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Aric Almirola
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Aric Almirola (born March 14, 1984 in Tampa, Florida) is a Cuban-American race car driver. He drives the #8 Guitar Hero World Tour/TomTom Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to pursue a career in racing.
rola began racing when he was eight years old, racing go-karts. At 14, he began racing nationally.
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Aric Almirola (born March 14, 1984 in Tampa, Florida) is a Cuban-American race car driver. He drives the #8 Guitar Hero World Tour/TomTom Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to pursue a career in racing.
Early career
Almirola began racing when he was eight years old, racing go-karts. At 14, he began racing nationally. He won the pole position in his debut in the World Karting Association race and finished fourth in the standings that year. Two years later, he moved up into modifieds and won several Rookie of the Year awards.
In 2002, Almirola moved to the NASCAR Sun Belt Weekly Racing Division and finished second in the Rookie of the Year standings. He followed that up with five pole positions in 2003. In 2004, he became one of the first drivers to participate in NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program. He also signed with Joe Gibbs Racing as a development driver under a partnership with former NFL player Reggie White. Almirola ran the season at Ace Speedway, and won two races before finishing 11th in the points standings. He won five more races at the track in 2005, and made his Truck Series debut with Morgan-Dollar Motorsports and had two top-tens in four races.
Joe Gibbs Racing
For 2006, Almirola drove the #75 Spears Manufacturing Chevy for Spears Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series, as part of the JGR development program. He started every race and had three top-ten finishes, including a best finish of ninth. That season, he also drove nine races in the Busch Series for Gibbs in the #19 Husqvarna/Banquet Foods Chevrolet Monte Carlo. His best finish was an eleventh at Dover International Speedway. He also served as a test driver for Gibbs teammates J. J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin when their Nextel Cup and Busch Series schedules conflicted.
Almirola moved up to the Busch series on a regular basis in 2007, driving the #18 and #20 Chevys for Joe Gibbs, driving each car in ten races apiece. He won his second career pole award for the Orbitz 300 at Daytona, and the first he actually took the green flag after winning a pole, as his first pole at Milwaukee, he was forced to relieve the driving duties over to Denny Hamlin. He again won the pole at Milwaukee in 2007, but thought he was going to give up driving duties to Hamlin again. A late team decision allowed Almirola to start the race due to Hamlin not arriving before the start of the race. On lap 59, during a caution period, because of sponsor commitments, Hamlin took over for Almirola while Aric was running in the third place. Hamlin went on to win the race, but Almirola was credited with his first NASCAR Busch Series win because he was the driver who started the race. Almirola did not participate in team victory celebrations after the race as he had already left the track. He asked for, and was granted his release from Joe Gibbs racing a month later.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Following the incident at Milwaukee, Almirola departed Joe Gibbs Racing to join Dale Earnhardt, Inc. following the sale of Ginn Racing. He drove the #01 Chevy in five races in 2007, and had a best finish of thirtieth. Almirola was named co-driver of the #8 United States Army Chevy in the 2008 Sprint Cup, sharing the ride with Mark Martin. His best finish to date is an 8th place finish in the 2008 Food City 500 at Bristol, and his best career start in Sprint Cup is a 3rd place start at the 2008 Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville. Almirola was named the full-time driver of the #8 for the 2009 season. Almirola in the Camping World East Series at Dover in September 2008 won after replacing driver Jeffery Earnhardt. Almirola is not eligible for 2009 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year candidacy, having ran more than 7 races in 2008.
2009
Daytona Duel
The team had great success in the days leading up to the 500 as Almirola qualified seventh and posted the fastest practice speed prior to the Duel 150s. Almirola then went on to finish fifth in his Duel.
Daytona
Almirola and the No. 8 Guitar Hero World Tour team rolled off 11th for “The Great American Race.” With rain threatening, Almirola found himself in 11th position on lap 142. However, on lap 145 the No. 77 of Sam Hornish Jr. spun Almirola from behind. After saving the car, Amirola found himself in 30th position. The rain came and the cars were called down pit road. NASCAR called the race due to rain, and the No. 8 Guitar Hero team had to settle for a 30th place finish.
Fontana
Almirola 31st for Sunday’s Auto Club 500 at the two-mile oval. The team spent the weekend practice sessions fighting handling issues, and those handling issues from practice continued for Almirola as the young driver reported that the car was extremely loose on lap 47. The No. 8 crew went to work when the team pitted under green on lap 84, making numerous changes to the suspension package. But, the issues persisted as Almirola reported that he was “hanging on for dear life” just past the race’s midway point.
Almirola found his way inside the top 25 with just over 20 laps remaining in the 250 lap race. With only seven laps to go Almirola radioed that he was “blowing up.” Almirola finished in 35th position.
Las Vegas
Almirola, in the No. 8 TomTom for the first time this year, found themselves to be victims of misfortune during the Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor-Speedway. A late-race spin in turn two that caused damage to the front suspension relegated the team to a 39th place finish after working their way into the top 15.
Atlanta
Working in the No. 8 Cub Cadet sponsored car for the first time this year, Almirola posted his best finish of the year. Falling victim to an early green pit stop that became yellow when a pit crew member of the Matt Kenseth team got to close to the track during race conditions while chasing an errant tire, Aric found himself down a lap. Although having one of the stronger cars in the field he was no match for the frontrunners and ended up three laps down with no chance at the lucky dog, Aric kept himself at the front of his group of lapped cars and wound up with a respectable 21st place finish. Aric picked up three spots in the chase for the cup and currently finds himself in 35th position
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