Darlington Preview from RPM...

STATESVILLE, N.C.—  AJ Allmendinger said Saturday night’s 500-mile race at Darlington International Raceway is one of the toughest on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit. Allmendinger’s 54th career start comes on the 1.33-mile, egg-shaped oval that is NASCAR oldest superspeedway. The 27-year-old Californian will carry a Best Buy paint scheme on his Dodge this weekend.

Allmendinger is actively campaigning for votes into the May 16th All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Only the top two finishers in the All-Star Challenge plus the remaining driver with the highest number of fan votes transfer to the All-Star race. Allmendinger gave away pizzas, created T-shirts, and even wrote newspaper columns in his bid to solicit votes from the public.

DARLINGTON— “This is what NASCAR is all about. I love this race. Darlington is probably the toughest track we race on. It’s a long, hot race. You have 42 guys out there racing you but the one that always seems to win is the track. I think Kyle Busch won there last time and he hit the wall about a dozen times.”

ALL-STAR RACE— “Well we’ve given away Hunt Brothers pizzas to the fans in Talladega. I was a guest newspaper columnist in Richmond and used my column every day to beg for votes. We haven't figured out what we are going to do in Darlington yet, but time is running out. I still need votes so please, please vote for me….I’ll give you a pizza.”

BEST BUY— “I’m thrilled Best Buy is on board this week. That company has been a strong supporter of all of the Richard Petty Motorsports Dodges over the last two years and it’s great they are with us this weekend as well.  As much money as I have spent at Best Buy on video games, televisions and electronics I feel like I’m their best Reward Zone cus­tomer."

Autograph Session--Allmendinger will sign auto­graphs for fans at the Petty souvenir hauler at 4 p.m. on Saturday In Darlington
    
Vote For Allmendinger--To vote for Allmendinger and other Petty drivers to transfer into the NASCAR All-Star Race click here: www.nascar.com
 
· Allmendinger will drive chassis 281 at Darlington. This chassis finished 16th at Bristol.

· Allmendinger is 28th in points with a third-place finish at Daytona as his best of the season.        

· Allmendinger will participate in the King’s Cup Karting for a Cause” to benefit the Paralyzed Veterans of America on May 19 in Mooresville, N.C. For more information  on the King’s Cup visit www.pva.org/gokart