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Before and After Photo 2 – Dr. Aric Eckhardt... dreckhardt.com |
Aric Almirola (born March 14, 1984 in Tampa, Florida) is a Cuban-American race car driver. He is currently a developmental driver of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in NASCAR. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to pursue a career in racing.While attending UCF he was successful playing shortstop for his intramural baseball team, the Maulers.
[edit] Early careerAlmirola 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. [edit] Joe Gibbs RacingFor 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. [edit] 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. Seven races into the 2009 season, Almirola lost his ride to a lack of sponsorship. He later signed a five-race deal with Key Motorsports to drive their #40 StopRepairBills.com/Westerman Companies entry in the Nationwide Series. He returned to the Truck Series, driving part-time in the #15 Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota Tundra, and had a seven-race streak of finishes eighth or better. He also made one start in the #09 Phoenix Racing Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series. [edit] External links | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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