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Home > Blog > Tag: aric+almirola

Almirola to drive No. 8 full time in 2009

After spending two seasons sharing a car with veteran Mark Martin, 24-year-old Aric Almirola will take over the No. 8 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet full time in 2009. “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity,” said Almirola. “When you get into racing, you always dream of competing at the highest level and I’ve had the chance to do that on a limited basis for the past two seasons. Now I will have the opportunity to race the car full time and I could not be more excited about driving the No. 8 car each week for Dale Earnhardt Inc.

“With Aric running a full-time schedule in 2009 we will have a group of immensely talented drivers with long careers in front of them and we like our position for the future and know that Aric will get the job done,” said John Story, vice president of motorsports operations for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. “We appreciate everything Mark continues to do for the company. Since we first discussed with Mark our plans for Aric he was 100 percent supportive and has done everything within his power to make it work and allow us to build a program around Aric. Mark has said many times he will help DEI in any manner necessary, and his commitment to the team and to Aric in this regard is beyond compare.”  (From DaleEarnhardtInc.com)

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Driver Comments from Talladega

Chevy
comments from Joe Nemechek
comments from Aric Almirola, Paul Menard, Martin Truex Jr.

Dodge
comments from Robby Gordon
comments from Kyle Petty and Bobby Labonte
comments from Ryan Newman
comments from Sam Hornish Jr.
comments from Kurt Busch
comments from Kasey Kahne
comments from Elliot Sadler

Ford
comments from David Ragan
comments from Greg Biffle
comments from Jamie McMurray

Toyota
comments from Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin
comments from Tony Stewart

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Almirola, Menard and Smith test at Infineon Raceway

Three DEI drivers visited Infineon Raceway on Wednesday to hone their skills on the challenging 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course. NASCAR drivers Aric Almirola, Regan Smith and Paul Menard came to the track for a one-day test session before the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in the Sonoma Valley, June 20-22.

The drivers piloted GT America stock cars supplied by Pioneer Motorsports out of Lake Oroville. They were coached by road-course veteran Chris Cook and completed approximately 100 laps combined in the full-day test.

Smith is the only driver among the three with any Cup Series race experience at Infineon Raceway. He finished 30th in last year's event. "I raced here last year, so it's nice to come back here and get in that road-racing mentality again," said Smith.  "It's a totally different approach than an oval, and it's nice to come here and refresh your memory."

"I've been road racing since I was eight years old, so I'm more comfortable on road courses than on ovals.  It was a good day, and it's a great facility to be at," said Menard, who is in his second year of full-time Cup Series competition piloting the No. 15 Menards Chevrolet. He failed to qualify for the Sonoma race in 2007.

Almirola, who shares driving duties with veteran Mark Martin in the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet, is currently in his second partial season of Sprint Cup Series competition.  This marked his first visit to the Sonoma Valley road course. "This track is tough, but it's fun," said Almirola.  "The elevation changes and blind turns make it really difficult.  It's definitely something different."

Cook said all of the drivers took well to the road course, and he enjoyed working with all three teammates. "I think Aric was most focused being his first time here, and he made big gains by the end of the day," said Cook.  "Paul and Regan were a lot more disciplined with the track, and we worked on shifting points and braking points." (From InfineonRaceway.com)

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Almirola and Menard to test at Infineon Raceway April 9

April 7, 2008 // SONOMA, Calif. — NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Aric Almirola and Paul Menard will come to Infineon Raceway on Wednesday, April 9, for a one-day test session.

Almirola, who shares driving duties with veteran Mark Martin in the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet, has never competed on the Sonoma Valley road course in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Neither has Menard, who drives the No. 15 Menards Chevrolet.

Almirola and Menard are expected to test the challenging 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course in late-model stock cars provided by a Northern California-based race team. They will be coached by road-course veteran Chris Cook, who has also worked with NASCAR drivers David Reutimann, Johnny Sauter and AJ Allmendinger. (From InfineonRaceway.com)

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Details, Drivers announced for Prelude to a Dream

April 4, 2008 // FORT WORTH, Texas -- A supernova of racing talent will again descend upon the Field of Dreams that is Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on June 4 when the dirt that made champions out of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti hosts today's racing stars at the fourth annual Old Spice Prelude to the Dream.

For those not lucky enough to grab a seat for the dirt late-model race featuring more than 25 world renowned drivers as they battle for dirt supremacy, HBO Pay-Per-View will present the event live to the entire nation. Proceeds from this telecast will support construction of Victory Junction Gang Camp II in Kansas City, as well as the Tony Stewart Foundationexternal link.

