Allmendinger to drive Indy Grand-Am race

AJ Allmendinger will add a third race to his Indianapolis Motor Speedway resume later this month, as he will drive for Michael Shank Racing in the Brickyard Grand Prix GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race Friday, July 26 during the Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard.

Allmendinger will share driving duties in the No. 6 Michael Shank Racing Ford-Riley with Firestone Indy Lights veteran Gustavo Yacaman in the three-hour sports car race on the 13-turn, 2.534-mile Grand Prix road course at IMS.

California native Allmendinger made four consecutive starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brickyard 400 from 2008 to 2011 and plans to try to qualify for the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com Sunday, July 28.

He also made his first Indianapolis 500 start in May during a limited IZOD IndyCar Series schedule this season for Team Penske. He also has competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year, won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in June at Road America and raced in the Rolex 24 At Daytona GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race in February for Michael Shank Racing.

"It has been a really busy summer, but I am grateful for every opportunity I get," Allmendinger said. "I love racing for Mike (Shank) so I am really looking forward to the weekend. It is going to be a little weird to be going through Turn 1 one way, and then going through it the other way later in the day, but I think it is going to be a lot of fun and hopefully we can get Mike another trophy."

Allmendinger first drove for Michael Shank Racing in 2006, when he finished second in the Rolex 24 At Daytona with teammates Ozz Negri and Mark Patterson.

"I am really looking forward to having AJ race with us again and hopefully he can have the same kind of magic at the Speedway that he's always had for us at Daytona," Shank said.

Only three drivers have raced in at least three of the marquee auto racing events at IMS since the track opened in 1909. Juan Pablo Montoya has competed in the Indianapolis 500, United States Grand Prix, Brickyard 400 and Brickyard Grand Prix. Jacques Villeneuve has raced in the Indianapolis 500, United States Grand Prix and Brickyard 400, while Scott Pruett has competed in the Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and Brickyard Grand Prix.