ARIC ALMIROLA – 2019 Chicagoland Race Report

Event:               Camping World 400 (Round 17 of 36)
Series:              Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Point standing:  11th with 482 points, 195 out of first

Race Winner:    Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80): 

  • Aric Almirola started 15th, finished 12th.
  • The Smithfield Ford driver had raced his way to 11th when inclement weather postponed the race.
  • Almirola pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments on lap 52 from 11th place under green-flag conditions.
  • Crew chief Johnny Klausmeier told Almirola he was turning top-five lap times after his pit stop from 27th place.
  • Multiple cars pitted under green, helping the Ford Mustang driver move to 11th before a lap-79 caution.
  • At the conclusion of the stage, Almirola pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments to improve the car’s handling. 

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160): 

  • Started 12th, finished 10th and earned one bonus point.
  • Almirola raced the Smithfield Ford to the top-10 by lap 100.
  • During a caution on lap 103, Almirola pitted and remained inside the top-10.
  • At the end of the stage, Almirola pitted for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments to gain four positions on pit road.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267): 

  • Started sixth, finished 16th.
  • Almirola battled for fifth on lap 169 and advanced to fourth place after a lap-172 caution.
  • Almirola pitted on lap 218 under green-flag conditions for four fresh tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments.
  • After falling back outside the top-10, the Smithfield Ford driver said the balance of his car was back to normal.
  • He noted tight-handling conditions for the remainder of the race but held position just outside the top-15, finishing 16th.

Notes:

  • Almirola earned his 14th top-20 of the season and his fourth top-20 in eight career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Chicagoland.
  • Almirola finished 10th in Stage 2 to earn a bonus point.
  • Alex Bowman won the Camping World 400 to score his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. His margin of victory over second-place Kyle Larson was .546 of a second.
  • There were five caution periods for a total of 25 laps.
  • Only 17 of the 38 drivers in the Camping World 400 finished on the lead lap.
  • Joey Logano remains the championship leader after Chicagoland with an 18-point advantage over second-place Kyle Busch.

Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang:

“When we started the race I felt like we had a good car to contend with. We found some of that speed again in the final stage and raced toward the front but couldn’t hold it together at the end. We learned a lot and at least we held on to our points position. I’m looking forward to Daytona.”

Next Up:                                                                       

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, July 6 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The race starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

DANIEL SUÁREZ – 2019 Chicagoland Race Report

Event: Camping World 400 (Round 17 of 36)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish: 28th/24th (Running, completed 265 of 267 laps)
Point Standing: 15th (434 points, 243 out of first)

Race Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

● Daniel Suárez started the stage in 28th and ended it 19th.
● After starting 28th, Suárez worked his way up to 19th by lap 10 just before the race was red flagged due to weather.
● Once the red flag was lifted and drivers returned to their cars, Suárez pitted on lap 14 for four tires and fuel. He restarted 19th on lap 16.
● Suárez entered the top-10 on lap 50 and continued to gain track position before taking over the lead on lap 75 as the field began green-flag pit stops.
● Suárez pitted on lap 76 for fuel only and returned to the track in 16th.
● The Mexico native reported he had a tire issue on lap 78, but a caution came out on lap 79 allowing him to stay on track before pitting for four tires and fuel under yellow.
● The Ruckus driver completed Stage 1 in the 19th spot.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

● The No. 41 driver started Stage 2 in 19th and completed it in 27th.
● The third caution of the race occurred on lap 104 with Suárez running in 15th. He told the team his Ruckus Mustang was too free after the first 15 laps in the run, and he pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments under the caution.
● Suárez restarted 17th on lap 108 and jumped to the 12th position on the first lap back under green.
● On lap 120 after falling back to 15th, Suárez said the handling of his Ford had not improved.
● Suárez pitted under green on lap 137 for four tires and fuel after contact with the No. 11 caused a flat right-rear tire. He returned to the track in 30th, two laps down.
● Suárez ended Stage 2 in 27th, two laps down.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

● The Ruckus driver began the final stage in 25th and concluded it in 24th.
● Suárez did not pit before the start of the final stage and took the wave-around to get a lap back. He lined up 25th for the lap-166 restart, one lap down.
● Under caution on lap 174, the Ruckus driver pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments to help tighten up his Ford Mustang.
● Suárez restarted 25th and moved up to 23rd before the final round of green-flag stops began on lap 218.
● The driver of the No. 41 pitted for his final scheduled stop under green on lap 226 for four tires and fuel. He rejoined the field in 25th, two laps down after being lapped while on pit road.
● Suárez returned to the track in the 25th position and was able to finish the race in 24th.

