July 25, 2012
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
In the
aftermath of a positive drug test and resulting indefinite suspension
from NASCAR competition, AJ Allmendinger has opted to enter NASCAR's
Road to Recovery program,
Allmendinger's business manager confirmed Wednesday.
Allmendinger
maintains that he has never knowingly taken a banned substance and that
he is unaware of what caused the urine sample taken June 29 at Kentucky
Speedway to test
positive. On Tuesday, the "B" portion of the split sample confirmed the
earlier test of the "A" sample, which Ragan said was positive for a
"stimulant."
Allmendinger
was suspended temporarily before the July 7 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona
after he and NASCAR were notified of the positive "A" sample test.
NASCAR made the suspension
indefinite when the test of the "B" sample confirmed the earlier
results.
Allmendinger
must complete an individually designed Road to Recovery program before
he can be recommended for reinstatement to competition.
"While
we await further information from testing to determine the cause, we
have notified NASCAR that AJ will participate in the Road to Recovery
Program starting immediately,"
Ragan said. "As we have stated earlier, we respect NASCAR's drug
testing policies.
"They
are first and foremost in place to protect drivers and AJ being among
those. We fully support the program, and as more details become
available, we will share them."
Sam Hornish Jr. will replace Allmendinger in the No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge on Sunday at Indianapolis and Aug. 5 at Pocono.
"We're
very pleased that AJ Allmendinger has chosen to participate in the
NASCAR Road to Recovery program," NASCAR spokesperson David Higdon said
in a statement.
"It's
designed, as proven, to provide a roadmap leading to a return to
competition, and we wish him the best of luck. As we have with other
competitors, we look forward to
the day when the Program Administrator recommends him for
reinstatement."
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