Aric Almirola through the years

By Staff report | Wednesday, December 2, 2020

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Aric Almirola has made the playoffs in all three seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing. Look back at the path that led him to SHR.

Almirola jumped into NASCAR racing in 2005 with one ARCA series start, four Truck Series races and a qualifying attempt in the Xfinity Series. In 2006, he had a full-time NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series ride with Spears Motorsports.

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Almirola got his first full-time ride in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series in 2006, driving for Spears Motorsports.

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Almirola gained the "journeyman" label from 2007 to 2009, picking up part-time rides with several Truck Series and NASCAR Cup Series teams. He captured three pole awards in part-time stints with Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series in 2007 and 2008. He was credited with his first win at the Milwaukee Mile in 2007 but was replaced mid-race by Denny Hamlin.

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Almirola made his Cup debut in 2007 and made 35 starts from 2007 to 2010 in the sport's top series. Here, Almirola is seen with then-Dale Earnhardt, Inc. teammate Martin Truex Jr.

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In 2010, Almirola caught stride in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, capturing two wins and 21 top-10 finishes in 25 races. The consistency in Billy Ballew's No. 51 Toyota resulted in a second-place ranking on the year.

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The end of 2010 saw Almirola run the final five races in Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 9 Ford. He scored a fourth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the season finale.

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In 2011, Almirola drove for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His fourth-place finish in the standings came in his lone full-time season in that series.

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From 2012 to 2017, Almirola drove for Richard Petty Motorsports and seven-time champion Richard Petty. The duo are seen here at the 2015 Darlington throwback weekend.

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A look at one of the classic STP No. 43 paint schemes that Almirola drove during his Petty tenure.

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Almirola scored his first Cup win in 2014 in the summer race at Daytona. While wet weather shortened the race, the victory placed Almirola in the NASCAR Playoffs and put him in a select club of drivers who have won in all NASCAR national series.

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Almirola, seen here in Victory Lane at Talladega following an Xfinity win in 2017, has two children -- son Alex (pictured here) and daughter Abby.

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At Kansas in 2017, Almirola was involved in a major wreck that sidelined him for seven races. He suffered a compression fracture of his T5 vertebra.

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Just over two months after his Kansas accident, Almirola returned to action at New Hampshire. The 2017 season would be the last for Almirola at Richard Petty Motorsports.

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Almirola joined Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2018 season, taking over the No. 10 car from Danica Patrick.

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In his first points-paying race with Stewart-Haas Racing, Almirola nearly won the Daytona 500. The veteran held the lead coming to the white-flag lap, but contact from eventual race winner Austin Dillon took him out of contention.

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Almirola reached the playoffs in 2018 thanks to consistency. His second Cup win -- which came after several close calls in 2018 -- at Talladega Superspeedway locked him into the Round of 8.

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Almirola came up just a bit short in advancing to the Championship 4 in his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing. His fifth-place finish in the standings was the best of his career at the Cup level.