and timing and scoring for the event can be found at www.worldkarting.com starting at 9 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, Dec. 29.