Notes:

● Suárez led one lap, the first of his career at Chicagoland.
● Alex Bowman won the Camping World 400 to score his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. His margin of victory over second-place Kyle Larson was .546 of a second.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 25 laps.
● Only 17 of the 38 drivers in the Camping World 400 finished on the lead lap.
● Joey Logano remains the championship leader after Chicagoland with an 18-point advantage over second-place Kyle Busch.

Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 41 Ruckus Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“Our Ruckus Ford was too free all day, and we had a hard time making the right adjustments to get the handling to where we needed it. It was hard to get any laps back with the green-flag pit stops, but the No. 41 guys worked hard all day, and we’ll keep learning and getting better.”

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, July 6 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The race starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

KEVIN HARVICK – 2019 Chicagoland Race Report

Event: Camping World 400 (Round 17 of 36)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish: 2nd/14th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point standing: 4th (610 points, 67 out of first)

Race Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

Kevin Harvick started second, finished seventh and earned four bonus points.
● No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Mustang started second and was second when rain hit the racetrack and delayed the race for more than three hours.
● Harvick pitted on lap 14 for four tires and fuel. He restarted eighth but was up to first by lap 20.
● On lap 73 Harvick headed to pit road. He radioed to the team that he had a cut tire, so the team changed four tires, added fuel and made a tire pressure adjustment. There was no damage to Harvick’s car.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

Started first, finished first and earned 10 bonus points and one playoff point.
● No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Mustang was still sliding all over the place per Harvick on lap 98 while he was leading.
● On lap 99 William Byron passed Harvick for the lead.
● Harvick pitted on lap 105 under caution and took four tires and fuel along with a tire pressure adjustment.
● On the restart Harvick was second, but he took the lead in turn two on lap 110.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

Started first, finished 14th.
● No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Mustang pitted on lap 163 for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
● On lap 172 Harvick got into the SAFER Barrier on the outside retaining wall in turns one and two while running third.
● Harvick went to pit road on lap 173 for repairs. He took for four tires and fuel then restarted 21st, still on the lead lap.
● On lap 187, Harvick said the car was “just plowing.” He was in 16th place.
● Harvick pitted on lap 224 for four tires and fuel. He was in the lead, but due to other cars’ pit strategies he exited in 18th.
● He had worked his way up to 14th when the checkered flag flew.

Notes:

● Harvick earned his 14th top-15 of the season and his 13th top-15 in 19 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Chicagoland.
● Harvick finished seventh in Stage 1 to earn four bonus points and won Stage 2 to earn an additional 10 bonus points and one playoff point.
● Harvick led five times for 132 laps to increase his laps-led total at Chicagoland to 602.
● Alex Bowman won the Camping World 400 to score his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. His margin of victory over second-place Kyle Larson was .546 of a second.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 25 laps.
● Only 17 of the 38 drivers in the Camping World 400 finished on the lead lap.
● Joey Logano remains the championship leader after Chicagoland with an 18-point advantage over second-place Kyle Busch.

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, July 6 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The race starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

CLINT BOWYER – 2019 Chicagoland Race Report

Event:  Camping World 400 (Round 17 of 36)
Series:  Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:  Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois (1.5-mile oval)
Format:  267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:  6th/37th (Brakes, completed 172 of 267 laps)
Point standing:  16th (431 points, 246 out of first)

Race Winner:  Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner:  Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner:  Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

Started sixth, finished 31st.
● Ran 10 laps before enduring a red-flag period for severe weather that lasted three hours, 18 minutes and 26 seconds.
● Under caution before the race returned to green, Bowyer pitted for four tires and fuel.
● Bowyer restarted in 12th on lap 17 but fell to 22nd after getting caught up in three- and four-wide racing that shuffled him backward.
● “Sliding around back here struggling for speed,” said Bowyer on lap 35.
● Bowyer climbed to 12th by lap 60 as those in front of him began to pit.
● Bowyer brought his No. 14 Toco Warranty Ford Mustang into the pits on lap 77 for a quick, fuel-only stop.
● A lap later Bowyer keyed his mic and said, “I’ve got a tire coming apart!” He then spun off turn three on lap 80.
● When the right-rear tire came apart, it ripped away the lower portion of the quarterpanel.
● Bowyer made three separate trips to pit road following the stage to make repairs.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

