Though not happy, Almirola says he’s staying at Gibbs
Quote selected text Published June 28th, 2007 in NASCAR News
Though he still is “not happy” about being pulled for Nextel Cup star Denny Hamlin during Saturday’s Busch Series race at Milwaukee, Tampa’s Aric Almirola said Wednesday he isn’t frustrated at Joe Gibbs Racing and has no plans to leave the team.
He said there is no truth to a rumor that appeared on ESPN-owned Web site Jayski.com saying he is headed to Ginn Racing next year and will race the No. 01 Chevrolet full time in Nextel Cup in 2009.
“I’m under contract at JGR,” Almirola, 23, said on a national conference call. “I have a long history with them. I’ve been there since I was 18 years old. I started racing late models with them, and they’ve become like family to me. I see our relationship growing.”
Almirola was supposed to practice and qualify JGR’s No. 20 Chevy at Milwaukee, but after winning the pole, he was called on to start the race when Hamlin was delayed in arriving from the Nextel Cup event at Sonoma, Calif
While Hamlin’s pilot was trying to find a place to land his helicopter, Almirola led the first 43 laps of the race. Then came the heartbreaking news that Hamlin would be taking over. Devastated, Almirola got out of the car and left the track without comment.
Hamlin went on to make up the lap that was lost during the driver change and win the race for longtime JGR sponsor Rockwell Automation, which is based in Milwaukee.
More at Tampa Tribune
Bookmark to:
- Gibbs didn’t have a sure deal for Almirola
- Gibbs company ‘Joe Gibbs Driven’, to sponsor Almirola at Las Vegas
- Almirola will make Nextel Cup debut in Las Vegas
- Almirola to run Busch races and possibly some Cup
- Almirola will drive four Cup races in the #01
He’s a heck of a talent, that’s for sure.
Yep
The kid did a great job at Milwaukee first by sitting on the pole and then leading 40 of the first 55 laps. Remember they didn’t put him in a Cup car at Charlotte because he tore one up a week before and they said they’d EVALUATE his program. I think he’s enhanced his resume since. Put him in a car and leave him there.
WELL IF HE WON THA POLE WHY NOT LET HIM RUN THA RACE ??? HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE IN YOUR DRIVER!!!!! WELL HE HAS ALOT OF TALENT SO IF HE’S NOT HAPPY THERE I KNOW WHERE THERE IS A GREAT & EMPTY SEAT THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED FOR NEXT YEAR SO ERIC , WHY DONT U GIVE D.E.I. A CALL ???????