No. 43 Smithfield Ford Team Finished Ninth in the Spring Race
Aric Almirola had a fast car this past spring at Richmond International Raceway, where he drove through the field multiple times to finish ninth. He eyes a consecutive Top-10 finish at the Virginia short track this weekend. Saturday night’s event is the last chance for teams to qualify for the Playoffs. Sitting 30th in driver point standings after missing five races due to his injury, Almirola and team would have to win on Saturday night to secure a spot in the Playoffs. A similar scenario in 2015 saw Almirola and team battling for the lead late in the race and scoring a fourth-place finish.
Almirola has 11 Monster Energy Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway. He scored one Top Five, a fourth in 2015, and four Top-10 finishes. He also has six XFINITY starts under his belt with one Top 10. This spring, he showed good speed and looks to score his fifth Top-10 Monster Energy Series finish at the track.
The Barton Malow Foundation, Richmond Flying Squirrels Charities, and Richmond Raceway Cares have partnered for the third annual event to support RVA Field of Dreams Fest. This year’s event will be Rally in the Alley, a pro-celebrity bowling tournament taking place at Richmond Raceway’s (Richmond) historic Old Dominion Building at the Richmond Raceway Complex on September 7. Both Almirola and Richard Petty will participate in the event.
VIP tickets for Rally in the Alley with access to the VIP lounge, meet and greet with pro-celebrity attendees, hors d’oeuvres, and premium drink tickets are $100. General admission tickets are $25 and include access to the event. Tickets for Rally in the Alley to support RVA Field of Dreams Fest are available at the Richmond box office, via phone at 866-455-7223 and online at richmondraceway.com.
When: Thursday, September 7, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Richmond Raceway Complex
Representatives from Paralyzed Veterans of America and Waffle House will join “The King” Richard Petty for a special breakfast and media announcement this Friday at the Waffle House in Sandston, Va. The announcement will detail a new campaign to raise funds for paralyzed veterans.
When: Friday, September 8, 9:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Where: Waffle House, 5414 Williamsburg Road, Sandston, Va. 23150
Petty will be signing autographs at Cabela’s Short Pump on Friday, September 8th. Seventy-five wristbands will be given out in advance.
When: Friday, September 8, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Cabela’s, 5000 Cabela Dr., Short Pump, Va. 23233
Almirola and Petty will also participate in Smithfield’s Grillmaster Challenge prior to the Monster Energy Series race. Pitmaster Tuffy Stone will emcee and help Almirola and Petty judge the Smithfield Grill Master Challenge. The 2017 competition will feature three fans as competitors who will be chosen at random. They will be given 90 minutes to prepare their own signature dish featuring Smithfield products. Petty and Stone will judge the plates based on originality and creativity; oral presentation and visual appearance. The chef of the winning plate will receive a “King” prize pack.
When: Saturday, September 9, 4:45 p.m.
Where: Smithfield Display in the Fanzone
“I really like racing at Richmond, especially at night. With the Playoff cutoff and racing under the lights, there is just so much energy at that race. We’ve done pretty well at Richmond and finished ninth in the spring. We had a really fast car in April, so hopefully, we can come back and be a little better and get a Top-Five finish or even a win. We’ll be in Smithfield’s backyard, so we’re definitely looking to put on a good show for all of their guests at the track.”
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields one team in competition in the NASCAR premier series with driver Aric Almirola. Almirola will return to the iconic No. 43 Ford with partners Smithfield Foods, STP, United States Air Force and Fresh From Florida. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.
