CONCORD, N.C. — AJ Allmendinger lost his ride at Red Bull Racing on Tuesday, and it wasn’t clear if the team will let him finish out the final eight races of season.
Allmendinger is in his second season driving the No. 84 Toyota, but Red Bull opted not to renew his contract for the 2009 season. The team also pulled him from the car for the two-day test session that began Tuesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Mike Skinner is testing the car in Allmendinger’s place. Allmendinger is still listed on the entry sheet for this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway, and Red Bull general manager Jay Frye did not immediately return a call for comment about the status of the team.
“AJ is a talented driver and we really enjoyed working with him,” Frye said in a statement. “He’s come a long way in just two years and we wish him nothing but the best.”
Allmendinger moved from the now-defunct Champ Car Series to NASCAR before last season, and struggled as he and Red Bull adapted to the Sprint Cup Series. He got off to a slow start again this year, and Frye temporarily pulled him from the car to give Skinner, a veteran, a chance to assess the program.
Since returning to the car in April, Allmendinger has shown steady improvement but has not been able to get the car off the top-35 bubble. The No. 84 is currently ranked 34th in car owner points, just barely inside the window that guarantees it a starting spot in the field each week.
Despite Allmendinger’s progress, Red Bull’s Austria-based executives are believed to favor former Formula One driver Scott Speed and want him in the Cup Series next season.
Red Bull has spent considerable money developing Speed, who washed out of F1 but was sent back to the U.S. to learn stock cars. He’s been solid in the Truck Series and developmental ARCA Series, and is believed to be in line to replace Allmendinger in the No. 84 next season.
Speed, who is participating in this week’s test at Lowe’s, could also drive seven Cup races this year and retain his rookie status for 2009.
Allmendinger, meanwhile, is believed to be a candidate to replace Reed Sorenson in the No. 41 for Chip Ganassi Racing. Sorenson is moving on to Gillett Evernham Motorsports next year, and was replaced Tuesday at the test by Jeremy Mayfield.
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