Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola, one of the original drivers for NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity initiative, is also one of the program’s most successful as he prepares for a busy 2006 racing season, competing in full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as well as running select Busch races this season.
Almirola will be competing for Rookie of the Year in the No. 75 SPEARS Chevrolet for Team Owner Wayne Spears will also take the wheel of the No. 19 Con Agra Foods Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing in select NASCAR Busch Series events for Joe Gibbs Racing.
In 2004 Almirola started driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, pioneering the Joe Gibbs Racing/Reggie White Diversity Program. Since then, he has proven his skill and passion for racing by consistently winning races and scoring top finishes. Brought up through the grassroots NASCAR Weekly Late Model Series and recently competing in a few ARCA and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races, 2006 marks Almirola’s first full season in the NASCAR Truck Series and his debut in the NASCAR Busch Series. He will be competing in eight Busch Series races this season.
The Tampa, FL native began racing go-karts when he was only eight years old. After winning many races and local titles around Florida, Almirola took his talent to the national karting scene in 1998. He quickly made his presence known, qualifying on the pole for the World Karting Association Grand Nationals at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium before finishing fourth in the season-ending point standings.
At age 16, Almirola graduated to racing open-wheel modifieds. By 2000, he won the Rookie of the Year title in two separate modified divisions – Florida Modified and SARA (Southern Automobile Racing Association) Modified, while garnering his first career win in the Joslin Memorial 100 at the Orlando Speedworld, beating the top drivers in Florida, many of whom were twice his age.
In March 2002, Almirola advanced from open-wheel modifieds to the Sunbelt Super Late Model Division, where he finished runner-up in the Rookie of the Year standings. Almirola continued in that division in 2003, winning three poles at USA Speedway in Lakeland, Fla., two poles at New Smyrna Speedway and one pole at Bronson Speedway.
In 2004, Almirola got the opportunity to be one of two drivers to pioneer the Joe Gibbs Racing/Reggie White Drive for Diversity Program by driving the #20 Home Depot Late Model Chevrolet in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC. Almirola ran a full season at the Ace Speedway finishing 11th in points for the season with two wins, one 2nd-place finish and six top-five finishes.
In 2005, Almirola took his skill on the road by racing at several different tracks around the Southeast, competing in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Late Model Series. He scored five wins, nine top-5’s and eleven top-10’s at such historic tracks as the Motor Mile Speedway, Hickory Motor Speedway, Caraway Speedway and Concord Motorsports Park.
In addition to his Late Model schedule, Almirola competed in four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races for the 2005 season, scoring a 10th and 8th place finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park and New Hampshire International Speedway, respectively.
“I pride myself on being more than just a driver,” said Almirola, who studied mechanical engineering at the University of Central Florida before moving to North Carolina. “Along with my crew, I’ve built every race car that I’ve ever driven from a bare chassis. Working on racecars is nothing new to me. As I’ve learned to drive in each class I’ve raced in, I’ve learned all the aspects of my racecars. This opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing is awesome, and I plan on making the most of it.”
