Aric Almirola would like to drive for JR Motorsports next season after third-place run at ORP
Aric Almirola, who was on standby for Jimmie Johnson earlier this year, finished third for JR Motorsports at O'Reilly Raceway Park. // Sam Cranston, NASCAR Illustrated
INDIANAPOLIS – JR Motorsports competition director Tony Eury Sr. has said that even though Aric Almirola drove the team’s No. 88 Nationwide Series car Saturday at O’Reilly Raceway Park, the likelihood of him being in the car next season is not high because Eury Sr. thinks Almirola could find his way back to the Sprint Cup Series next.
But after his third-place performance in the Kroger 200 Saturday, Almirola said Eury Sr. should think of him when deciding who to put in the No. 88 car next year.
“Obviously it was a tryout,” said the 26-year-old Almirola, who has driven Cup races for Joe Gibbs Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Phoenix Racing. “I feel like they’re going through a lot of young guys just to see how everybody does and how everybody runs.
“I’d love any opportunity that was presented. … After the last couple of years I’ve had, to be knocked down and almost kicked out and to be able to come back and rebound myself in this sport, any opportunity I get, I’m just very thankful for and don’t take anything for granted.”
Currently second in the Camping World Truck Series standings, Almirola does not have any additional Nationwide events scheduled for this season. He started the year driving both a truck for Billy Ballew Motorsports and a Cup car for Phoenix Racing but parted ways with Phoenix early in the season.
“I came out knowing this was a one-race deal just to see how it went,” Almirola said after his third-place run. “We just wanted to see how the communication went, see if we both had fun. We did that. We had a lot of fun.
“I love working with [Eury Sr.]. … He was pretty excited on the radio tonight. It was a lot of fun. Those guys deserve to run this good every week.”
Almirola has 32 career Nationwide starts, and the third-place run was his third top-five finish. He has one “win” in the series, but he doesn’t consider that an official victory because it came in the 2007 race at The Milwaukee Mile, a race that he started before late-arriving Denny Hamlin took over the car and took the checkered flag.
Although he’s second in Truck Series points, Almirola was coming off two accidents in his last three truck races, including the night before the Nationwide race at ORP.
“I’m just really proud of [this] finish,” Almirola said. “It was a very big morale booster after the way we ran [in trucks]. I’m thankful for the opportunity and hopefully that will bring many more.”
Almirola will be back in the truck Friday and Saturday at Pocono Raceway. He also could see time in a Cup car. He is the backup driver for Jeff Gordon in case Gordon’s wife goes into labor. Almirola had a similar role earlier this year for Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson.
“Our primary focus is to go there and run good with our truck program,” Almirola said. “We’re still in the hunt for the championship, so we want to go and do that. I’ll be there if they need be. I’m just thankful to continue my relationship with Hendrick Motorsports. I’m having a lot of fun over there and learning a lot.
“I can’t thank those people enough for keeping me in the loop and just go there and be there if they need me.”
