AJ Allmendinger rejoined the Cup Series full-time, in 2025 after a Championship 4 run in the Xfinity Series the previous season. But the year hasn’t quite gone to plan. With just two top-fives and seven top-tens in 34 starts, he has two races left to end the season on a stronger note. Still, there’s no questioning his competitive spirit. In fact, it’s gotten to intense that his wife Tara Meador has had to step in.
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In Jeff Gluck’s latest 12 Questions segment, Allmendinger revealed that his hobbies turn into battles. When asked what he was talking about, Allmendinger shared his experiences on the golf course.
“Every time I play. But really, just with myself. I always joke with my buddies that I’d rather lose shooting 76 and them shoot 75 than me shoot 85 and they shoot 86 and I beat them,” he said.
The Kaulig Racing driver chalked it up to his racer’s mindset, saying his hobbies mirror racing in one crucial way. “You love it even though it drives you insane and gives you lots of misery at times,” the 43-year-old said.
“My wife [Tara] always says, ‘Why don’t you pick up a hobby that’s not competitive?’ I say, ‘No, I just want to be better at the hobbies that I’ve got.’ I love it and hate it all at the same time, just like racing,” he added.
Always fun to do a 12 Questions interview with @AJDinger: https://t.co/VXwhoQtZbX
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) October 15, 2025
That same fiery nature was on display again at Talladega before Allmendinger’s race came apart on Lap 52 of the YellaWood 500. Moments after the first round of green-flag pit stops, chaos erupted at the front of the pack.
A poor push from Erik Jones turned Noah Gragson, who slid into Allmendinger and triggered a multi-car wreck that collected Chase Elliott, defending fall winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and several others.
Allmendinger’s No. 16 machine took a brutal hit, smoke billowing as he climbed out and briefly lay on the ground before walking to the ambulance. He was one of seven drivers knocked out early, credited with a 37th-place finish. Six others, including Elliott, Stenhouse Jr., Gragson, and Jones, also failed to continue.
Now, Allmendinger will turn his attention to Martinsville, a track that has treated him a bit more kindly in the past, with two top-five finishes to his name. With little left to lose and pride still on the line, he’ll look to channel his Xfinity momentum and close the year on a high note.
