Three from Richard Petty Motorsports campaigning to make all-star race
Elliott Sadler is one of three drivers at Richard Petty Motorsports campaigning to be voted into the field by fans for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. // Jeff Robinson, NASCAR Scene
The only Richard Petty Motorsports driver locked into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway is Kasey Kahne, which means AJ Allmendinger, Elliott Sadler and Reed Sorenson have been campaigning to be voted into the race.
Twenty drivers are currently eligible for the race, the top two finishers from the preliminary Sprint Showdown will be added. The final driver to be added will be the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote.
Last year, Kahne won the fan vote to make it in the all-star race – and ended up winning the race, too.
So maybe that’s why Kahne’s teammates are trying so hard to win the fan vote.
Allmendinger, who won the Showdown last year to make the all-star race, and wife Lynne have been giving “Vote for AJ” T-shirts to fans and have dressed their dog in special shirts, too.
But the biggest campaign has been having Michael Waltrip Racing driver David Reutimann wear a Vote for AJ shirt.
“Giving away the shirts and Hunt Brothers pizzas have been a lot of fun, but the best moment so far is giving David Reutimann one of my Vote for AJ shirts,” Allmendinger said. “There’s a secret a lot of you don't know. Reutimann has a lot of my merchandise in his motorhome closet. … He wears me out for hats all the time.
“I’m not trying to stir anything up, but I think his wife and kids are going to vote for me. Can’t wait ‘til he sees this quote in the paper.”
While others have logical campaigns, Allmendinger has another appeal.
“The fans just have to vote for me,” Allmendinger said. “I know there are guys who are going to do funny stuff or donate money to a great cause. But I have a wife and dog to support and I desperately need to get voted into the race. … I’m kind of a charity case. If you vote for me you will be helping out mankind. Yes, I’m begging.”
Sorenson has a more serious campaign prmomise: He’ll donate his portion of any all-star winnings to the Ronald McDonald House Charities if he transfers through the fan vote.
“The fan vote is pretty important as Kasey proved last year,” Sorenson said. “If I’m fortunate enough to transfer in through the fan vote then I’ll gladly give my prize money to charity. The Ronald McDonald House Charities do some great work with kids and families.
“I’m fortunate to do what I love in life and I think giving back is important. If the fans give me a way into the all-star race then I don’t have a problem giving that money to people doing a lot of good in the world.”
Sadler also promises a charitable donation, but he’s using another tactic. If Sadler is voted into the race, he will personally rent a dunking booth outside the track before the Coca-Cola 600 the following week and will man the booth for one hour and donate and proceeds raised to Speedway Children’s Charities.
“Race fans should vote Elliott Sadler into the all-star race because I’m a good race car driver, I like to have fun with the fans and I’m the best looking driver out there,” Sadler said. “I’m just goofing around … kinda. But honestly, I think it would be a great honor to represent the race fans in the all-star race.
“Plus, as an added incentive if I win I’m going to rent a dunking booth for the Coca-Cola 600 right outside of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which I will personally be in, and allow fans to try and dunk me. Any money that we raise through donations will then go directly to Speedway Children’s Charities. So there is a little incentive to vote me in so we can have some fun for a great cause.”
