UPDATE #2 Another reader writes, Dear AR1.com, Maybe I misjudged previous reports that Dinger’s road to recovery was going to be a long one before he would have a chance to return to NASCAR. Find it interesting that after Dinger attended Fontana as a guest of Penske, and rumors began to swirl that he may be jumping ship back to IndyCar, all of a sudden he is reinstated. AR1 and most IndyCar fans know what NASCAR has done to undermine IndyCar especially after Tony George split the sport, like making lucrative moves to deprive the series of any potential star power. Sure seems the road to recovery in NASCAR has a short cut; just mention interest in moving to IndyCar. Then again, maybe I misjudged the process and it’s timeline, but it sure seems to have happened a lot, lot quicker than initially projected. Yet again one of those integrity points that should reinforce the case on how NASCAR has, well, no integrity, but I am sure no major media source would even bother to bring that up and upset the NASCAR gravy train.
Andy Fogiel, Lansing, MI
09/18/12 A reader writes, Dear AR1.com, I smell a rat. Penske parades AJ around in the IndyCar paddock this past weekend looking for an IndyCar ride for him and immediately NASCAR reinstates him in an effort to keep him in the NASCAR fold. Mordichai Rosen, Los Angeles, CA
09/18/12 NASCAR announced on Tuesday that driver AJ Allmendinger has successfully completed the “Road to Recovery" program and has been reinstated effective immediately.
“I want to thank everyone for their support through this entire process," said Allmendinger. “I appreciate that NASCAR created the Road to Recovery program, and am grateful for the opportunity to return to competition. The Road to Recovery program was really helpful to me in getting my priorities reset away from the race track. And, honestly, that helped find my love of racing again and why I began racing in the first place. I’m looking forward to taking this experience and be better for it moving forward."