Michigan: AJ Allmendinger preview

STATESVILLE, N.C.-- If luck evens out in life, then AJ Allmendinger might be the next in line to win the Michigan lottery. He's certainly due some good luck.

The 27-year-old Richard Petty Motorsports driver saw a top-10 finish turn into a 30th-place finish at Pocono Sunday when his Stanley Dodge ran out of gas two turns from the finish. The week before a debris caution seconds after making a pit stop cost him two laps at Dover.

Despite the poor luck, Allmendinger takes solace in the performance shown by his No. 44 Stanley Dodge at Pocono running as high as sixth place in the race after starting 30th. He hopes for a similar run at Michigan International Speedway this weekend.

AJ ALLMENDINGER:

POCONO--"We had 199 great laps at Pocono. The last one stunk."

LUCK -- "If it weren't for bad luck I don't know what luck we would have. What can you do. You just keep on racing as well as you can knowing its going to turn sooner or later."

PERFORMANCE-- "My guys are working hard. There's still a lot of racing ahead and if we can run like we did Sunday then sooner or later we will turn that into a good finish. The car was fast Sunday. I think everyone at Pocono or watching on television saw that."

* Allmendinger will sign autographs at his merchandise hauler at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday in Michigan.

* Allmendinger will drive chassis 281 at Pocono.

* Allmendinger's 59th start in Sprint Cup.

-credit: rpm