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AJ Allmendinger will drive the No. 2 IZOD Team Penske car in the MAVTV 500 INDYCAR World Championships on Oct. 19 at the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

“I’m looking forward to racing the IZOD Chevy in the INDYCAR season finale,” said Allmendinger, who will make his sixth IZOD IndyCar Series start for Team Penske. “It’s always a great opportunity to compete for Team Penske and I had great time and a solid result racing the IZOD car in the last 500-mile race back in May at the Indianapolis 500. Hopefully, we can close out the season with another good finish for Team Penske and for Chevrolet.”

Allmendinger competed in five races in the first half of the season, with a best finish of seventh in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race after starting fifth. He led 23 laps. Allmendinger made his series debut at Barber Motorsports Park in early April, starting 10th and finishing 19th.

Allmendinger will join title contender Helio Castroneves and Will Power on the starting grid. Castroneves enters the 250-lap race 25 points behind championship front-runner Scott Dixon of Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Power has won two of the past four series races.

“AJ has been a good addition to our team this season and he was terrific racing the IZOD Chevrolet in the Indianapolis 500,” team owner Roger Penske said. “With his experience racing on the Auto Club Speedway oval in the past we believe he will be very competitive as we try and end the season with a strong result for Team Penske.”

Allmendinger won five races in Champ Car from 2004-06, but the Californian hasn’t competed at the speedway in an Indy car. He’s driven there often in stock cars.

Chevrolet enters the last race of the 2013 season tied with Honda in the IZOD IndyCar Series manufacturer’s championship. Each engine supplier has produced nine victories on the season so the winner at Auto Club Speedway will claim the series manufacturer’s title.

By Dave Lewandowski at IndyCar.com