Aric Almirola
#20 Chevrolet
| Event: | Sharpie Mini 300 | Date: | March 24, 2007 |
| Track: | Bristol Motor Speedway | TV: | ABC 3:00 PM ET |
| Laps/Miles: | 300 / 159.9 | Radio: | MRN 3:00 PM ET |
Quotes
Driver Aric Almirola on his first start in the #20 car…
"It is going to be great to finally start a race in this car. I have spent a lot of time testing this machine and help set it up, so I have spent some time working with Dave (Rogers) and the crew. Like so many drivers, I cut my teeth on short tracks and always look forward to races on them. Bristol is a fast track where things happen in a hurry. Our goal is to qualify near the front and try to avoid the first couple incidents and be in a position to race these guys at the end.
Bristol is one of those tracks where you have to be patiently aggressive. Last August, I logged a lot of laps in the Truck race and the Busch race and feel like I learned a lot. You really have to protect the bottom but also know when to let a faster car go without losing all your track position. If you hold up someone long enough, it just a matter of time until they use the bumper."
Crew Chief Dave Rogers on working with Aric Almirola at Bristol…
"I am looking forward to having Aric in the car this weekend. I think he is going to do a really good job for us. When I started here (in the Busch Shop) last year, Aric was always around. We have built a good relationship bouncing ideas back and forth and it carried over when he was in the car last year helping to set the car up (while Hamlin was attending to his Cup car). Aric has a great feel for the car and gives good feedback. This weekend will be different for me, because I will have access to the driver the entire weekend. A lot of times with Denny, I only have a couple minutes to debrief before he has to hop in his Cup car. Aric ran the Busch race here last August so he has some laps here and that should help during the race."
Notes
Did you know — Aric Almirola's qualifying average behind the wheel of the #20 car is 2. He made two qualifying attempts last season filling in for Denny Hamlin, while Hamlin was attending to his Nextel Cup duties. In his first qualifying effort, he won the Busch Pole at the Milwaukee Mile. In his second qualifying effort, he placed the #20 car in the third starting spot at Martinsville Speedway…In the two races that Almirola helped set up the car for Hamlin (Milwaukee and Martinsville), Hamlin finished 2nd and 3rd respectively after starting from the rear of the field.
Car History — This week the #20 team is bringing car #2041. One of the most popular Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the shop; This is the same car the Denny Hamlin drove from the Busch Pole at Darlington Raceway to the win later that evening. In this car’s other 2006 start, it finished 4th at the June race at Nashville Superspeedway. This car has been given an updated body for 2007 and is its first race of the season.
