With a turn here, a near miss there and a little luck all around Daytona International Speedway, Allmendinger finished fifth in the exhibition race that kicked off the 2009 season Saturday night.
It was a strong -- maybe even surprising -- start for the former open-wheel star who is scheduled to drive the first eight races in the No. 44 Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports. It also may have helped his chances of adding sponsorship and getting a shot at making more events this season.
"I want to run the whole year," Allmendinger said. "If we do something that makes people want to be part of this team, that would be great."
Allmendinger and Petty spent the last three months expecting to have a guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500. But two owners transferred points to other cars, knocking Allmendinger out of the top 35 in points standings and forcing him to have to race his way into the field.
"I'm not going to sit here and say, 'Awe, it doesn't matter,"' Allmendinger said. "It (stinks) in that sense. It's disappointing how late we were told. You can sit and (complain) and moan about it all you want, but it's NASCAR's sandbox. You've got to play in it. They're going to do what they want."
Allmendinger could have locked up a spot in the 500 field Sunday, but didn't have enough qualifying speed to secure a berth. He gets a final chance Thursday in the twin 150-mile races. If he doesn't make the field, it could reduce the chances of extending his schedule.
Allmendinger has a backup plan, though.
He might consider trying to run the Indianapolis 500, some Grand-Am races or take over another NASCAR seat, anything to stay behind the wheel while trying to gain sponsorship.
"There's other stuff I can do," said Allmendinger, who finished 16th or better in four of the final five races last season. "Obviously, this is where I want to be and I want to stick with one team. The stuff's there to run up front every week and I really think we can this year. The team's gotten things in order and figured out some things last year."
Allmendinger, who moved from the now-defunct Champ Car Series to NASCAR before the 2007 season, ran the final five races for Gillett Evernham Motorsports last season after Red Bull Racing opted not to renew his contract. GEM merged with Petty Enterprises during the offseason, and Petty signed Allmendinger to round out a four-car team that includes Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorenson and Elliott Sadler.
All four started the Shootout, but Allmendinger had the best finish.
"He was lucky to get through all those wrecks," Petty said. "He ran good all day. He was in there digging. We expected that. We thought he would have a chance to come onboard and have some success out the box. It's just one race, but it always makes everybody feel good if they finish pretty decent."
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HANDS FREE: It didn't take long for Jimmie Johnson to give his surgically repaired left hand a major test.
The three-time defending Cup series champion cut the middle finger on his left hand while trying to alter his uniform during last month's Rolex 24 sports car race. He had surgery to repair a tendon, and the stitches have been removed.
Johnson had planned on using padding to protect the finger during Saturday night's Shootout, but decided against it when the handful of braces he tried didn't fit.
Though the injury doesn't bother him when his hands are on the wheel, Johnson didn't take any chances after getting involved in a last-lap scrape with Casey Mears. When Johnson saw his car headed for trouble, he just let go.
"I got to a point last night where I knew I was hitting the wall and I got my hands off the steering wheel," he said. "It looks real ugly still and swollen, but it's doing well."
Johnson is using compression wraps at night to get the swelling down, but said it just blows back up when he's working. There is no pain, but the nerve damage does cause the finger to tingle at times.
While the injury won't keep him off the track, don't expect to see him at the driving range anytime soon. He tried a couple of practice swings in the grass and decided not to risk his day job imitating Tiger Woods.
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GREAT SAVE: Jeff Gordon has won three Daytona 500s, yet none of them required the nifty moves Gordon used to escape disaster during the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday.
Gordon was toward the back of the 28-car field early in the race when he saw Robby Gordon bump into David Ragan right in front of him. The bump started a chain reaction that seemed destined to collect the four-time Cup champion.
Yet Gordon escaped thanks to some brilliant driving and more than a little luck. He somehow split between Robby Gordon and Casey Mears only to push up on Scott Speed. He slammed on the brakes just enough to let Speed roll up the track, then ducked under a sliding Joey Logano to safety.
In a career of great saves, it may have been one of the best, even if it came in a race that really didn't count.
"It was like a slalom obstacle course," said Gordon, who finished fourth behind winner Kevin Harvick. "I was zigging and zagging and on the brakes and off the brakes. I don't know how I came out of that one. That's one of those when you look around like 'How'd that happen?"'
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HYLTON HEADS HOME: James Hylton's quest to become the oldest driver to start the Daytona 500 will have to wait at least another year.
Hylton's No. 60 Dodge never got on the track during practice, failing to meet NASCAR's mandatory speed minimum and sending the 74-year-old driver home early for the third consecutive season.
"I feel like I been snake bit" Hylton said. "The crew changed the starter, battery and more or less rebuilt the carburetor. The motor ran fine when we unloaded off the hauler. It's just disappointing when something like this happens."
Hylton has competed in 15 Daytona 500 events and earned a career-best third-place finish in 1967.
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REUTIMANN'S RIDE: The Reutimanns' latest ride should have a successful debut.
Michael Waltrip Racing driver David Reutimann spent part of the offseason helping build a race car for his 67-year-old father, Buzzie. The dirt-track car will make its debut Monday night at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa -- and should have the field covered.
"Judging by the shrinking of my checking account to get prepared for this season, he's in good shape," David Reutimann said.
Reutimann got help on the car from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing crew chief Brian Pattie.
"Brian did all the fancy stuff that you see," Reutimann said. "I ended up doing all the that stuff that nobody sees, like bumpers and skid rails. But it's some quality work, I might add. I'm not sure exactly if it's going to make it through tech, but it's really going to look good until it gets there."
Michael Waltrip even joked that Buzzie Reutimann might still have a shot at making it to the NASCAR's top series.
"He's our development driver," Waltrip said. "We think there's some good years left in him."
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AP Sports Writer Will Graves contributed to this report.
OFFICIAL: Real Betis Sign Ricardo Oliveira
New Petty team signs A.J. Allmendinger
