Aric Almirola facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aric Almirola
Almirola at Richmond Raceway in 2024
Born	Aric Michael Almirola (1984-03-14) March 14, 1984 (age 41) Fort Walton Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	160 lb (73 kg)
Achievements	2014 Coke Zero 400 winner 2018 1000Bulbs.com 500 winner 2021, 2023 Bluegreen Vacations Duel winner 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race Open winner
NASCAR Cup Series career
460 races run over 16 years
2023 position	22nd
Best finish	5th (2018)
First race	2007 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 (Las Vegas)
Last race	2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (Phoenix)
First win	2014 Coke Zero 400 (Daytona)
Last win	2021 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (New Hampshire)
Wins Top tens Poles 3 96 6
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
118 races run over 13 years
2024 position	17th
Best finish	4th (2011)
First race	2006 Circuit City 250 (Richmond)
Last race	2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race (Phoenix)
First win	2007 AT&T 250 (Milwaukee)
Last win	2024 National Debt Relief 250 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 7 48 5
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career
78 races run over 8 years
2024 position	91st
Best finish	2nd (2010)
First race	2005 O'Reilly 200 (Memphis)
Last race	2012 WinStar World Casino 350K (Texas)
First win	2010 Dover 200 (Dover)
Last win	2010 VFW 200 (Michigan)
Wins Top tens Poles 2 38 0
Statistics current as of November 10, 2024.

Aric Michael Almirola (born March 14, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has competed in many NASCAR series, including the top-level NASCAR Cup Series. Almirola has also raced part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He is known for his wins in the Cup Series and for being a consistent driver.

Aric Almirola's Early Racing Days

Aric Almirola was born in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and his family is from Cuba. He started racing go-karts when he was just eight years old. By age 14, he was competing in national races. He even won the starting spot (called the pole position) in his very first World Karting Association race!

Two years later, he moved up to racing modified cars. He earned several "Rookie of the Year" awards, showing he was a natural talent.

Aric Almirola's NASCAR Journey

Starting Out in NASCAR

In 2002, Aric joined the NASCAR Sun Belt Weekly Racing Division. He finished second in the "Rookie of the Year" standings. The next year, he won five pole positions.

In 2004, Aric became one of the first drivers in NASCAR's "Drive for Diversity" program. This program helps bring more diverse drivers into racing. He also joined Joe Gibbs Racing as a young driver, working with former NFL player Reggie White. Aric won two races at Ace Speedway that year. In 2005, he won five more races there and started racing in the Truck Series, getting two top-10 finishes.

Climbing the Ranks (2006–2007)

In 2006, Aric drove in the Craftsman Truck Series for Spears Motorsports. He finished in the top 10 three times. He also raced in nine Busch Series races for Joe Gibbs Racing. He even helped his teammates by testing their cars. Aric earned his first career pole position at the Milwaukee Mile.

In 2007, Aric raced more often in the Busch Series. He won another pole position at Daytona International Speedway. He also won the pole at the Milwaukee Mile again. In a surprising turn, he started the Milwaukee race and led 43 laps. His teammate, Denny Hamlin, took over later due to other commitments. Hamlin won the race, but Aric was credited with his first NASCAR Busch Series win because he started the race. After this, Aric decided to leave Joe Gibbs Racing and joined Dale Earnhardt, Inc..

New Teams and Challenges (2008–2009)

Almirola's No. 8 Cup car in 2009

Almirola's No. 40 Nationwide car in 2009

In 2008, Aric became a co-driver of the No. 8 car in the NASCAR Cup Series, sharing it with Mark Martin. He had a great finish of eighth place at Bristol Motor Speedway. For 2009, Aric was set to drive the No. 8 car full-time. However, after seven races, he lost his spot due to a lack of sponsors. He then raced part-time in the Truck Series and had a strong run of seven races finishing eighth or better.

Finding Success in Trucks and Xfinity (2010–2012)

Almirola's No. 88 Nationwide car in 2011

In 2010, Aric focused on the Truck Series. He won his first Truck Series race at Dover International Speedway and another at Michigan International Speedway. He finished an impressive second place in the Truck Series points standings that year. He also had his first top-5 finish in the Sprint Cup Series at Homestead.

In 2011, Aric drove full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (formerly Nationwide Series) for JR Motorsports. He earned two pole positions and had 18 top-10 finishes, ending the season fourth in points. This strong performance led him to a full-time spot in the Cup Series.

