NASCAR driver Aric Almirola announces his retirement
NASCAR Cup Series veteran Aric Almirola will retire after the 2022 season, he announced Monday morning. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver has made more than 560 career starts across NASCAR’s three national series.
He cited spending more time with his family as the primary reason for stepping away from racing after this year’s season finale at Phoenix on Nov. 6.
“I want to be present. I want to be the best husband and father, and that to me means more than being a racecar driver,” Almirola said in a statement released by SHR. “So, it’s one more year where I’m all in on racing, where we’ll do whatever it takes to compete at the highest level. But when the season is over, I’ll be ready to wave goodbye.”
“I’ve loved every minute of it, but it’s time for the next chapter of my life,” Almirola’s statement said.
Smithfield Foods will be the anchor partner for SHR and Almirola this year, marking the brand’s fifth year with the team and 11th with Almirola. After running full-time in the Truck and Xfinity Series, and making his part-time Cup debut, Almirola first raced a full-time schedule in NASCAR’s top series in 2012 with Richard Petty Motorsports.
In 2018, he moved to SHR, where he has remained since, and earned a playoff berth in all four seasons with the organization. Almirola has three Cup wins (one each in 2014, ‘18 and ‘21) and 26 top-five finishes in the series.
“I’ve watched Aric develop into a really good racecar driver and it was a proud moment when we were able to bring him to Stewart-Haas Racing,” SHR owner Tony Stewart said in a statement. “He’s really delivered for our race team and for Smithfield, always putting in maximum effort. I know he wants to go out on a high note and we’re going to give him all the resources to succeed.”
“That being said, we also want him to enjoy this season,” Stewart’s statement continued. “Aric is a great husband and father, and this year will bring a lot of cool moments that he’ll be able to share with his family. He’s earned this opportunity to go out on his terms.”
Almirola, 37, is married to Janice Almirola. He is the father of two children, a son Alex who will be 10 years old at the end of the season and a daughter Abby who will be nine years old at that time.
“I’m going to have a short window with them while they still think Dad is cool,” his statement said. “I want to be there for them and to be a part of the things they’re interested in. Before we know it, they’re going to have car keys and they’re going to be running off with their friends, doing the same things I did when I was 16 or 17.”
His departure means that there will be a vacancy in the No. 10 car for the 2023 season. SHR last week announced Ryan Preece as its reserve driver for upcoming races this year.
This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 10:50 AM.
