ARIC ALMIROLA
Las Vegas Advance
No. 10 IHOP Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing
Event Overview
Event: SouthPoint 400 (Round 33 of 36)
Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 15
Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Layout: 1.5-mile oval
Laps/Miles: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 80 laps / Stage 2: 85 laps / Final Stage: 102 laps
TV/Radio: NBC / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Notes of Interest
● Aric Almirola at Las Vegas: In 20 career starts on the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway desert oval, Almirola has four top-10s, all coming since he joined Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in 2018. Almirola has a best finish there of sixth (twice – September 2018 and March 2022) and a best start of fourth (twice – September 2019 and 2020).
● Almirola has four starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas with a best finish of 11th in March 2015, and three starts in the NASCAR Truck Series (September 2006, 2009 and 2010), all top-10s.
● Driver Standings: Almirola arrives at Las Vegas 22nd in the driver standings.
● Almirola’s career: In 458 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 93 top-10s, six poles, and has led 1,081 laps.
● IHOP will be the primary sponsor on the No. 10 Ford Mustang for the second weekend in a row. For more than 65 years, IHOP has been a leader, innovator and expert in all things breakfast, lunch and dinner. The chain offers 65 different signature fresh, made-to-order breakfast options, a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items, including Ultimate Steakburgers, Hand Crafted Melts, Burritos & Bowls and more. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of June 30, there are 1,790 IHOP restaurants around the world, including restaurants in all 50 states, two U.S. territories and 13 countries outside the United States. IHOP restaurants are franchised by affiliates of Pasadena, Calif.-based Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).
● “Do a Pancake:” For too long, the popular circular burnout to celebrate a win has been called a “donut.” This season, IHOP is taking over the ultra-cool racecar move to make it its own by changing the name of a “donut” to its true inspiration – a “pancake.” The partnership includes Almirola’s IHOP-branded racecar at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. In celebration, IHOP is giving International Bank of Pancakes rewards members a free PanCoin every time a winner does a “pancake” during a race featuring the IHOP car. Additionally, if Almirola wins at Las Vegas, one lucky loyalty member will be awarded 100,000 PanCoins.
● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series:In 2023, Almirola is continuing to share his life beyond the No. 10 Ford with season five of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and the show gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.
Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 IHOP Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:
Stewart-Haas and the No. 10 team have found more speed over the last few weeks. Do you feel that will carry over this weekend to Las Vegas?
“I think so. We found some things at Kansas and Texas that we didn’t have earlier in the year as an organization. There is a fine line to finding that balance, but Stewart-Haas Racing has come together more in the last month as a team to better each car and we’ve seen strides in speed ever since. We had two cars in the top-10 at Texas and have seen more consistent top-10 runs across the board, so I think we’ll see improvements from earlier this year at Vegas. Vegas is just such a tricky track to dial in each time we visit it, but I enjoy racing there and the challenge it always brings.”
No. 10 Smithfield Ford Team Roster
Primary Team Members
Driver: Aric Almirola
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Crew Chief: Drew Blickensderfer
Hometown: Decatur, Illinois
Car Chief: Jerry Cook
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
Lead Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina
Engineer: James Kimbrough
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida
Spotter: Joel Edmonds
Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina
Over-The-Wall Members
Front Tire Changer: Ryan Mulder
Hometown: Sioux Center, Iowa
Rear Tire Changer: Trevor White
Hometown: Arlington, Texas
Tire Carrier: Tyler Bullard
Hometown: King, North Carolina
Jack Man: Sean Cotton
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Fuel Man: James “Ace” Keener
Hometown: Fortuna, California
Road Crew Members
Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia
Mechanic: Jacob Cooksey
Hometown: Westbrookville, New York
Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York
Tire Specialist: Russel Simpson
Hometown: Medford, New York
Transporter Co-Driver: Steven Casper
Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina
Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy
Hometown: Augusta, Georgia
