By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
In this week’s edition of Flashback Friday, Kickin’ The Tires relives when NASCAR driver Aric Almirola won the 1000Bulbs.com 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on October 14, 2018 for Stewart-Haas Racing.
It was a season that almost went right through 36 races with Stewart-Hass Racing’s Aric Almirola under the radar.
After all, Almirola had gone winless through the first 30 events on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule while his teammates Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Kurt Busch all found victory lane.
“One of the most frustrating things for me is to watch all my teammates win races, and for me to get close so many times, not win,” said Almirola.
Almirola qualified his No. 10 Smithfield Ford fourth for the event, and he as well as his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates spent most of the race towards the front of the pack.
However, Almirola found himself running behind his teammates more often than not.
That would all change.
On the final lap in overtime in the 193-lap race, Almirola’s teammate Kurt Busch ran out of fuel, this saw Almirola surge past Busch to take the checkered flag and the victory in the 1000Bulbs.com 500, his first since joining SHR earlier in the season.
“That is so awesome! I’ve been so close so many times this year. Four or five times this year I thought we had a shot to win but haven’t been able to seal the deal,” said Almirola.
https://kickinthetires.net/near-perfect-day-for-stewart-haas-at-talladega/
Career Update:
Following his win at Talladega, Almirola wrapped up his 2018 season with the one victory, four Top-5s, and 17 Top-10 finishes.
Heading into this Sunday’s race at Talladega, Almirola has just one Top-5, and 10 Top-10 finishes to this point in 2019.
Almirola has one other victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series which came in the 2014 Coke Zero 400 from Daytona International Speedway in 2014 while he was racing for Richard Petty Motorsports.