Cristiano da Matta. Team owner Russo stated: "A.J. has been with us since we created RuSPORT late in 2002...However, as RuSPORT and A.J. have progressed, we believe a different environment will help A.J. to grow even faster, and so we have made this very difficult decision." Russo also believed a former champion in da Matta would present a greater opponent for defending champion Sébastien Bourdais, who had swept the season's first four races. Five days later, Forsythe Championship Racing announced Allmendinger as their new driver, replacing Mario Domínguez. In his first race with Forsythe, Allmendinger won the Grand Prix of Portland. Allmendinger became the first American to win a Champ Car World Series event since Ryan Hunter-Reay won at the Milwaukee Mile in 2004. He then won the next two races at the Grand Prix of Cleveland and the Grand Prix of Toronto, giving him three consecutive victories in the first three races since his departure from RuSPORT. This victory moved Allmendinger into second place in the CCWS championship standings behind Bourdais. He earned his fourth and fifth wins of the season at Denver and Road America. He left Champ Car with one race left in the season to accept a lucrative offer from NASCAR's Red Bull Racing Team. In 2007, Allmendinger commented that a lack of marketing and sponsorship due to the CART-IRL split played a role in him and several other open-wheel drivers moving to NASCAR, adding "it needs to be one series. To have all the best open-wheel drivers on this continent racing against each other, you'd hopefully get some sponsors back and get a decent TV package." 2013: Return to IndyCar with Team Penske It was reported in late 2012 that Allmendinger could move to the now-unified IndyCar Series with Michael Shank Racing, which he co-owned, for the 2013 season. This failed to materialize; instead, he participated in IndyCar's winter testing at Sebring with Team Penske, and in March it was announced that Allmendinger would compete in the IndyCar series for the team in at least two races, at Barber Motorsports Park and at the 2013 Indianapolis 500, with the goal of adding more races later in the season. This was extended to include the Long Beach Grand Prix, the Chevy Indy Dual in Detroit, and the season finale at Fontana. NASCAR 2006: Stock car debut Allmendinger made his NASCAR debut in the Craftsman Truck Series