NASCAR: Allmendinger Will Leave Red Bull Team

Auto racing AJ Allmendinger will leave the NASCAR Red Bull Racing Team with immediate effect, the Sprint Cup team announced on Tuesday.

Allmendinger was completing his second year in the series and had put his No.84 car back in the top 35 in the owner standings, but recent results and the imminent arrival of former Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Scott Speed have put an early end to his second season with the team.

Red Bull are testing today at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where veteran Mike Skinner, who replaced Allmendinger in five races earlier this year, is driving the No.84 car.

Meanwhile, Speed is making his first official Sprint Cup series test in a third Red Bull Toyota, labelled with the No.82.

"AJ is a talented driver and we really enjoyed working with him," said the team's vice president and general manager Jay Frye. "He's come a long way in just two years and we wish him nothing but the best."

The team have yet to name the driver who will replace Allmendinger at next weekend's NASCAR event in Kansas, where Speed has already competed in the Craftsman Truck Series, finishing eighth.

The track is also a mile-and-a-half oval like Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he is testing until tomorrow.

However, Speed is initially scheduled to compete in Sunday's ARCA race at Millville, New Jersey, and leads the series' standings.

Meanwhile, Skinner is available to drive the car as the Craftsman Truck series where he regularly competes, doesn't have a race this coming weekend.

Speed is expected to take over the drive of the No.84 car next season.