Started 32nd, finished 35th.
● Began the stage two laps down as a result of the flat tire and subsequent repairs.
● Bowyer suffered another flat right-rear tire on lap 94. This sent him to the pits under green-flag conditions.
● Returned to the track on lap 100, six laps down to the leaders.
● A caution on lap 104 allowed Bowyer to bring his No. 14 Toco Warranty Ford Mustang back to the pits for more repairs.
● Rubber buildup in the remnants of the right-rear wheelwell caught fire on lap 159, sending Bowyer back to the pits.
● More work was done on the quarterpanel and all the rubber buildup was removed, allowing Bowyer to continue, albeit 11 laps down.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

Started 35th, finished 37th.
● “I think it’s fixing to blow up,” said Bowyer on lap 179. Prior to that message, he asked if smoke could be seen from his car.
● On lap 189, Bowyer keyed his mic and said, “I don’t have any brakes.”
● Crew chief Mike Bugarewicz brought Bowyer to the garage. The series of issues stemming from the flat tires proved terminal.

Notes:

● Alex Bowman won the Camping World 400 to score his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. His margin of victory over second-place Kyle Larson was .546 of a second.
● There were five caution periods for a total of 25 laps.
● Only 17 of the 38 drivers in the Camping World 400 finished on the lead lap.
● Joey Logano remains the championship leader after Chicagoland and holds an 18-point advantage over second-place Kyle Busch.

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, July 6 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The race starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

COLE CUSTER – 2019 NXS Chicagoland Race Report

Race Name: Camping World 300 (Race 15 of 33)
Venue: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Race Winner: Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Results: Cole Custer: 1st | Chase Briscoe: 16th
Point Standings:
– Cole Custer: 3rd with 621 points; trails points leader by 70 points
– Chase Briscoe: 6th with 493 points; trails points leader by 198 points

Cole Custer / Haas Automation Ford Mustang Recap:

– Custer qualified in the second position and led most of Stage 1. He won the stage and earned 10 stage points.
– The team would pit for tires and fuel and win the race off of pit road to start Stage 2 in first.
– The No. 00 Haas Ford Mustang pitted from the lead during a caution with 12 laps remaining in the stage. He restarted 11th and charged up to finish third and earn eight additional stage points.
– Custer started the final stage in first and lead every lap until a green flag pit stop with 45 laps remaining.
– The No.00 made it back up to third before a caution with 28 laps to go. He pitted for tires and fuel.
– Custer would restart third, reassume the lead with 21 laps to go and go on to win his fourth race of 2019.
– Custer led a race-high 151 laps and earned his third career win at 1.5 mile tracks.

Next Up: Circle K Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida on July 5th at 7:30 p.m. ET broadcast by NBCSN.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang:

“I knew we were going to be good this year with Mike Shiplett coming on board, I just didn’t know how long it would take us to get there. As you can see, the guys at Stewart-Haas have been building great cars and we just keep getting better and better. It’s just a privilege to drive them. I knew I was going to have to get better at running the top in order to win today and practicing it yesterday really paid off. I think we will continue to get better throughout this summer stretch and have something to look out for.”

CHASE BRISCOE – 2019 NXS Chicagoland Race Report

Race Name: Camping World 300 (Race 15 of 33)
Venue: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Race Winner: Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Results: Cole Custer: 1st | Chase Briscoe: 16th
Point Standings:
– Cole Custer: 3rd with 621 points; trails points leader by 70 points
– Chase Briscoe: 6th with 493 points; trails points leader by 198 points

Chase Briscoe / Ford Performance Ford Mustang Recap:

– Briscoe qualified 11th, but was forced to start at the rear of the field for an unapproved adjustment. 
–  The Ford Performance Mustang made it into the top-10 with 12 laps remaining in Stage 1 and finished ninth to earn two stage points.
– The team would pit for four tires, fuel and track bar adjustments before restarting the second stage in eighth.
– A caution with 12 laps remaining in the stage allowed the team to pit from the seventh position and restart 12th.
– Briscoe spun out running 10th coming to the checkered flag in Stage 2. He was credited with 25th and lost one lap.
– He restarted the final stage in 25th and was running in 12th still one lap down during pit stop cycles when caution flew with 28 laps remaining.
– Briscoe pitted for tires and fuel and restarted in 16th. He would finish ultimately finish the race in 16th as the first car one lap down.

Next Up: Circle K Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida on July 5th at 7:30 p.m. ET broadcast by NBCSN.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Ford Mustang:                                             

“Man, I’m just frustrated because after yesterday I felt this was the best car we have had heading into the race. We were able to get towards the front pretty quickly after starting at the rear. I pushed it too hard at the end of stage two fighting for a stage point and it cost us. We just couldn’t catch a break and get a caution when we needed it there at the end. Our Ford Performance Mustang was much better than a 16th place car.”

