In 2015, AJ Allmendinger was on the rise. Fresh off a 2014 Cup Series win at Watkins Glen, the road course ace had high hopes with JTG Daugherty Racing. But his optimism quickly hit a wall, or rather, the garage. Three straight weeks of mechanical failures wrecked his early season. At Phoenix, an overheating Earnhardt Childress Racing (ECR) engine forced him to start at the back. He still salvaged 17th.
The following week at Auto Club, a plug wire failure dropped him to 34th. Then came Martinsville, smoke filled his cockpit, oil leaked, and the car died by Lap 177. Allmendinger said at the time, “Motor issues of some sort, I’m not sure what the exact problem is with the motor. I noticed some smoke… then it was smoking so bad they black-flagged me.” He wasn’t alone. Austin Dillon, Childress’ grandson, also fell victim to ECR woes that day.
“We just have to do a better job of going through our procedures at ECR,” Dillon said. Back then, AJ still had patience. Fast-forward to 2025, and history is repeating itself. Allmendinger, now with Kaulig Racing, is again fighting mechanical failures. But this time, he’s not holding back. After another ECR engine went up in smoke in Kansas, AJ unloaded over the radio. And what he said lit up the NASCAR world.
AJ Allmendinger’s Kansas meltdown!
At Kansas Speedway during the AdventHealth 400, disaster struck early for AJ Allmendinger. On Lap 7, while exiting Turn 4, his No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet erupted in smoke. His engine gave up suddenly, trailing a thick cloud as he coasted helplessly. The caution flew. It was the first major interruption of the race, and it belonged to Allmendinger. “It won’t start,” he said, confirming what everyone watching suspected. “It’s done.”
But the biggest moment came not on the track, but over the radio. The usually composed Allmendinger lit up the comms with F-bombs for Richard Childress and co. “Hey ECR, you guys f—— suck!” he screamed. Crew chief Trent Owens asked, “You lose the engine?” Allmendinger shot back with pure sarcasm: “Yeah. Shockingly!” The tension didn’t stop there. More f-bombs followed. “I mean, what the f, you guys. F— you guys!” His rage could still be heard through the in-car audio, even after the radio cut out.
An early issue for AJ Allmendinger in Kansas. #NASCARonFS1 pic.twitter.com/v1ywbApTYS
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 11, 2025
This wasn’t a one-off outburst. It was built on a pattern. Just one week earlier at Texas, Allmendinger was caught in a violent wreck triggered by Bubba Wallace and Joey Logano. AJ’s car got caught in the chaos and launched into the air after contact with Noah Gragson. He finished 36th. Now, at Kansas, another DNF. Two races. Two finishes outside the top 35. It’s the kind of run that crushes a mid-tier team’s playoff hopes.
This is a developing story.
The post “You Guys F***ing Suck”: Richard Childress’ B-Team Driver Lashes Out at Crew After Engine Pops Off appeared first on EssentiallySports.
