Aric Almirola faced a pivotal decision at nineteen, having already expended considerable family resources to compete across karting, modified cars, and the demanding NASCAR Sun Belt Weekly Racing Division. Caught between continuing his costly pursuit of racing or returning to the University of Central Florida for a mechanical engineering degree, Almirola also considered the alternative of joining his grandfather’s body shop if higher education proved overwhelming or unaffordable. He remarked,
“I was debating on whether I was going to keep racing.”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
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His options narrowed as the pressures of professional racing increased. The prospect of working strenuous hours at the family business loomed, a path Almirola described candidly:
“work at my grandfather’s body shop, working 60 hours a week, eating Bondo dust.”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
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Opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing Transforms Almirola’s Path
The trajectory of Almirola’s life shifted dramatically when J.D. Gibbs, co-owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, recognized his potential. Gibbs offered Almirola a rare chance to build his career as a professional driver. J.D. Gibbs left a lasting legacy in NASCAR before passing in 2019, with his influence remembered recently at NASCAR’s Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway alongside his late brother Coy Gibbs. It was J.D. Gibbs who gave Almirola his breakthrough in 2003, a moment the veteran driver never forgot.
Fittingly, Almirola honored Joe Gibbs Racing with a runner-up finish in the Xfinity Series division’s Championship Race, helping secure the team owners championship. This achievement came during an emotional Saturday night at Phoenix, where Jesse Love was crowned the winner and driver champion. Almirola expressed his gratitude for the journey and milestone:
“J.D. gave me an opportunity as a 19-year-old kid to become a professional race-car driver, to get a paycheck to drive a race car. And I’m just so grateful that I got that opportunity and that 22 years later I was able to win a championship for Joe Gibbs Racing, not for me but for Joe Gibbs Racing. I am so grateful to be a part of that and to deliver that to Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). It is just really special. Just such an awesome moment for me to be able to that.”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
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Returning to Joe Gibbs Racing for a Triumphant Finale
Almirola’s successful stint with Joe Gibbs Racing came after his decision to leave Stewart-Haas Racing, triggered in part by a personal call from Joe Gibbs himself. Reflecting on the call that brought him back, Almirola said,
“He called me two years ago when I was walking away from Cup racing, and he said, ‘Hey, I think I got something you might be interested in. It’d be fun for both of us. I’d like for you to come back to Joe Gibbs Racing and finish your career here. And it would mean a lot to me and our family.’ So what better way to say thank you than to deliver?”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
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This season, Almirola helped JGR claim its sixth owners title in the Xfinity Series, the first since Tyler Redick accomplished the feat in 2019. The win not only honored the legacy of Joe Gibbs but also reaffirmed Almirola’s place among notable racers who steered the organization to championship success.
Almirola Finds Fulfillment and Contentment from His Journey
Looking back on his winding journey, Almirola gained a deeper understanding of fate and humility within the high-pressure world of motorsports. He credited his life’s direction to divine guidance, expressing gratitude for the opportunities that shaped both his career and character:
“God knew exactly what He was doing. If he would’ve allowed me to have this kind of success early on in my career, I probably would’ve been a lot different person. I would’ve had a lot more pride and ego and probably had a lot bigger head and thought way more highly of myself,”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
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Almirola described his racing life as a test in patience and humility, often achieving strong results but never the dominant, championship-rich career he once envisioned:
“God kept me very humble throughout my entire career. I was a journeyman racer. I won here and there and performed at a high level here and there, but not at the level that I wanted to. I wanted to win multiple races a year, win championships. I wanted to do all those things,”
he said. He continued,
“But in life you don’t always get what you want. And sometimes unanswered prayers are the best prayers and for me. I’m able to look back on my life and on my career now and be grateful that I’m right where God wants me.”
Reflecting on his aspirations and the realities of racing at NASCAR’s highest levels, Almirola admitted,
“I wanted to be in the best equipment. I wanted to win races and I believed in my heart that I could, just never had the right opportunity, was never surrounded with just the right people in the right place, in the right time. It’s so much about timing and that didn’t happen for me,”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
He added,
“And I am totally at peace with that. I’ve been blessed beyond my wildest imagination. I’ve achieved way more than I ever thought I would achieve.”
He looked back at the earliest days of his racing dream, remembering the odds stacked against him:
“When I was racing late models in go-karts in Florida and all over the Southeast, I never thought I’d be a NASCAR driver. I had hopes but never thought I would actually become that. There’s thousands of kids that race all over the country that want to be a professional race-car driver. Only 40,”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
He noted,
“So the odds are not really in your favor to be a NASCAR Cup driver, let alone the best. There’s only so many Jimmy Johnsons and Jeff Gordons. There’s only so many Dale Earnhardts and Kyle Larsons and Richard Pettys, and I was not one of those.”
With genuine contentment, Almirola concluded,
“And I’m totally fine with that,”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
“I’m Aric Almirola, and I’m exactly who God wants me to be.”
— Aric Almirola, Driver.
The Broader Impact of Almirola’s NASCAR Career
Aric Almirola’s NASCAR career has been characterized by resilience and humility, grounded by support from mentors like Joe Gibbs and influenced by the legacies of peers such as Jesse Love, Tyler Redick, and drivers like Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Larson, and Richard Petty. While he never dominated the Cup series, his contributions as a journeyman racer brought Joe Gibbs Racing team success and highlighted the competitive spirit that propels the racing community.
With his peace found in the path he traveled, Almirola stands as an example to countless kids aspiring to become race-car drivers. His story shows that greatness in motorsports often lies not just in victories, but in perseverance, gratitude, and accepting one’s unique journey. For Almirola, the real triumph was finding fulfillment in his role and honoring those who believed in him, especially during moments of personal and team achievement.
