Aric Almirola’s 15th season as a full-time racer in NASCAR’s Cup Series will be his final one, the driver of Stewart-Haas Racing’s (SHR) No. 10 Smithfield Foods Ford announced on Monday, January 10. The Floridian made his Cup Series debut three days before his 23rd birthday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 11, 2007. HIs final checkered flag will come at the 2022 season finale on the Phoenix Raceway mile oval.
Almirola began his tenure as Smithfield’s designated driver in 2012 while driving for Richard Petty Motorsports during his first full year of Cup Series competition. Smithfield Foods will continue as an anchor partner of Almirola and the No. 10 team throughout 2022, the company’s 11th year with Almirola and its fifth with SHR. Their partnership is now one of the longest in NASCAR, and after both driver and sponsor came to SHR in 2018, they’ve gone to the Cup Series playoffs each year and scored a pair of victories: in the fall race at Talladega Super-speedway in 2018 and in July of last season on the New Hampshire Motor Speedway oval. Almirola also scored victory in 2014 while driving for Richard Petty Motorsports.
The driver of the No. 10 SHR Smithfield Ford Mustang intends to make his final year a successful one: “I truly enjoy driving race cars and I”m excited to race my heart out in 2022 for Smithfield and Stewart-Haas Racing,” Almirola declared. “But to be the best in the business, you’ve got to be selfish, and for the last 37 years, my life has always revolved around me and what I needed to do.”
While some might disagree, Almirola believes there’s a life beyond motorsports. “I want to be present,” he said. “I want to be the best husband and father, and that, to me means more than being a race car driver. So it’s one more year where I’m all in on racing, where we’ll do whatever it takes to compete at the higher level. But when the season is over, I’ll be ready to wave goodbye. I’ve loved every minute of it, but it’s time for the next chapter of my life,” Almirola stated.
As the father of two, pragmatism was the primary thrust of his decision to call it a career. Almirola and wife Janice are looking at life beyond Sundays at any given racetrack. He determined that stepping back would give him the opportunity to take new steps with his children as they pursue dreams of their own. “Janice and I have spent many nights talking about it and the questions are the same as anyone else would have when you’re going to stop doing something. ‘Can I afford it?’ The answer I kept coming up with is that I can’t afford not to. Will I regret it? I think I’ll regret it if I don’t,” he confirmed.
The Almirola family includes 10-year-old son Alex and nine-year-old daughter Abby. “I’m going to have a short window with them while they still think Dad is cool. I want to be there for them and to be a part of the things they’re interested in. Before we know it, they’re going to have car keys and they’re going to be running off with their friends, doing the same things I did when I was 16 or 17,” growing up in Tampa, FL.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to have Aric as part of our Smithfield family for more than a decade now,” said Shane Smith, president and CEO of Smithfield Foods. “In addition to being an incredibly talented racer and devoted family man, Aric embodies Smithfield’s values and has embraced our commitment to do good for our customers, employees and communities. He will always be family. We wish him all the best in his next chapter and look forward to another great year with him and Stewart-Haas Racing.”
The son of an Air Force veteran and born at Eglin AFB in Fort Walton Beach, FL, Almirola began his career in karts at the age of eight. Within six years he was racing nationally. Almirola moved to NASCAR’s Sun Belt Weekly Racing Division in 2002. In 2004, the driver of Cuban descent became one of the first to participate in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program signing with Joe Gibbs Racing as a development driver. In addition to his years in Cup Series, Almirola has raced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he has two victories and 38 top-10 results. His 102-race Xfinity career brought Almirola three victories and another 38 top-10 finishes. In his 388 Cup Series races run over the past 14 seasons, Almirola has three victories and 84 top-10s.
SHR co-owner Tony Stewart first met Almirola when they were teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2004. “I’ve watched Aric develop into a really good race car driver and it was a proud moment when we were able to bring him to Stewart-Haas Racing,” Stewart acknowledged. “He’s really delivered for our race team and for Smithfield, always putting in maximum effort. I know he wants to go out on a high note and we’re going to give him all the resources to succeed.
“That being said,” Stewart continued, “we also want him to enjoy this season. Aric is a great husband and father, and this year will bring a lot of cool moments that he’ll be able to share with his family. He’s earned this opportunity to go out on his terms.” During his tenure with SHR, Almirola finished a career-high fifth in points during the 2018 campaign and scored a career-best 18 top-10 results in 2020.
“It means a lot to be able to walk away on my own terms. It’s been a great ride. I have been blessed beyond my wildest imagination and I honestly have no regrets. Do I wish I would have won more races? Sure, and there’s still an opportunity this year. Do I wish I would have won a championship? Sure, and I’ve got a lot of drive to make that happen this year. I’m a competitive person. I want to win and I want to be a champion, but at the end of the day, I know that those things mean way less than being there for my family.”
Almirola’s 15th and final season begins with the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum February 5-6, held on the quarter-mile dirt track being built at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The official start of the 2022 campaign begins with the 64th annual Daytona 500, scheduled February 20th at Daytona International Speedway.
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