ARIC ALMIROLA
Homestead Advance
No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing
Event Overview
Event: 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 (Round 34 of 36)
Time/Date: 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 22
Location: Homestead-Miami 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 / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Notes of Interest
● History at Homestead-Miami Speedway: In 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead, Almirola has earned two top-fives and four top-10s.
● Almirola also has five Homestead starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with two top-10s and a best finish of eighth in November 2011, and three starts in the NASCAR Truck Series with a best finish of fifth in November 2010.
● Driver Standings: Almirola arrives at Homestead 22nd in the driver standings.
● Almirola’s career: In 457 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 93 top-10s, five poles, and has led 1,081 laps.
● Last weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Almirola ran in and around the top-10 for the majority of the race and crossed the finish line 13th.
● Smithfield has been a sponsor of Almirola’s for the entirety of his fulltime NASCAR Cup Series career – making it one of the longest-lasting partnerships in NASCAR. Smithfield is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Its 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing “Good food. Responsibly.®” Smithfield is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein companies. The company has pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including its industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across its entire U.S. value chain by 2030. Smithfield believes in the power of protein to end food insecurity and has donated hundreds of millions of food servings to local communities.
● 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 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:
What has racing at Homestead over the years meant to you?
“Homestead for me has been a great racetrack. It’s really how I got my start to go Cup racing. I filled in for Richard Petty Motorsports back in 2010 and I finished fourth after running up front. That opened some people’s eyes. Sure enough, I got my first start in the Cup Series because of it. I do think about that when I go there. It’s got a special place in my heart. It’s also a race in my home state and the Miami area has a lot of Cuban heritage that I’ve enjoyed over the years. The food scene in Miami is always good. We usually venture downtown and find a good Cuban sandwich and coffee. Going to Miami in October to race is always fun because you get a tropic feel before heading to Martinsville, where it’s usually cold. Hopefully, we can unload with balance to run the top well and bring home another top-five finish and get the momentum going for the last two races of the season. These last few races are some of my favorite.”
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
