AJ collect top 5 qualifying effort in Dega return

Hopes were high for the 84 as AJ made his return to his Cup ride and rolled out 41st for qualifying. AJ’s first lap was 51.42-seconds, running the bottom around the super-speedway. The 84 picked up and turned in a 51.367-second lap (186.423-mph). That immediately popped AJ to second on the board, just behind the Toyota of Tony Stewart.

A front-row start looked promising with only a handful of cars to go, “Front-row Joe” Nemechek proved his nickname and snagged the pole. Ken Schrader also snuck right in there in the end, putting Allmendinger in the fourth starting spot for tomorrow’s “Aaron’s 499”. This betters his career-best qualifying by one spot.

“Woohhhoo!” Exclaimed AJ. “This was an awesome way to make my comeback. I wish I could say this was all driver, but seriously, this goes to all my guys here, the guys back at the shop, and Toyota for bringing us some horsepower. I’m pretty happy! I hope we can just have some fun and get a good race in tomorrow. I am ready!”

Today’s qualifying marks the first time that both Red Bull Racing cars qualified in the top-ten. Both the No.96 and 22 cars, sitting 36th and 37th in the owner’s points, failed to qualify. That adds up to a great opportunity to gain on that precious top-35. The “Aaron’s 499” takes the green at 1:00 p.m. (CT) and will be live on FOX.