Driver Profile: Aric Almirola

Driver of the #43: Aric A. Almirola (Sprint Cup Series)

Nickname: Aric; "The Cuban Missile"
Birthdate: March 14th, 1984
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina
Marital Status: Married- Janice (Goss)
Children: None

Rookie Season: 2007
Years in Sport: 4
Starts: 35
First Race: 2007 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 (Vegas)
Poles: None
First Pole: N/A
Wins: N/A
First Win: N/A
Top-Fives: 1
Top-Tens: 2

Team: Richard Petty Motorsports
Years with Team: First year with the team
Owner: Richard Petty
Sponsor: Smithfield Food/United States Air Force/STP
Car Make: Ford
Highest Points Finish: 42nd (2008)
Lowest Points Finish: 52nd (2007)

Career Highlights:

• Was on stand-by for Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in case they had to miss a race for the birth of their children.
• Drove the #9 for Richard Petty Motorsports when Kasey Kahne left  

Courtniee's 2012 NASCAR Prediction for Aric Almirola:
       In his first FULL season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Almirola will try to prove he belongs in NASCAR's top series. He will struggle on the plate tracks, but will have strong runs on the short tracks. Almirola will fail to miss the Chase. Final Standings: 15th.