CONCORD, N.C. — Justin Allgaier will return to the cockpit of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.
The reigning NASCAR Xfinity Sequence champion shall be Kyle Larson’s fill-in driver for observe and qualifying for the NASCAR All-Star Race on the five-eighths-mile race monitor.
Allgaier subbed for Larson throughout final 12 months’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and completed thirteenth within the rain-shortened race, which Larson missed due to his participation within the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Larson will miss observe and qualifying for the All-Star race whereas making an attempt to qualify for the 109th operating of the Indianapolis 500.
Allgaier would be the reserve driver for the All-Star Race and the next week’s Coca-Cola 600.
“We’re lucky to have Justin and we respect him stepping in to assist,” mentioned Cliff Daniels, crew chief for the No. 5 staff. “He and Kyle are very comparable in dimension, so there’s rather a lot within the cockpit that’s frequent between the 2.”
Allgaier additionally serves as a driver for Chevrolet within the wheel-force program, used to assemble information throughout check periods.
“I believe that serves him properly and it serves us properly,” Daniels continued. “He’s had a while within the simulator driving the monitor and he did the wheel-force check there a 12 months in the past, so he’s received some expertise within the Cup automobile at North Wilkesboro. We’re trying to put in a stable observe and ensure the automobile drives good.”
“On the finish of the day, I simply need to be certain Justin is snug in what he feels and he, after all, trusts the suggestions he’s going to offer us. If there’s one thing he can present to us to make the automobile sooner, we’re going to pay attention. We’re going to do these little issues after which we’re going to type of keep on with somewhat little bit of what we expect the monitor goes to evolve via, all through the weekend.”