COLE CUSTER – 2019 NXS Chicagoland Race Advance

Race Name: Camping World 300 (Race 15 of 33)
Venue: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.
Television: 3:30 p.m. EDT on NBCSN
Point Standings: 
– Cole Custer: 3rd; trails points leader by 86 points
– Chase Briscoe: 6th; trails points leader by 179 points

Haas Automation, Inc., is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. Founded by Gene Haas in 1983, Haas Automation manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are built in the company’s 1,100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets that provides the industry’s best sales, service and support while offering unparalleled cost-to-performance value.

Chicago is a 1.5-mile track and that has been a strong suit for the No. 00 team. How much are you looking forward to getting back to Chicago?

“Chicago is one of the best tracks we go to because the surface is gritty, so it wears the tires out quickly. You’ll see us sliding around while trying to find grip around the track and that provides excitement for the fans because it won’t be a single groove wide. SHR builds really great cars each week, so I am looking forward to getting back to Chicago and hopefully we can grab our fourth win of the season.”

CHASE BRISCOE -2019 NXS Chicagoland Race Advance

Race Name: Camping World 300 (Race 15 of 33)
Venue: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.
Television: 3:30 p.m. EDT on NBCSN
Point Standings: 
– Cole Custer: 3rd; trails points leader by 86 points
– Chase Briscoe: 6th; trails points leader by 179 points

Ford’s racing program is part of the Ford Performance organization based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, FIA World Endurance Championship, FIA World Rally Championship, Virgin Australia Supercars, Formula Drift, and NHRA Funny Car and sportsman drag racing. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit www.fordperformance.comwww.facebook/FordPerformance, Ford Performance on Instagram and @FordPerformance on Twitter.

You were victorious in the ARCA series at Chicagoland in 2016 and your first career Xfinity Series top-10 came there. What is it about Chicagoland that meshes well with you and what are your expectations for this weekend?

“For whatever reason, I have always had good speed at Chicago. It’s a rough and wide track so you are able to search around for grip. It is one of my top three favorite tracks, so hopefully I can continue my streak of good runs there.”

DANIEL SUÁREZ – 2019 Chicagoland Race Advance

Daniel Suárez and the No. 41 Ruckus Ford Mustang team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) venture to the Midwest for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. This weekend marks the second consecutive event and fourth time this season Ruckus will adorn the No. 41 machine.

Ruckus Networks, an ARRIS company, is redefining connectivity by bridging the digital divide and connecting people around the world. Ruckus strives to deliver ubiquitous connectivity to its access points, switches and cloud services.

Suárez’s strong run in the top-five last Sunday in his third career start on the road course at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway was thwarted by a late-race pit stop penalty that dropped him from fifth to 25th before he finished 17th.

The Mexico native has two starts in the Cup Series at Chicagoland with finishes of 12th and 11th, respectively, completing all 534 possible laps with an average starting and finishing position of 11.5. Dating back to 2014, he’s made six starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Chicagoland with an average start of 6.0 and an average finish of 9.2. Additionally, he’s led 21 laps and earned two top-five finishes and four top-10s. The 27-year-old driver also made two starts in the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series at Chicagoland. The efforts resulted in one top-five along with 46 laps led, and an average starting position of 4.5 and an average finish of 7.5. Finally, he’s made one start in the ARCA Racing Series at Chicagoland, in which he started second before an engine issue ended his day.

In his last 10 starts at 1.5-mile tracks, Suárez has one top-five and three top-10s. He’s led 21 laps and completed 99.5 percent of all possible laps.

This weekend, fans will have the opportunity to view Suárez’s perspective from inside the Ruckus Mustang courtesy of Coca-Cola, which is sponsoring his in-car camera. Additionally, there will be 200 “Daniel’s Amigos” in the grandstands Sunday, supporting the Monterrey, Mexico driver. “Daniel’s Amigos” is a fan-focused movement to engage and celebrate with Latino NASCAR fans. “We had a big group of Daniel’s Amigos at Auto Club (Speedway in Fontana, California) and they all had a great time, especially the ones who were at my car for prerace,” Suárez said. “This is the second time this season we’re having a group out to the track and I hope they have a great time just like the group in California.”

Suárez is 13th in the Cup Series standings with 421 points to round out the four-car SHR contingent. The top 16 drivers after the 26 regular-season races will earn a spot in the NASCAR playoffs.

So far this season, Suárez has garnered two top-five finishes and six top-10s and has led 52 laps behind the wheel of the No. 41 Ford Mustang. Team co-owner Tony Stewart currently has SHR’s only Cup win at Chicagoland which he captured in 2011.

