AJ Allmendinger remains confident as the final 10 races of the NASCAR Cup Series season await his No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet team. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 CELSIUS Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, entered Daytona International Speedway last Saturday night with a clear goal: a win that could have propelled him into the Playoffs.
Starting 21st, Allmendinger had pace and tenacity but ultimately finished 26th in the 400-miler, falling short of qualifying for the postseason. Still, Allmendinger’s speed during the race showed he remains a contender, and the final 10 races of the 2025 season offer multiple opportunities for him to chase victories.
“I’m trying to stay calm before, I guess, the storm happens,” Allmendinger said ahead of the Daytona weekend, reflecting on the challenge of racing at one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable tracks.
The 2025 season has offered glimpses of hope and optimism for Allmendinger. He has notched five top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place effort at the 600 at Charlotte, demonstrating the team’s potential when the car is performing at its peak.
“On one hand, you’d love to have more. You’d love to be locked into the Playoffs or be in that points position right now where you’re on the safe side of it,” Allmendinger said. “We had the speed to go out there and have those finishes…we just had some disappointing days on days when we had really fast race cars.”
He cited the DAYTONA 500, Dover and Indianapolis as events where strong pace didn’t translate to results, noting a motor issue at “The Great American Race” in particular.
Despite these setbacks, Allmendinger emphasized improvement over the course of the season.
“Judging off of where we were at the start of the year, or where we ended last year to where we are now, I feel like the speed of our race cars has been upgraded a lot,” he said.
Allmendinger also highlighted the adaptability of his team across different track types.
AJ Allmendinger and the No. 16 CELSIUS Chevrolet were in the mix in Saturday’s race at Daytona. (Photo: Grady Lundberg | The Podium Finish)
“We go to a lot of different types of racetracks, and that’s what stands out to me…Richmond is a perfect example. We qualified third. There were certain parts of that race where we’re really fast. We still struggled on certain aspects of it. But even places like that, we’ve had more speed,” he observed. “That’s kinda what I grade us on right now, and I feel like we’re doing a good job. We have way, way more ways to go to get where we wanna be, but definitely, we’re making a lot of progress.”
A key factor in that progress has been crew chief Trent Owens, who has worked with Allmendinger since 2018 and has been instrumental in elevating Kaulig Racing’s Cup program.
“Trent is very underrated as a crew chief. I feel like he doesn’t get talked about a lot. If you really look at his career, he’s been with a lot of smaller organizations and never had that big-time Cup team. But I put Trent up against anybody in the Cup Series in the garage. He’s one of the best crew chiefs out there. I thoroughly enjoy working with Trent, and he’s been a massive part of our Cup program since it started,” Allmendinger said.
As the 43-year-old native of Los Gatos, California, noted, his partnership with Owens goes beyond the track.
“I put a lot of pressure on my shoulders. I wanna win for Trent because the dude just absolutely deserves it to be in Victory Lane. Off the racetrack, we have a lot of fun together. I hope it keeps growing,” he said.
Daytona, with its superspeedway unpredictability, demands a particular mindset, and Allmendinger embraced the calculated risk-taking required.
“We just gotta win. We don’t have to worry about stages and things like that,” he said ahead of the 400-mile race weekend. “Especially early in the race, if I’m not comfortable with what’s around me, I can bail out because we don’t have to worry about points. The whole goal is to get into that third stage and work your way up front. And if you’re not up there, you do everything you can to try to get up there.
“You make certain moves, and there could be big consequences if it doesn’t work out. You strap the helmet on, and I’m okay with that. So we go do what it takes,” he added, demonstrating the composure necessary for superspeedway racing.
Like most drivers who’ve pursued Daytona glory, Allmendinger has come close to victory in a stock car at the renowned venue, underscoring the mix of skill and luck inherent at the track.
“This place never owes you anything. Sometimes I feel like it chooses who they want to win. Sometimes it’s luck. I’ve made moves that I thought were race-winning, and we’ve come up just a bit short, whether it’s the Cup race or the Xfinity race. Nothing would mean more to do that walk-off and get ourselves into the Playoffs,” he said.
While Daytona didn’t deliver the desired result, Allmendinger’s focus now turns to the rest of the season. He has a history of success at key tracks, including a victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in 2023 and a top-eight finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year. These results, combined with his speed at Daytona, suggest that Allmendinger remains a contender for multiple wins in the season’s final 10 races.
Above all else, Allmendinger highlighted the importance of his long-term partnership with CELSIUS, particularly with his life on and off the track with his wife, Tara, and their young son, Aero.
AJ Allmendinger enjoys a refreshing CELSIUS during race weekends. (Photo: CELSIUS)
“I absolutely love the partnership. I use it on a daily basis…They’re amazing with product at the racetrack, at my house, whether it’s working out, a lot of it is done on the golf course. I love having CELSIUS cans in my golf cart. It’s essential, and it helps me every day,” he said. “It’s mostly needed for chasing Aero (AJ’s son). He’s almost two years old. That’s basically how I train right now: get a little workout in, but more importantly, chase him around the house and outside and just trying to keep up with him. On race weekends, I continually have it in my hand. It’s much needed, especially during these summer months.”
He praised the impact of fans on the sport and the importance of authentic engagement.
“It’s huge. If fans don’t get behind the driver and the products they use, there’s no reason for the sponsors to come to the sport. I love when they show up. CELSIUS hands out product at appearances, and whether people have tried it before or not, they seem to love it. I always enjoy getting to interact like that,” he shared.
Allmendinger’s playful side also came through when discussing a potential personalized CELSIUS flavor.
AJ Allmendinger and the No. 16 CELSIUS Chevrolet entry will be in the mix as this season winds down. (Photo: Donald Jenney | The Podium Finish)
“I want it to be a little bold…maybe a hint of strawberry vanilla, something like that. Maybe I’ll talk to CELSIUS about working on my own flavor as an off-season project,” he quipped.
Despite the disappointment at Daytona, Allmendinger remains upbeat, even if that Cinderella result did not come to fruition at “The World Center of Racing.”
“I’ve always appreciated my fans, not just my fans, all the fans, because that’s what makes the sport. I really hope that we’re in Victory Lane Saturday night celebrating, and it’ll be one heck of a party if it happens. I can promise that,” he said.
With experience, preparation, and a strong partnership with CELSIUS, AJ Allmendinger is ready to chase victories at the Charlotte ROVAL, Las Vegas, and beyond, proving that speed and strategy can still deliver success in the final stretch of the 2025 season with a post-race celebration unlike any other.
Editor’s Notes
Special thanks to CELSIUS, Allie Winbun of M Booth and AJ Allmendinger of Kaulig Racing for this exclusive feature story.
