Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
With NASCAR preseason testing being just a few hours away from giving fans and teams a small preview of the 2013 season, another team has prepared its return to the track.
After spending the final races of the 2012 season with two different drivers, Phoenix Racing is set to race in 2013 with both of its drivers of the end of last season. According to ESPN the team will have Regan Smith and AJ Allmendinger sharing the ride in the No.51 car next season.
As the season set to begin at Daytona, Smith will be the first of the two drivers to race behind the wheel of the No.51.
Along with Smith and Allmendinger sharing time in the No.51 in the Cup Series, Phoenix Racing will bring back Kurt Busch to drive for them in select Nationwide Series races. Throughout the 2012 season Busch ran in 29 Cup races and four Nationwide Series races for the team. In his time with Phoenix Racing Busch won the July Nationwide race at Daytona.
With the 2013 season just days away the news of Smith and Allmendinger sharing time in the No. 51 car is what Phoenix Racing needed. Following the 2012 season the future seemed uncertain for the team, as they were not sure if the team would find all the necessary elements to compete in the new season.
Not only does the 2013 season allow Phoenix Racing to continue competing but it also allows Allmendinger to continue the comeback of his career after his troubles from 2012. In the Nationwide side, Busch gets the opportunity to mend his relationship with the team after some of the situations both parties went through in their time together.
Christy Valdez is a member of the NASCAR Media. Follow her on Twitter @Knowursports and on Facebook at On The Sidelines With Christy
