AJ Allmendinger faces a critical challenge at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 this Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, where he must achieve victory to qualify for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Currently 181 points shy of the playoff cutline, Allmendinger’s chance to advance hinges entirely on winning at this superspeedway event.
The task is daunting given the unpredictable and chaotic nature of racing at Daytona, but Allmendinger is optimistic about his No. 16 CELSIUS Chevrolet’s speed and performance. He believes that while the race will be hectic with many drivers desperate for a win, having a fast car and racing smartly will be key to positioning himself for a strong run in the final stage.
AJ Allmendinger Shares His Strategy for Daytona’s Season Finale
Speaking ahead of the race, Allmendinger explained that focusing solely on victory simplifies his approach, allowing him to throw points and stage standings out the window. He emphasized the advantage of concentrating on winning without worrying about incremental scoring.
“I guess the positive way to look at it is we don’t have to worry about anything besides winning. We don’t have to worry about points, we don’t have worry about stages, if we’re not up front at the end of the stages. The focus is just winning,”
Allmendinger said.
“I’m confident we’re going to have a fast CELSIUS Chevy every time we come to these superspeedway races. Kaulig Racing and with the help of ECR horsepower — we have a fast car. This race is hectic and it’s chaotic… [there’s] about 20 or 22 guys in desperation mode. There’s really only two of them that probably got to be a little careful and then there’s 14 that don’t have to worry about anything because they’re already locked in.”
He further detailed his game plan for navigating the unpredictable event, stressing the importance of being present at the closing laps and making aggressive moves when it counts most.
“We’re just going to go out there and try to be there at the end. That’s the first thing is you’ve got to be there at the end of this race. You got to be aggressive at times, but you got to do it in the right scenarios and with 15 or 20 laps to go, you got to be full tilt and leave everything out there. So, I think the biggest thing about this race is the way these cars draft now, you just got to be up front a lot earlier than you did in the past with the old cars. I would say kind of in that third stage, you got to get up to the front and try to do everything you can to stay there.”
Allmendinger’s recent performances at Daytona demonstrate his capability on superspeedways. With top-six finishes in the 2023 and 2024 Daytona 500s and a podium in the 2018 Coke Zero Sugar 400, he knows the track well but understands that only a win will guarantee his playoff participation this year.
Reviewing AJ Allmendinger’s 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Prospects
Allmendinger’s last victory came in 2023 at the Charlotte ROVAL, a road course where he has historically been strong. However, his 2024 season has presented challenges on road tracks, with just one top-10 finish — a sixth place at the Chicago Street Race. He acknowledged the road course performances were below expectations, partly due to adjustments with tire behavior.
Nonetheless, Allmendinger noted improvements on oval circuits in 2024, posting top-10 results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway. These achievements represent significant progress over the previous season, where Kaulig Racing struggled with consistency.
“If you kind of look at where our program was last year, the cars were kind of low 30s in points. We had some good runs last year. Daniel Hemric had some good runs, I had some good runs at times,”
Allmendinger reflected.
“Looking at the whole totality of this year, our speed is a lot better. We’re building a lot faster race cars. I think we’re overall a lot more competitive than last year. The thing that stands out and there’s a lot of teams that can say this, but we’ve had a lot of speed at times and probably haven’t gotten the results for that. There’s been three or four races where one thing or another happened, and we just haven’t gotten that finish. A team like ours, that’s disappointing when you have fast race cars because sometimes there’s gonna be times when you struggle.”
He added:
“As a whole, I’m happy with where we’re at speed-wise. We’re always trying to improve and we know we have a good ways to go to get to the Hendrick and Gibbs consistently, but we’ve shown we can run there. Our road course — we’ve been off a little bit. I’ve got to be better; this tire has thrown me off a little bit, so that’s been a little disappointing, just our road course results. Other than that, I’ve been happy with what we’ve done and what the future is for our race team.”
The Enduring Partnership Between AJ Allmendinger and CELSIUS
Throughout Allmendinger’s time with Kaulig Racing, CELSIUS has been a prominent sponsor, backing the team since 2021. This relationship has been significant for both parties, marked by shared victories, including the memorable win at the 2023 Charlotte ROVAL.
Allmendinger expressed appreciation for CELSIUS not only as a sponsor but also as a product he personally uses daily, making the partnership authentic and meaningful.
“It’s just been a great partnership,”
Allmendinger remarked.
“You can say seven years they’ve been a part of the race team, I remember walking into the shop in 2019 and this just shows to me how CELSIUS has grown, not just in North America, but we’ve seen throughout the world with like their partnership with Ferrari and just different sports and different mega athletes. I remember walking into the shop in 2019 and just seeing CELSIUS inside the race shop and to be quite honest, I was like I’ve never seen this before. To see where the partnership has grown, to be able to be in Victory Lane with them a few different times, get them a Cup win (Charlotte ROVAL, 2023) — it’s been huge, and their continued belief in me to associate and be a part of Kaulig Racing, but also be on the 16 car and have our partnership together, I really enjoy it.”
He continued:
“The CELSIUS product is something I use on a daily basis. That’s what I love about it is I don’t have to fake it… This is [something] that I literally will use on the golf course, working out, here at the racetrack — it’s essential to my life. It’s been great and as I said about my career, I hope this partnership keeps continuing and we keep growing together.”
Implications of the Daytona Race for the NASCAR Playoffs
For AJ Allmendinger, the stakes at Daytona could not be clearer: a victory is mandatory to gain entry into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. This requirement heightens the intensity of the race and puts him among the dozen or so drivers racing not just for points but for their season survival.
The NASCAR community will watch closely as Allmendinger leverages his superspeedway experience and the speed of his CELSIUS Chevrolet to navigate the tumultuous track. Success would extend his playoff hopes and reinforce Kaulig Racing’s upward trajectory in competitiveness, while failure would end his championship dreams for this season.
Given the unpredictable drafting dynamics and the “big one” wreck possibilities at Daytona, the race strategy hinges on timing aggression carefully and securing a spot among the front-runners with enough laps remaining to make a decisive push.
This weekend’s outcome will ultimately showcase the resilience and determination inherent in Allmendinger’s approach to his career, his team’s growth, and the vital backing of a partner like CELSIUS as he attempts to carve a path to NASCAR postseason glory.
