AJ Allmendinger, the driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, addressed the media ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series’ third points race of the 2026 season at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). Discussing tire wear, track limits, and competition dynamics, Allmendinger provided a thoughtful perspective on the challenges drivers face on this demanding road course.
Tire management remains a critical factor at COTA, especially with the increased number of tire packs available to teams this season. Allmendinger highlighted how this affects driving strategies during both qualifying and the race, emphasizing the delicate balance between pushing the limits and the risk of damage.
Balancing Tire Wear and Track Limits Amid Course Challenges
When asked about the impact of tire packages on managing COTA, Allmendinger explained the extent of damage tires endure, particularly through challenging sections like the esses. He welcomed the physical track limits, such as curbs, as firm indicators of racing boundaries, removing guesswork from driving lines.
“A lot… especially through the esses, it’s going to be a lot of damage. I mean, I don’t mind them. It’s nice to have kind of the limitation. When you’re out there, I wouldn’t say you’re guessing, but you’re always on the edge of track limits. Especially in the race when you’re behind somebody, you can’t see in front of you. You just see the car. But yeah, in qualifying especially, it’s going to be, how close do you want to cut it? I think you saw Connor (Zilisch) yesterday, his lap, he about skimmed it through turn four. He made up time doing it, so it’s risk versus reward.”
?AJ Allmendinger, NASCAR Driver
Allmendinger further remarked that having clear track limits provides certainty compared to previous years when drivers had to guess lines, particularly through turn six. Though hitting the curbs can cause damage, he appreciates having defined boundaries to compete within.
I don’t know… that’s a good question. I don’t know what the best way to do it. You know, I didn’t mind the first year we came here and we had that yellow curbing there, and that was kind of the judge of it, of going inside that curb. But with anything, if you run it over or if you hit it, it’s going to do damage to the car. I guess, in a way, that’s our own fault. We’re the ones inside controlling it. So, I don’t know if it’s the best way. I didn’t mind that curb, but you know, at least there’s something.
?AJ Allmendinger, NASCAR Driver
Addressing the Competitive Landscape and Personal Performance on Road Courses
Regarding the competitive narrative dominated by drivers like SVG (Sunday Gase Vance) and Connor Zilisch, Allmendinger reflected on the challenges faced last season and how his own performance has influenced results. He focused on the importance of self-improvement rather than frustration over others’ success.
“I mean, the way we change that narrative is you go beat them, right? But for the most part, we didn’t do that at most of the road courses last year. It’s not frustrating to me. I think, for me, the most frustrating thing was just, in general, we didn’t run great at the road courses last year. You know, I put a lot of that on my shoulders. I think as Goodyear softens the tire, it gives the advantage to a guy like SVG that really knows how to save the tires. It’s something that, whether it was setup-based or my own doing, I struggled with it last year of trying to be good on long runs.
I don’t really put stock in how good SVG is, in that sense. Like for me, it would be different if I ran second every weekend to him on the road courses and you can’t beat him, then that kind of gets frustrating. But we weren’t even in that ballpark, so I think it’s more focusing on myself. You try to learn from them; study it, try to figure out what makes them so good and try to go out there and be better. That’s kind of what I focus on. The only thing I get frustrated with is myself.”
Implications of Reduced Team Support During Upcoming Race Weeks
Examining the impact of having less technical support this season, Allmendinger mentioned that the team must adapt to new challenges on the Cup side. While there are internal gains from new personnel and tactics, the limited resources mean the margin for error is narrower during race weekends.
“Well, I mean, I think over these next five, six or seven weeks, we’ll kind of really see where we are. Of course, it’s a limitation and it’s a different challenge for us. I think there’s benefits inside the shop of the people that we’ve added and some of the stuff that we’re doing. But there’s also a negative to it, especially if we show up on a weekend and we’re off and you have nothing to kind of fall back on. That’s part of it. That’s part of where we’re at on the Cup side of it with our organization.
You know, at the end of the day, it’s still figuring out where your weaknesses are and trying to strengthen them. I think I’ll probably have a better answer for you on that in the next five, six or seven weeks. These first two weeks, we kind of know that it doesn’t really show anything of what you are or aren’t as a race team. But yeah, it’s a new challenge and we just try to make the best of it.”
How More Horsepower Affects Tire Conservation Strategy
With this year’s Cup cars maintaining familiar tires but featuring increased horsepower, Allmendinger acknowledged the further challenges this poses for preserving tire life during extended runs. The additional power requires more sensitive throttle control to avoid excessive wear.
It probably gives SVG more of an advantage, honestly (laughs). I mean, it’s a decent size gap of horsepower from then to what we have now, but it’s not massive. I definitely think if you’re burning the rear tires off, it’s going to make it worse or you’re just going to have to really be gentle with the throttle. I don’t think it changes it a big difference, but it definitely is going to be more keen on trying to save tires, and if you abuse them, it’s going to be more extreme.
?AJ Allmendinger, NASCAR Driver
Remembrance of Notable Past Racing Battles
Reflecting briefly on his memorable 2022 race battle with Ross Chastain and Alex Bowman, Allmendinger surprisingly admitted to having no clear memory of the last lap, highlighting how quickly intense moments can fade.
I don’t have any recollection of it. It’s out of my memory.
?AJ Allmendinger, NASCAR Driver
Evaluating Rising Talent Connor Zilisch’s Potential
Turning attention to younger drivers, Allmendinger praised Connor Zilisch’s versatility and rapid progression through various racing formats. He highlighted Zilisch’s rare ability to excel not only in NASCAR but also in IMSA, GTP, and international karting competitions.
“I mean, I think it’s very rare. There’s a lot of great race car drivers. I think word ‘phenom’ kind of gets used too much sometimes, but it definitely should be used on him. You know, what his career goes to, we’ll all see in live time and if he completely lives up to the hype. But to start with, he is and probably exceeding it.
You saw even yesterday, I mean he’s super quick. I think there’ll be mistakes made. Even like last year, you watch the Xfinity race – I think he made mistakes, but was still fast enough to make up for it.
The biggest thing is that he gets in everything and he’s fast. It’d be different if he got just in a Cup car and he was fast, but he gets in an IMSA car, he got in that GTP, and he was fast. When he was karting, to do it on the world stage and go beat some of the best, that’s hard to do. Karting in Europe, for people that don’t know what it is, it’s a different level than what karting in North America is. It is a completely different level. It’s a profession over there. He was able to go over there and compete, win and do things that a lot of Americans couldn’t. So yeah, I mean we’re going to see what he lives up to. But from what he’s shown so far, it’s going to be pretty special.”
AJ Allmendinger’s observations at Circuit of The Americas reveal a driver deeply aware of the evolving technical and competitive landscape of NASCAR. His insights on tire strategy, track limits, and learning from rising stars like Connor Zilisch provide valuable context as the season progresses. With COTA’s unique demands and the team’s internal changes, how Allmendinger and Kaulig Racing navigate these challenges will be critical in shaping their success in the weeks ahead.
