Aric Almirola - 2010-present

2010-present

For 2010, he was to drive full time for Phoenix Racing's No. 09 Cup series Chevrolet Impala. However he was not eligible to drive the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, even in the car Brad Keselowski won at Talladega with in 2009. Almirola drove the No. 51 Graceway Pharmecuticals/ AK Awareness Toyota Tundra for Billy Ballew in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In April, Almirola parted ways with Phoenix Racing to focus on his Truck Series ride. Aric attempted the Aarons 499 at Talladega in No. 35 Tommy Baldwin Racing/Mohawk Chevrolet but failed to qualify after qualifying was rained out by NASCAR. Almirola won his first race in the Camping World Truck Series at Dover International Speedway and won again at Michigan International Speedway, holding off Todd Bodine and Kyle Busch. Almirola would finish second in points to Bodine.

Hendrick Motorsports named Almirola a standby driver for the No. 48 team in case Jimmie Johnson needed to leave for the birth of his daughter. Almirola was not needed. In July 2010, Almirola was again a standby driver for Hendrick Motorsports at Pocono in case Jeff Gordon had to leave or miss the race due to the birth of Gordon's son. At Loudon, he was standby for a sick Scott Speed. He drove the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford at Martinsville Speedway in Fall 2010 after Kasey Kahne was released from his contract. Almriola had his first Sprint Cup Top five finish at Homestead. In October at the truck race the Mountain Dew 250 he ended up in the closest finish in truck series history by ending up second to his former teammate/buddy Kyle Busch in 0.00000002 of a second, who passed underneath Almirola below the yellow line. The 1-2 finish was the same as the previous race in 2009 but the finish was controversial because of the yellow line rules (You must not advance your position by being below the yellow line even if you may be forced down there). But officials determined that Busch had the lead before going below the yellow line thus making Busch's winning move legal.

In 2011, Almirola drove the No. 88 Nationwide Series car for JR Motorsports. He won two poles and had 18 top-10s to finish fourth in points. He was released from his contract after the season when he accepted a full-time Sprint Cup ride, driving for Richard Petty Motorsports in the No. 43 Ford. Almirola would returned to the Truck Series in 2012 on a part time basis driving for his old crew chief Richie Wauter's #5 Ford.