The Elephant in the Room

No one seems to want to go near the latest news about A. J. Allmendinger, but I will.

First and foremost, it's a lesson I hope all young drivers will take seriously. Based on A. J.'s statement, after complaining he was tired, someone handed him a pill at Kentucky saying it was a "supplement". It was in fact Adderall, a prescription medication for Attention Deficient Disorder. The acquaintance may have thought he was doing A. J. a favor, but A. J. knows the rules and common sense should have dictated that he decline the offer.

More than likely, A. J. trusted the person offering him the pill, but it was his responsibility to ask the person what exactly the pill was. I have given friends sub-lingual B-12's at times but have taken them out of the bottle and showed them exactly what they were.

I think A. J. will bounce back from this. At least I hope he does. If he's smart though, he will become a spokesperson or poster boy if you will, for young people everywhere that this is a dangerous and misguided path for anyone to travel. One wrong step can derail your future in an instance.

And NASCAR needs to step up and take the lead for all sports in drug prevention through technology and the expertise that is readily available today.

Actually, they should have done it 20 years ago.

Hadn't heard this. Disappointing that he was playing dumb when he knew all along. As I posted previously, his business manager should have kept her big mouth shut. He could have made things a little more tolerant for any any possible future car owner had he been honest and not deceitful.

Yup. I understand exactly what you're saying PK. But unfortunately, in the end it doesn't matter. Let's just pray he takes this negative and turns it into a positive. It's just a sad case all around.

Dave, there's a good chance he didn't know until he had run back through every step he had taken from the time of NASCAR's announcement to what he probably thought was an innocent action at Kentucky. As to his business manager, I said all along the smartest thing they could do is shut up and not say anything.

Tara Ragan's first name is clearly an acronym for Terrible At Representing Allmendinger . That much is true IMO.

AJ's story has more holes in it than a piece of swiss cheese. I don' t buy most of it. At best, he is dumb. At worst, he is a liar. Either way - hardly a recipe for success. But to make sure I understand his explanation - which by the way was confusingly given 'exclusively' to at least a couple of different sources I've seen so far: ESPN's Marty Smith and FOX's Lee Spencer. But I digress...

Hes tired. Whatever. It happens, sure.

• He has FUEL energy drink as a personal sponsor. Unlimited supply Im sure. And doesnt drink one? Nope.
• He was once sponsored by Red Bull. Hunch is he probably still sneaks one when cameras arent rolling. Drink one? Nope.
• 5 Hour Energy is EVERYWHERE around the track these days. Pound one? Nope.
• But when offered a pill with assurance from a 'friend' its an energy pill, sure let me at it. *Pop, swallow*
• And its the ONLY time hes ever done it.
• BS.

That lapse in judgment can't be smoothed over with words like 'innocent decision' or 'one bad decision' as Lee Spencer & Co. chose to write. At age 18-19? Perhaps I'd give him the mulligan. But this just in: A.J. ALLMENDINGER IS A 31 YEAR OLD ADULT PROFESSIONAL MULTIMILLIONAIRE HIGH PROFILE RACE CAR DRIVER.

I get how athletes often think they're invincible. But I'm tired of having their 'minor indiscretions' smoothed away. This isn't an 'innocent decision'. If it played out as he described, its a huge character flaw for someone of his age, profession, and stature.

Do I have empathy for him? Sure. Do I hope he can recover? Sure. Do I feel sorry for him and think he has been treated unfairly by fans, the media and Roger Penske? Hell freakin' no.

My rant to this point is predicated on his having told the truth. As I opened, being dumb is the BEST view of this story I think. I think I can read between the lines well enough that I smell a lot of 'untruths'. But assuming he is telling it as it happened, well that boy I tell ya is dumber than a ...

... dumber than an ...

... as sharp as a pound of ...

... and about as sharp as a ...

I was going to reply, but I don't think I can addanythingto this, TMC. I agree with you 100%.