CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Making his first public comments since he was temporarily suspended by NASCAR last weekend for failing a random drug test, Sprint Cup Series driver A.J. Allmendinger – a former Hollister resident – said he would “never knowingly take a prohibited drug.”
Allmendinger issued a statement on Tuesday, a day after he and Penske Racing officials requested to have the driver’s ‘B’ sample tested as well to confirm the original results.
“I am sorry that this has caused such a distraction for my Penske Racing team, our sponsors and fans. Obviously I would never do anything to jeopardize my opportunity here at Penske Racing or to my fellow drivers,” Allmendinger said in the statement.
“I am very conscious about my training and health and would never knowingly take a prohibited drug.”
NASCAR does not release the name of banned substances found during its testing process. Allmendinger can release the name of the substance, if he so chooses.
On Wednesday, Allmendinger’s business partner Tara Ragan – the vice president of Walldinger Racing Inc. – released a statement through Allmendinger’s website that he tested positive for a stimulant. The stimulant, though, was not named but Ragan defended Allmendinger.
“He has no idea why the first test was positive, and he has never knowingly taken any prohibited substance,” Ragan said. “A.J. is collecting his medicines and supplements for testing to determine whether an over the counter product caused his positive test.”
It will take a few days before NASCAR receives the results of the ‘B’ sample test. If it confirms the first test, Allmendinger will be indefinitely suspended from NASCAR and will have to complete and reinstatement program to be able to drive again.
Should the ‘B’ same test come back negative – which is highly unlikely – Allmendinger will be reinstated immediately.
“I fully respect NASCAR’s drug usage policy and the reasons they have it,” he said. “I am hoping this can get resolved as quickly as possible so that I can get back to driving the No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge.”
Penske’s Nationwide Series driver, Sam Hornish Jr., drove Allmendinger’s car in Saturday night’s race at Daytona and will drive it again in this Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Penske officials have made no other decision, preferring to wait for the results of Allmendinger’s ‘B’ sample test.
