Even with the efficiency points his Stewart-Haas Racing group has battled this yr, Almirola’s season couldn’t go a lot worse.
He is mired in 27th within the sequence standings after 9 race; he’s but to guide a lap this season; he’s wrecked out of three races and completed on the lead-lap in solely three races.
Almirola and his No. 10 Ford staff did get a reprieve final weekend at Richmond (Va.) Raceway – he ran sturdy all day and completed with a season’s finest sixth-place end.
It was a small step in the precise path and one Almirola desperately hopes can construct some optimistic momentum.
Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang, crash
Picture by: NASCAR Media
“I don’t find out about you, however I’ve by no means began a venture or the rest that I’ve anticipated it to go miserably fallacious, and that’s precisely what has occurred with our season,” Almirola, 37, stated.
“I don’t suppose anyone on our staff or any of our companions or anyone would have anticipated us to undergo the start a part of the season that we’ve gone by means of, in order that was undoubtedly one thing that’s caught us all off guard.
“It’s been a extremely tough stretch, however I’m pleased with the way in which that we’ve continued to combat and we’ve continued to dig deep and actually try to persevere, and Richmond was a pleasant means for us to bounce again.”
With 17 races remaining to qualify for the Cup Sequence playoffs, Almirola and his staff discover themselves in a little bit of a quandary.
Do they go all-out to attempt to win their means in? Or do they deal with operating the perfect race attainable whereas making an attempt alongside the way in which to gather as many factors as attainable?
Almirola admits the latter goes to be extraordinarily tough.
Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Smithfield, Daniel Suarez, TrackHouse Racing, Chevrolet Camaro iFly, crash
Picture by: NASCAR Media
“I believe pointing our means in from here’s a lengthy shot for certain, particularly simply because we haven’t scored numerous stage factors anyway and our vehicles have been off, so a superb day for us is just like what we ran at Richmond,” he stated. “We flirt with the highest 10, you rating a number of stage factors and get a prime 10 end.
“That’s what we’ve been able to these days, so I do know the fellows on the store are working arduous to get our vehicles again to the place they must be to go compete for wins each week. We’re going to want to win, and Talladega is a good alternative for us to do this, however we are able to’t do this if we’re on a wrecker, so I believe it’s important for us to be conscious of that, ensuring that we get to the end in order that now we have a shot to win the race.
“I personally suppose that profitable at Talladega is extra necessary than scoring 20 stage factors and two playoff factors from profitable each phases, however ending up in a giant wreck.”
Successful this Sunday at Talladega is actually not out of the query for Almirola. Each of his Cup Sequence wins have come at superspeedway races along with his most up-to-date in 2018 coming at Talladega.
Additionally, the efficiency points that SHR has been working by means of this season should not more likely to have an effect on them on a superspeedway, which options vastly totally different aerodynamic guidelines.
“We’ve had actually good speedway vehicles. We clearly gained down at Daytona within the Duel, so our vehicles are quick. We all know we are able to go there (and) we’ll have the potential of profitable,” Almirola stated.
“You’ve simply bought to have some luck in your aspect and have issues go your means and hopefully you don’t find yourself crashed.”