Return to Cup with Richard Petty Motorsports (2012–2017)

Almirola's 2013 Sprint Cup car, in the same Air Force scheme he took to victory lane at Daytona in 2014

In 2012, Aric joined Richard Petty Motorsports to drive the famous No. 43 car. He earned a pole position at Charlotte Motor Speedway and had one top-5 and four top-10 finishes. He finished 20th in points.

In 2013, Aric continued with the No. 43 car. He had a great streak of consecutive top-10 finishes, the best for the No. 43 car since 1996! He finished a career-best 18th in points. In 2014, he signed a three-year contract extension.

First Cup Series Win at Daytona

At the 2014 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, Aric earned his first career Cup Series win! He avoided two big crashes and was leading when the race was stopped early due to rain. This win was very special because it was the first victory for the No. 43 car since 1999. It also happened exactly 30 years after Richard Petty won his 200th race. Aric said, "The good Lord was watching out for us today and we were meant to win." This win also secured his spot in the 2014 playoffs, called the "Chase for the Sprint Cup."

Almirola's No. 43 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2017

In 2015, Aric had a consistent year, often finishing in the top 15. He nearly won the fall Richmond race with a smart strategy, finishing fourth.

In 2016, Aric won an Xfinity Series race at Daytona, beating Justin Allgaier by a tiny 0.003 seconds! He said this felt like his first real Xfinity win, as he drove most of the 2007 Milwaukee race.

Serious Injury and Recovery

In May 2017, Aric was in a serious crash at Kansas Speedway. He was airlifted to the hospital and was diagnosed with a back injury. He was able to walk the next day, which was great news. He missed several weeks of racing while he recovered. Other drivers, including Regan Smith and Bubba Wallace, filled in for him. Aric worked hard and was cleared to return to racing in July.

In September 2017, Aric announced he would leave Richard Petty Motorsports at the end of the season.

Moving to Stewart–Haas Racing (2018–2023)

Almirola's No. 10 car at Sonoma Raceway in 2019

Aric Almirola racing at Martinsville in 2022.

In November 2017, it was announced that Aric would drive the No. 10 Ford for Stewart–Haas Racing starting in 2018. He was leading the 2018 Daytona 500 on the last lap but crashed, finishing 11th. His consistent driving helped him make the playoffs.

Second Cup Series Win

At the fall Talladega race in 2018, Aric and his team were very strong. On the final lap, Aric was running second when his teammate Kurt Busch ran out of gas. Aric then scored his second career Cup Series win! This win guaranteed him a spot in the Round of 8 in the playoffs. He finished the season fifth in the points standings, which was his best career finish.

In 2019, Aric made the playoffs again but was eliminated in the Round of 16. He finished second at Texas Motor Speedway, his best finish of the season.

In 2020, Aric continued to show strong performances. He finished third at the 2020 GEICO 500 even after spinning backward across the finish line! He led many laps at Pocono and Kentucky, showing his speed. His consistent driving helped him make the playoffs for the third year in a row.

Third Cup Series Win

In 2021, Aric won his qualifying race for the Daytona 500. Later in the season, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Aric passed Ryan Blaney for the lead with 57 laps to go. He went on to win his third career Cup Series race after NASCAR ended the race early due to darkness.

In January 2022, Aric announced he would retire from full-time racing after the 2022 season. However, in August 2022, he changed his mind and decided to continue driving the No. 10 car in 2023. He started 2022 with a fifth-place finish at the Daytona 500. He had a good year with two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. In October 2023, Aric announced he would not return to Stewart–Haas Racing in 2024.

Part-Time Xfinity Series (2024–Present)

Almirola's No. 19 car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024.

In 2024, Aric returned to Joe Gibbs Racing to race part-time in the Xfinity Series. He won at Martinsville Speedway and earned a special bonus. He later won two more races in the playoffs at Kansas Speedway and again at Martinsville.

Aric Almirola's Personal Life

Aric Almirola was born in Florida and grew up in Tampa. His family has roots in Cuba. His grandfather, Sam Rodriguez, was also a race car driver, racing dirt sprint cars.

Aric went to Hillsborough High School in Tampa. He even studied mechanical engineering at the University of Central Florida before focusing on his racing career.

Aric is married to Janice Almirola, and they have two children. He has also participated in public service announcements to promote responsible fatherhood.

See Also

• List of Cuban Americans
• List of people from Tampa, Florida