Almirola to JRM in 2011

[Cheeze]

Suprised no one posted this yet (from Jayski's).

Almirola is top candidate for #88 next year: UPDATE: Aric Almirola is the leading candidate to replace Steve Arpin in the #88 JR Motorsports car next season. "We've definitely talked to him," crew chief Tony Eury Sr. said Friday at Michigan International Speedway. "He did a good job when he ran [at O'Reilly Raceway Park] for us and we want to run for a championship. I think Aric would be a good choice for that." Eury said no official offers have been made and the team is still considering one or two other drivers but Almirola is tops on the list. "Whoever it will be, we hope to have it figured out in the next couple weeks so we can get started on next season," he added. "We want to get him in the car more this year and try to get started so when we come out next season we'll be ready. Eury said Arpin has talent behind the wheel and is a smart driver, however, just not at the level required to drive the #88. The team is not necessarily designed to be a training ground for young drivers. "We want a driver who can run up front with a proven record," Eury said. "[Arpin] doesn't have a whole lot of experience on asphalt. He's only been racing on asphalt for a little over a year. I think he needs to back up a little bit maybe to the Truck Series where he can learn the race tracks. He doesn't know the race tracks yet. He doesn't even know how to get into the race tracks because he's never even been to them." Eury said Arpin will get there. As for the #7 JR Motorsports team, Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will split the seat time along with a third driver who will likely continue to be Josh Wise, who has filled in since Nashville.(NASCAR.com)(8-13-2010)
UPDATE: Aric Almirola on Tuesday signed a multiyear agreement to drive JR Motorsports' #88 Nationwide Series Chevy, beginning in 2011, multiple sources close to the team told ESPN.com. Sources said, too, that there's a chance Almirola could run some races toward the end of 2010. JR Motorsports officials had no comment. Attempts to reach Almirola were unsuccessf(ESPN.com)(8-17-2010)
UPDATE: JR Motorsports cemented an integral part of its future Wednesday by signing Aric Almirola to a multi-year driving contract for the company's flagship #88 NASCAR Nationwide Series team starting in 2011, general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced. JR Motorsports cemented an integral part of its future Wednesday by signing Aric Almirola to a multi-year driving contract for the company's flagship No. 88 NASCAR Nationwide Series team starting in 2011, general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced today.(JR Motorsports)(8-18-2010)

Good move for both parties involved. Hopefully this dosent distract Almirola from contending for NCWTS Championship.

 

[Shift]

Good to see Aric get a ride.

 

[taz1458]

Think Aric is doing it the right way this time. He has a ton of talent and could be a champion someday.

 

[6male6volent6]

Good for Aric and hope he does well.

 

[labontefanboy]

I hope he runs full-time.

 

[4WideRacing]

This is great for Aric and Jr Motorsports!

 

[DannyM]

Not only is this good for Almirola, its very good for Jr Motorsports. I think Almirola is the best driver available, and I think they'll make a strong push for the championship next year.

 

[MillsLayne]

I'm excited about this and am hoping for a few wins next year! He should run good regardless with the team he'll be in and his level of talent, should even challenge for the championship! It'll be the first time I root for something Jr. related! lol

 

[Clutch]

Lets hope he doesn't end up like Kelly Bires...

 

[MillsLayne]

Lets hope he doesn't end up like Kelly Bires...

I heard the thing with Bires was that he just wasn't gelling with the team at all. I do feel, however, that he was let go WAY too early. Things could have gotten better over time and Bires is another case of 'really talented driver w/out a ride'. Speaking of which, where's Cale Gale?

 

[Clutch]

Still, there's no guarantee that Almirola will gel with the team. We can only hope that he will and that he won't be the next victim of the revolving door.

 

[MattSRD28]

Well actually I would have called Reed Sorenson, Scott Riggs, Jeff Green, and Patrick Carpentier better available drivers than Almirola, but Almirola's still a good choice for the ride.

 

[OAS][shprshootr]

That sucks I have meet Steve and seen him race at my local dirt track here in Minnesota and he is a nice guy and great driver imo JR Motorsports is making a bad decision on this this is kinda like that Kelly Bires thing letting him go way to early, but i thought he was still running his ARCA car most of the time?

 

[DannyM]

Well actually I would have called Reed Sorenson, Scott Riggs, Jeff Green, and Patrick Carpentier better available drivers than Almirola, but Almirola's still a good choice for the ride.

What?? Almirola's won two truck races this year... Sorenson's got a ride, Jeff Green's old, Scott Riggs showed this year in Childress's car that he still can't do it, and Patrick Carpentier...?????.... What has he done to deserve to be in a Hendrick car? They've got the right guy, and he will win some races next year.

 

[labontefanboy]

I heard the thing with Bires was that he just wasn't gelling with the team at all. I do feel, however, that he was let go WAY too early. Things could have gotten better over time and Bires is another case of 'really talented driver w/out a ride'. Speaking of which, where's Cale Gale?

I read somewhere that Cale Gale became a crew chief, I believe in ARCA.

 

[MillsLayne]

I read somewhere that Cale Gale became a crew chief, I believe in ARCA.

Ah, well at least the guy still has a job in racing, just too bad it's not as a driver because he impressed me in the past when he was in Harvick's car for a couple of races. I just don't understand how someone gets a couple of races to try out, does well, and then we never hear from him again. Same as with guys like Erik Darnell and Kelly Bires. These guys can drive, so where are their fulltime rides?

 

[Fisha695]

Fun fact(s) about Almirola.
When he raced late models for JGR he would show up with a Cup budget, stacker trailer & full crew... and still get whooped week in and week out by guys with less then 1/8th the budget.

He has 4 latemodel wins... 3 of them he was DQ'd from, and atleast one of those DQ's had to deal with having an illegal motor. Having an illegal motor in a crate latemodel series is pretty much well a scumbag move.

 

[DannyM]

Fun fact(s) about Almirola.
When he raced late models for JGR he would show up with a Cup budget, stacker trailer & full crew... and still get whooped week in and week out by guys with less then 1/8th the budget.

He has 4 latemodel wins... 3 of them he was DQ'd from, and atleast one of those DQ's had to deal with having an illegal motor. Having an illegal motor in a crate latemodel series is pretty much well a scumbag move.

Here's another fun fact about Almirola... He has won two Camping World Truck Series races this year, and he is second in points.

 

[Cheeze]

The kid beat Kyle Busch. He's good.

 

[MattSRD28]

What?? Almirola's won two truck races this year... Sorenson's got a ride, Jeff Green's old, Scott Riggs showed this year in Childress's car that he still can't do it, and Patrick Carpentier...?????.... What has he done to deserve to be in a Hendrick car? They've got the right guy, and he will win some races next year.

I didn't say Almirola was a bad pick. I just don't feel like he's the best driver out there given that the aforementioned drivers are also available. Sorenson has a part-time ride. You don't think he'd jump at the chance at a F/T ride? Jeff Green is a former Nationwide Series champion. Remember when Harvick hired former Truck Champ Ron Hornaday to run his truck? They won more championships despite Hornaday not being a spring chicken. If Riggs ran Trucks full time next year, I bet he'd have a similar season to the one Almirola just had. They all have good upsides IMO. That's all I was saying there.

Here's another fun fact about Almirola... He has won two Camping World Truck Series races this year

That's great. Let's take him out of a Toyota, put him with more Cup drivers than he faces in Trucks, and see how many wins he gets.