Aric Almirola is preparing for another bid at the Aric Almirola Xfinity championship, set to return to Phoenix Raceway this month with Joe Gibbs Racing after capturing the Focused Health 302 in Las Vegas. Almirola’s triumph secured the No. 19 team a spot in the owners championship, fueling excitement and energy inside the organization as they eye monetary rewards and pride.
This outcome marks a repeat of last year when Almirola drove the playoff run in this same car, only to fall short in the season closer. Going into this year’s finale, there was some uncertainty about whether Almirola would again pilot the No. 19 car, since Justin Bonsignore had previously been scheduled for the seat. After his win in Vegas, Almirola confirmed he’ll be the driver in the title-deciding race.
“We decided that this week that we’re going to go try and win an owner’s championship,”
Aric Almirola said, Joe Gibbs Racing Driver.
Last season’s disappointment left Almirola unsure if he’d seek this particular achievement again. Having competed in 14 races last year—nearly full-time, after previously cutting back his schedule to focus on family—he initially questioned reentering the title chase. Yet, after matching his three-win total from last year with another strong campaign, Almirola was persuaded to pursue the owners championship for the team once more.
Almirola and his wife Janice talked at length before recommitting to the challenge for Joe Gibbs Racing. The bond with the team holds special weight for him, as it was with the Gibbs organization that his NASCAR national touring career first began. That strong relationship—and the continued opportunity to race at a high level—played a decisive role in his decision.
“There is no explanation for why it’s happening other than God has His hands in it,”
Almirola said. “This shouldn’t happen, right? When I announced I was going to retire, nobody had to give me this opportunity. Then Coach comes out of blue and said ‘I want you to come run some races with us and I think you will have some fun doing it.’
“He said it would be fun for us to win some races and finish my career where it started.”
The No. 19 car’s sponsorship partners are all rooted in ministry, allowing Almirola to blend his passion for racing with his personal beliefs, an intersection he described as a dream scenario. Succeeding in fewer than 20 races would mark an extraordinary chapter in his journey.
When reflecting on what a championship would mean, the emotional stakes are clear for Almirola.
“It would be the highlight of my career,”
he stated. “Honestly, it would be. I left Phoenix last year pretty sad and disappointed that I didn’t get it done for coach.
“What’s interesting to me, is that at this stage of my career, I don’t have to have this. I love it and I want it but I don’t have to have it.”
Early in his career, winning a championship was everything, but now, the chance to repay the faith of Joe Gibbs and the organization carries its own importance.
“The fact that I don’t have to have it and I get to have this opportunity for Coach and the Gibbs family after they gave me my first opportunities …,”
Almirola reflected. “I just left Phoenix last year thinking what a bummer it was to finish one spot short to bringing a championship to JGR.
“Now, all of a sudden, the way this year has played out, and finding myself here with another opportunity, maybe the Lord has blessed me with a second chance at it, and maybe I won’t screw it up this time.”
Key Matchups and Potential Rivals at Phoenix
The trip to Phoenix promises several dramatic rematches, mirroring last year’s intense battles. Almirola will once more go wheel-to-wheel with reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier, among other top contenders. To earn his shot this season, Almirola had to best 10-race winner Connor Zilisch at Las Vegas, ultimately prevailing after both drivers fiercely contested the closing laps—complete with contact as each fought for the advantage.
“It was fun to race against those guys,”
Zilisch said, Driver. “I thought it was all clean. We just raced hard and I probably could have been a little nicer (to Almirola) but track position was so important that I did everything I could to keep the lead.
“But yeah, just going to keep my head down, and hopefully I get to race him a couple more times this year.”
Zilisch, at the time, had not yet realized that Almirola’s focus was now squarely on the owners championship. The finale will again feature five drivers competing for various championships, with four vying for the season crown while Almirola chases honors for the team. Zilisch—with his points advantage—and Allgaier, bolstered by a strong Vegas showing, have all but secured their positions entering key upcoming events at Talladega and Martinsville.
“I guess that leaves three points spots for the owners’ and two more opportunities to go win,”
Allgaier said, Xfinity Series Champion Driver. “I’m happy for Aric. We’ve become really close and our kids go to school together and have spent a lot of time at the volleyball court watching our kids play together and I know how hard he and that team works.
“It’s funny because we won here in the spring, won the pole, and to come out of here third, I’m kind of defeated and frustrated. That says a lot about where our teams and confidence is so we’ll keep digging.”
Xfinity Playoff Standings Shape the Championship Race
Heading into Phoenix, the playoff grid highlights Connor Zilisch with an 82-point edge, Justin Allgaier sitting comfortably with 44 points above the cutline, Jesse Love boasting a 20-point advantage, and Sam Mayer eight points clear. Drivers like Brandon Jones, Sheldon Creed, Carson Kvapil, and Sammy Smith remain in the hunt but face deficits after Las Vegas.
This tightly packed leaderboard guarantees fierce battles as the field narrows, with only three points-paying spots left for owners and limited chances for others to secure a win before the campaign closes at Martinsville and finally, Phoenix Raceway.
What’s at Stake: Significance for Almirola, Joe Gibbs Racing, and the Series
Aric Almirola’s renewed quest for an Xfinity title in the owners championship recharges his career and injects fresh momentum for Joe Gibbs Racing. This journey also highlights Almirola’s deep ties to the organization and his enduring faith, showcased both by the team’s ministry-backed partnerships and his own perspective on a second chance at triumph. As the intensity rises and the field looks ahead to Phoenix, Almirola stands at a crossroads where past heartbreak could give way to career-defining victory, making this year’s finale a must-watch event on the NASCAR Xfinity calendar.
