ANOTHER NAME YOU MAY RECOGNIZE MAKING THE CLIMB

DAYTONA BEACH Justin Allison cannot show up at a track and not draw, at least, a little attention.

His last name ensures that.

I don't really like it, Allison said during Saturday morning's round of ARCA Series testing at Daytona International Speedway.

Not that the grandson of Donnie Allison and nephew of Bobby Allison dislikes his last name. It is just the recognition that comes with it.

I am more of a shy guy, the 21-year-old explained. But it is just something I have to get used to.

And if his grandfather is right, the younger Allison might want to start getting used to it sooner than later.

He has the skills, Donnie Allison said. All he has to do is hone those skills. There is no question in my mind that he is going to do extremely well.

Allison said he knew his grandson could be a special driver from the moment he saw him behind the wheel.

They talk about it being in the genes, Donnie Allison said. But I never believed in genes. I worked with Davey (Allison) and he struggled a long time. I worked with a lot of people ... Joey Logano and Trevor Bayne. Joey Logano's dad didn't race. Where does the gene come from there? But when I saw Justin come up and get in the car, and the last few years in the (Allison) Legacy (Series) car when he won the championship, and I saw him do things I did when I won. Then, I said, 'Maybe he does have a gene.'

It was almost a gene repressed.

Justin Allison said he was always around racing growing up. But there was a time when his focus was on other sports mainly football and baseball. He said he pitched and played quarterback, and at 6-foot-3, he has the type of frame that would have fit better at those positions than driving race cars.

I feel like a giant when I walk through the garage, he said.

And getting out of a car, well, that makes him laugh.

It's very hard for me getting in and out of there, he said.

A laundry list of injuries he named a broken arm, broken wrist and a knee injury turned Allison away from other sports and into the family business before he ever played at too high a level.

He could pitch a baseball as good as anyone, Donnie Allison said. But when he got in a race car, I knew that was what he was going to do.

To date, Allison's experience has been limited mostly to the Allison Legacy Series, the PASS Series and the USAR Pro Cup Series. He moved up to ARCA for the Oct. 4 race in Kansas and finished 11th. And, he said, his hope is to take another big step and run a full ARCA schedule this year.

A lot of that depends on sponsors though, he said. And, right now, finding sponsors is tough.

He said Friday's practice session marked the first time he turned laps on Daytona's 2.5-mile tri-oval, and he said the Feb. 15, 200 race at the track is a definite for him and his No. 88 Ford Fusion.

This is all exciting for me, he said. Honestly, there are some big shoes to fill with not only my grandpa but my uncle Bobby and Davey. They all ran well here.

I just have to keep digging.