The all-star race will feature such racing icons as Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, Bobby Labonte and more. All will pilot 2,300-pound dirt late-model stock cars capable of putting out more than 800 horsepower.  Additionally, J.J. Yeley, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Bill Elliott, Dave Blaney, Aric Almirola, Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon, Ray Evernham, Red Farmer, Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace have also committed to the Old Spice Prelude to the Dream.

Drivers from all types of disciplines, some with lots of dirt-track experience and others with hardly any, will participate in hot laps, qualifying, heat races and the 30-lap feature on the half-mile clay oval, all of which will be televised live on HBO. (From EldoraSpeedway.com)

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Texas Motor Speedway schedule and driver appearances

Texas Motor Speedway Schedule

Thursday (4/3/08)
10:30 a.m.: Gate 4 opens
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice
1-2 p.m.: Nationwide Series practice
6 p.m.: Qualifying for the Nationwide Series O'Reilly 300
8 p.m.: Fandango (open to season ticket holders only)

Friday (4/4/08)
11 a.m.: Gates 1-8, 11, north tunnel, luxury suites and Victory Lane Club open
Noon-1:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice
3:40 p.m.: Qualifying for Sprint Cup Series Samsung 500
After qualifying: Texas Motor Speedway's Rockin' Roundup starring Big & Rich (frontstretch)

Saturday (4/5/08)
9 a.m.: Gates 1-8, 11, north tunnel, luxury suites and Victory Lane Club open
11-11:45 a.m.: Sprint Cup practice
12:20-1:20 p.m.: Sprint Cup final practice
2 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series O'Reilly 300 (200 laps/300 miles; TV: ESPN2; Radio: KLLI/105.3 FM)
6 p.m.: Legends Races on 1/5 -mile at Lil' Texas track

Sunday (4/6/08)
9 a.m.: Gates 1-11, north tunnel, luxury suites and Victory Lane Club open
1 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Samsung 500 (334 laps/501 miles; TV: KDFW/Ch. 4; Radio: KLLI/105.3 FM)
Post race: Legends Races on 1/4 -mile oval, superspeedway

DRIVER APPEARANCES

Wednesday (4/2/08)
Kenny Wallace and Brad Coleman, Southlake Carroll Senior HS, 4-6 p.m.
David Ragan and Jeff Hammond, Discount Tire, 2055 W. State Hwy. 114 in Grapevine, 4-6 p.m.

Thursday (4/3/08)
Patrick Carpentier, Speedzone, 11130 Malibu Dr., Dallas, 5 p.m.

Friday (4/4/08)
Brad Coleman, Brookshire's tent store near the Turn 3 campgrounds at TMS, 2-2:30 p.m.
David Ragan, Speedzone, 11130 Malibu Dr., Dallas, 5 p.m.
Kevin Harvick, Regan Smith, Casey Mears, Aric Almirola, Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs, Chevy Thunder at the Stockyards, Fort Worth, 6-8 p.m. One hundred autograph passes per driver will be distributed at 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Bobby Labonte, Sam's Club, 1701 W. State Hwy. 114, Grapevine, 6-8 p.m.
Carl Edwards, Office Depot, 1317 W. State Hwy. 114, Grapevine, 6-8 p.m. Only 250 wristbands will be handed out at 7 a.m. on April 4 at the store.
Clint Bowyer, Mesquite Championship Rodeo, Resistol Arena, 7-8 p.m.

Saturday (4/5/08)
Brad Keselowski, Navy display, TMS frontstretch midway, 10:45-11:15 a.m.

Sunday (4/6/08)
Casey Mears, No. 5 souvenir trailer, TMS frontstretch midway, 9 a.m.

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Drivers to apprear at the 8th Annual Chevy Thunder festival

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The 8th Annual Chevy Thunder is roaring into Stockyards Station in Fort Worth, Friday-Saturday, April 4-5 for a free, two-day race extravaganza. Fans will be treated to interactive displays, opportunities to meet some of NASCAR's top TEAM Chevy drivers, a monster Silverado, an off-road consumer ride and drive area, live entertainment, and more.

NASCAR Driver Appearances -- At 6 p.m. on Friday, April 4, festival-goers can take part in the ultimate race fan experience by meeting Team Chevy drivers up-close-and-personal at a special Chevy Driver Autograph Session and Fan Q&A. "Chevy Live" interviews will be broadcast to the crowd, and attendees will have a chance to win a surprise ride-along with their favorite driver in a 2008 Silverado. Drivers scheduled to appear include: Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears, Aric Almirola, Regan Smith, Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs.

Entrance to Chevy Thunder is complimentary. More details and public information on attending Chevy Thunder can be found at www.chevythunderdays.com. (From General Motors Corp)

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