Allmendinger to leave JTG-Daugherty at year's end

AJ Allmendinger will not return to JTG Daugherty Racing and its No. 47 Chevrolet in 2019, the organization announced in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

“AJ Allmendinger has been a valuable asset to the growth of our company, and we are grateful for his professionalism with our brands and the passion he has shown for this race team over the years,” said team owner Tad Geschickter.

“As hard as it may be, we’re moving in a different direction for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and will be parting ways at the end of the season. It’s not an easy decision and change is never easy. We wish him the very best in his endeavors, and he will always be family to us.”

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JTG debuted in the series as a single-car operation in 2009 and Allmendinger has driven for the team since 2013 when he ran nine races. Full-time in a JTG car since 2014, former IndyCar racer Allmendinger won his first career race at Watkins Glen, also the first in the history of JTG, that season and qualified for the playoffs.

Allmendinger finished 15th at Watkins Glen this summer. (Image by John Harrelson/NKP/LAT)

Allmendinger finished a career-best 13th in points in 2014, which to date is the highest JTG has been in the championship standings. Since 2013, Allmendinger has earned 26 top-10 finishes with the organization. He is 24th in the point standings with eight races left in the season. When JTG expanded to two cars going into the 2017 season, Allmendinger became teammates with Chris Buescher.

No replacement driver was named to Allmendinger’s seat.