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Aric Almirola, a seasoned name in NASCAR, will begin a unique adventure in the 2024 Xfinity season when he returns to Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) not only as a part-time driver but also as a driver coach and mentor.
At 39, the opportunity to be in such a position is something that Aric Almirola feels proud of as he finds meaning in helping other drivers. Speaking to motorsport.com in an interview at JGR, Aric Almirola said:
“Not that I am prideful, but I feel a sense of pride in knowing I get to help. It gives me purpose."
This deep sense of purpose seemingly comes from his desire to use his two decades' worth of racing know-how to shorten the learning curve for the young drivers he will train at JGR. Almirola added:
"It gives me an opportunity to take what I’ve done for the last 20 years and try to speed up the learning curve for these guys or help them make one less mistake than I did”
Having said goodbye to the Cup Series in 2023, Almirola was pulled back into the team where his NASCAR career began twenty years earlier.
Joe Gibbs Racing viewed Almirola as the perfect mentor for JGR’s list of blossoming young drivers. Almirola will reportedly participate in about 15 Xfinity Series races apart from his off-track duties.
This move fits very well into the current JGR landscape - the team currently boasts a large young driver roster for both the Xfinity and Cup Series.
Aric Almirola returns to Joe Gibbs Racing after 20 years
Two decades after his first stint with Joe Gibbs Racing, Aric Almirola is set to make a comeback at the team that ignited his NASCAR career. The Cup Series star, at age 39, had intended to retire from full-time racing at the end of the 2023 season after making quality family time a priority. However, a call from Joe Gibbs himself turned the tide on Almirola’s plans.
Almirola posted a heartwarming message on social media, stating that he was grateful and humbled to be contacted by Coach Joe Gibbs, who contacted Almirola last September and played a significant role in his return. The veteran driver wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“Back where it all started”
JGR's 2024 Xfinity Series campaign will have a lineup with veteran drivers like Almirola as well as upcoming talents like Sheldon Creed and Chandler Smith.