Ruckus, a technology provider, and SHR, a racing organization, both ultimately strive to achieve the same goals – to operate at high performance. Ruckus provides secure and reliable access to applications and services, and offers a complete offering of high-performance network equipment. The company’s portfolio includes Wi-Fi controllers, indoor and outdoor access points, switches, network access security, and support and services.

 

DANIEL SUÁREZ, Driver of the No. 41 Ruckus Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

As far as social media goes, is there a rule out there that you think everyone should follow when they use social media?

“I feel like the number-one rule is to show your personality. I feel like when I was on social media in the very beginning a few years back, I took it very seriously and just did it for racing purposes. I wasn’t doing anything about my real life, I wasn’t doing anything about my cars, I wasn’t doing anything about what I like to do when I’m not racing. I feel like that wasn’t right because the fans want to know who you are as a person. What is in my car? What do I do on a weekly basis? So I feel like being yourself and having your personality out there and just having a little fun with the fans, that’s something that’s super important.”

Were you able to watch NASCAR and other racing series growing up in Mexico?

“I will say that NASCAR is like any other big sport in Mexico that you can watch on TV on the weekends and you can find it without problem, which is very good. When I was a little kid, I was a fan of racing and I used to watch NASCAR, Formula One and rallies on TV. I wasn’t even thinking about racing NASCAR in the U.S. when I was young in Mexico. For me, NASCAR in the U.S. was too far away. I didn’t know how to get there. I didn’t speak English. I didn’t have the money. I didn’t have any sponsors or the connections, so my original goal was just to race nationally in Mexico.”

ARIC ALMIROLA – 2019 Chicagoland Race Advance

Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) looks ahead to a 1.5-mile track that hosted his most laps led in a single race and his first stage win of his career.

Almirola raced the No. 10 Ford from sixth to the lead by lap 40 in the first stage at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet. He started Stage 2 from third and regained the lead until he reported a vibration and was forced to make an unscheduled green-flag pit stop putting him a lap down and in 25th when the checkered flag waved.

Although Almirola only has one top-10 at Chicagoland, the speed his SHR team found in 2018 is nothing to blink an eye at. This season, Almirola has scored four top-10s out of six races at 1.5-mile tracks and led 46 total laps.

“At about this time last year we really started to find speed and mesh as a team,” said Almirola.  “Johnny and the Smithfield team were able to bring me a really fast Ford and we ran up front for a while and earned some stage points. I’m going into the weekend with no expectation like I do every weekend, but it feels good knowing we had success here last year. I have confidence that we’re going to kick it in full gear before and during the playoffs and be serious competitors for the championship.”

Sonoma marks the 14th weekend the iconic black-and-white Smithfield livery will adorn Almirola’s No. 10 Ford Mustang. Smithfield, a brand of Smithfield Foods, which is based approximately five hours northeast of SHR headquarters in Smithfield, Virginia, is in its eighth season with Almirola and its second with SHR. Founded in 1936, Smithfield is a leading provider of high-quality pork products, with a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts.

Fans can now get VIP, behind-the-scenes access in following “Aric ‘Beyond the 10’” by subscribing to his YouTube channel and following episodes on Facebook. Episodes will showcase never-before-seen footage of Almirola at the racetrack, on family trips, and “A Day in the Life” during the week, as well as all that goes into a NASCAR Cup Series driver’s season. Click here to subscribe on YouTube and watch the latest episode.

The 35-year-old Ford driver has earned one pole award, one top-five, nine top-10s and has led 100 laps through 15 races this season. His qualifying efforts have also been strong with five front-row starts and eight top-five starts this season.

Almirola sits 11th in the driver standings with 460 points, 183 behind leader and fellow Ford driver Joey Logano.

 

ARIC ALMIROLA, Driver of the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

Who inspired you to race?

“I grew up watching my grandfather race dirt cars all over the Southeast and he was really talented. I fell in love with watching him race. He retired when I was 8 years old and asked me if I wanted to try my hand at racing. I did, so he bought me a go-kart and away we went. I started racing in Florida and, after the first year, we started traveling all over the East Coast racing in the World Karting Association. I raced on dirt ovals and I just loved it. From go-kart racing, I moved up to stock cars and Late Models and had some success in every rank that I competed at. It eventually led me to moving to North Carolina and I started driving a Late Model stock car for Joe Gibbs Racing. I kind of got my foot in the door with major teams in NASCAR and was able to bounce around for a few years until I found a home at Richard Petty Motorsports to drive in the Cup Series. That opportunity parlayed into the opportunity that I have now at Stewart-Haas Racing.”