Tidbits for Texas

JUNKYARD STEW

Ingredients
3 laps to go
1 restart
1 batch of contaminated racing fuel, preferably by water that’s brown in color
“More than two and less than 43” fuel cells carrying the contaminants
1 stumbling engine in the leader’s car
Add aggressive Chase drivers to spice

Directions
In an intermediate oval on high heat, mix ingredients thoroughly, sit back and watch all hell break loose.

On a serious note ...

AJ Allmendinger, the rookie driver of Red Bull Racing Team’s No. 84, earned his best finish of 15th in the Oct. 13 Nextel Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Two weeks later, he ran 16th at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The youngest sister in the family of 1.5-mile, double-dogleg tracks is Texas Motor Speedway. The last time Allmendinger visited there, looming tornadoes and 60-mph winds stripped the No. 84 Red Bull Toyota of its chance to qualify. NASCAR nixed the session, owner points set the lineup and AJ and Co. were sent packing.

Rain or threatening weather, however, wouldn’t send Allmendinger home this weekend. The No. 84’s 44th-place position in owner points and 33 qualifying attempts have the car safely locked in even if the Fujita Scale enters the equation.

Teammate Brian Vickers, a pole winner last season at Texas, was one of the lucky few to sneak into the show based on his 2006 victory at Talladega. He finished 14th. At Atlanta, Vickers and the No. 83 regained some lost momentum with a 10th-place showing — the team’s fifth top 10.