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Allmendinger Elated Over Win

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 18, 2008

CONCORD, N.C. - Former Champ Car star A.J. Allmendinger, benched for five races earlier this year by Red Bull Racing, won Saturday night's pre-all-star Sprint Showdown qualifying race.

Rookie Sam Hornish Jr., the three-time Indy Racing League champion and 2006 Indy 500 winner, finished second and also advanced to the main event

"I feel like I won the Daytona 500," said Allmendinger, who failed to qualify for the first three races and was replaced for the next five by Mike Skinner. "Nobody understands what this means to me after what we've been through."

Allmendinger's victory in the No. 83 Toyota came at the expense of Elliot Sadler, whom he knocked into the wall during the first of two 20-lap segments.

Sadler, who had a fast Dodge, made fun of Allmendinger's name and skewered him.

"There's a reason why he gets taken out of that race car it seems like every other week," Sadler said. "It's a shame."

Allmendinger admitted he erred and said he would apologize to Sadler later.

Hornish passed David Ragan for second on Lap 32 after stalking him for several laps. He had a faster car than Allmendinger at the end, but he settled for second, knowing that the top two finishers advanced.

Brian Vickers, Allmendinger's teammate, won the first segment but had to pit because of a leaking tire.

BURNOUT TITLE TO BIFFLE: Greg Biffle won the first all-star burnout competition, earning $10,000 for his animal foundation, but Jimmie Johnson easily put on the best show.

Biffle followed the rules by commencing a burnout, completing two donuts and guiding his car into a box with the wheels spinning. Johnson did a wild free-lance routine that brought the fans to their feet.

Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer also competed in the event, driving cars supplied by the Richard Petty Driving Experience that were not as well suited to doing burnouts as the regular cars.

"These things don't have a real heavy race clutch in them, so it was hard to get the tires spinning," Biffle said.

Johnson ignored the format, slid his car all over the place and knocked over the cones designating the victory lane box. The crowd loved it.

"I know there was a competition taking place, but I said, 'Forget it, let's just have fun and blow the tires out,'" Johnson said.

NOT TEAM SHOPPING: Biffle said that anybody who took his critical comments after last week's disappointment at Darlington to mean that he is ready to leave Roush Fenway Racing has it wrong.

He said negotiations on a new contract are progressing, and he hopes to sign a deal by mid-summer.

"Nothing has changed," Biffle said. "I don't quit. I'm not going to quit on my guys."

Biffle's No. 16 Ford was the fastest car in the first half of the race at Darlington, but a loose wheel and then a broken timing belt left him with a last-place finish. Afterward, he complained about his equipment not staying together.

The 2000 truck and 2002 Busch series champion has questioned Roush's commitment to him in the past, but he said he was speaking out of frustration at Darlington.

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