AJ Allmendinger enters Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway needing nothing less than a victory to keep his NASCAR Cup Series championship dreams alive. Currently 181 points short of the playoff cutoff, the Kaulig Racing driver faces a clear but daunting scenario—win the Daytona showdown or miss the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, making AJ Allmendinger Daytona NASCAR playoffs the center of attention for fans and analysts alike.
Securing a win at a superspeedway such as Daytona is renowned for its unpredictability and chaotic finishes. Yet, Allmendinger maintains faith in his No. 16 CELSIUS Chevrolet, known for its speed, and in his team‘s ability to position him for a potential late-race surge.
Strategy Focused Solely on Victory
Allmendinger describes a mindset freed from the constraints of stage points or incremental gains, with total focus on the checkered flag. He recognizes the chaos characteristic of Daytona, particularly as many drivers face their own playoff-pressure scenarios, leading to unpredictable moves throughout the field.
“I guess the positive way to look at it is we don’t have to worry about anything besides winning. We don’t have to worry about points, we don’t have worry about stages, if we’re not up front at the end of the stages. The focus is just winning,”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
While Kaulig Racing brings a competitive package to superspeedway races, aided by ECR horsepower, the challenge comes as the looming “big one”—the multi-car crash that can instantly end any contender’s night—hangs over the event. Allmendinger notes that out of more than twenty drivers with nothing to lose, only a handful approach the race with a conservative strategy due to their secure playoff status. For everyone else, including Allmendinger, survival and late-race aggression are essential.
“We’re just going to go out there and try to be there at the end. That’s the first thing is you’ve got to be there at the end of this race. You got to be aggressive at times, but you got to do it in the right scenarios and with 15 or 20 laps to go, you got to be full tilt and leave everything out there. So, I think the biggest thing about this race is the way these cars draft now, you just got to be up front a lot earlier than you did in the past with the old cars. I would say kind of in that third stage, you got to get up to the front and try to do everything you can to stay there.”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
Allmendinger’s track record at Daytona suggests potential. He has notched sixth-place finishes in both the 2023 and 2024 Daytona 500 and secured third in the 2018 Coke Zero Sugar 400. Still, only a win Saturday will suffice for his playoff hopes.
Performance Reflections and Hopes for the Season
As Allmendinger evaluates his performance in 2025, he acknowledges missed opportunities, particularly on road courses where he has historically excelled. His lone top 10 finish on road courses this season was a sixth place at the Chicago Street Race.
While disappointment lingers over road course outcomes, Allmendinger is encouraged by improved speed and competitiveness on ovals, with notable top 10 results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway. Compared to the previous year, when Kaulig Racing struggled for consistency, the team’s increased speed and stronger finishes highlight significant progress.
“If you kind of look at where our program was last year, the cars were kind of low 30s in points. We had some good runs last year. Daniel Hemric had some good runs, I had some good runs at times,”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
Reflecting on the year as a whole, Allmendinger sees a marked step forward, attributing gains to faster cars and improved performance, even if the final results haven’t always reflected their speed. Several strong runs were derailed by bad luck or untimely incidents, underscoring the fine margins in Cup competition.
“As a whole, I’m happy with where we’re at speed wise. We’re always trying to improve and we know we have a good ways to go to get to the Hendrick and Gibbs consistently, but we’ve shown we can run there. Our road course — we’ve been off a little bit. I’ve got to be better, this tire has thrown me off a little bit, so that’s been a little disappointing just our road course results. Other than that, I’ve been happy with what we’ve done and what the future is for our race team.”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
A Strong Partnership with CELSIUS
Beyond the racetrack, Allmendinger’s relationship with CELSIUS has been a cornerstone of his time at Kaulig Racing. As the official energy drink sponsor since 2021, CELSIUS has been closely intertwined with the team’s rise, most notably during Allmendinger’s 2023 win at the Charlotte ROVAL.
“It’s just been a great partnership,”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
Allmendinger recalls his initial surprise at seeing CELSIUS products in the Kaulig Racing shop back in 2019, noting the brand’s rapid regional and global expansion, including partnerships with Ferrari and prominent athletes. Achieving victory with CELSIUS branding and sharing that milestone together has strengthened their collaboration.
“The CELSIUS product is something I use on a daily basis. That’s what I love about it is I don’t have to fake it… This is [something] that I literally will use on the golf course, working out, here at the racetrack — it’s essential to my life. It’s been great and as I said about my career, I hope this partnership keeps continuing and we keep growing together.”
—AJ Allmendinger, Driver
Looking Ahead: Playoff and Career Implications
The stakes at Daytona are clear—without a win, Allmendinger will be sidelined from the playoffs, a position that intensifies every competitive impulse. His recent performances show promise but also echo the urgency required in such a win-or-bust scenario.
Victory on Saturday would not only deliver Allmendinger a coveted playoff berth but would also further solidify the partnership between Kaulig Racing and CELSIUS. More broadly, his comments highlight the rapid evolution and competitiveness of the current Cup Series field, with powerhouse organizations like Gibbs and Hendrick remaining the standard to match.
With the intensity of the season finale looming and a field crowded by desperation and opportunity, Daytona promises high drama and major consequences for Allmendinger’s season and legacy. The outcome will shape both his 2025 campaign and Kaulig Racing’s future trajectory, as fans and key entities including Daniel Hemric, CELSIUS, and ECR watch with anticipation.
