Aric Almirola, who recently declared this season his curtain call as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver, was on the cusp of glory at the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. With only 89 laps remaining, Almirola surged ahead, only to find himself ensnared in a dense maze of lapped traffic. The twist paved the way for Roger Penske’s star, Ryan Blaney, to swoop in, grabbing the lead with just 23 laps left on the board.

Though he clinched a commendable second-place finish, Almirola’s heart weighed heavy with the yearning to celebrate a victory, especially with his loved ones cheering from the stands. As the calendar marks November 5, the Stewart-Haas Racing maestro will make his final lap in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.

Aric Almirola’s frustration and self-disappointment were palpable after the Martinsville race

The atmospheric buzz at Martinsville Speedway was heightened as Aric Almirola announced his forthcoming exit from Stewart-Haas Racing come the close of the 2023 season. While signaling his step back from the full-throttle world of racing, he left the door ajar to potentially partake in select races across various series.

However, when the Cup Series cars roared to life on the track, Almirola was in his element.

During the grueling 500-mile race on Sunday, Almirola showcased impressive long-run velocity, although he narrowly missed adding to his stage point tally, finishing at a close 11th in the second stage. It was a strategic two-tire call by his crew chief, Drew Blickenderfer, that propelled the No. 10 car into a commanding track position. As the dust settled after Michael McDowell’s spin, which led to the last caution, Almirola outpaced the likes of Chase Elliott to claim the lead, a position he held for 66 laps. But the finish line had other plans; Ryan Blaney swooped in to seize the victory with just 23 laps to go.

The thrill of the chase culminated in a nail-biting finish, with the victory margin being less than a second. While this second-place finish was Almirola’s crowning achievement since his 2021 win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. Yet, his optimism shone through as he reflected on his top-tier performance.

He passionately remarked, “Yeah! I am still on my game. You know, I can still compete at this level and I can still get the job done. But, I wanted to win that one. I wanted to celebrate with my family and my team. Came up a little bit short man. Just frustrated, disappointed to not win that one. That’s how it goes, sometimes.” His admiration for his team was evident as he added, “My race team deserves to go to Victory Lane; I wanted to celebrate with them. I just came up a little short.”

Almirola candidly acknowledged Ryan Blaney’s overtaking move as something that was bound to happen and he could not have done anything to change that.

Watch This Story: Aric Almirola and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Clash on the NASCAR Track

Aric Almirola believes he gave it his all, with no room for second-guessing

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During the gripping final 168-lap stretch at the iconic Martinsville race track, Almirola masterfully overtook Chase Elliott, catapulting his No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang into the limelight with a mere 89 laps left. Opting for a fuel-only strategy on his last pit stop, Almirola seized the coveted track position, paving his way to challenge the frontrunners. For a moment, it seemed the Florida dynamo was on a seamless path to victory, boasting a lead that stretched to nearly three seconds. However, the tide turned when he was ensnared in thick-lapped traffic.

Navigating the congestion, Almirola remarked, “Yeah, (lapped traffic) was an issue,” Almirola said. “It’s so hard to pass. I was trying to be patient with it. I was trying to be patient with Reddick and those guys because I didn’t want to burn my stuff up and, I don’t know. I honestly don’t think there’s anything I could do different. His car was just better than mine there at the end on the long run. His rear tires just kind of stayed with him better than mine.”

As Almirola grappled with the slower cars, mirroring Denny Hamlin’s earlier predicament, Ryan Blaney swiftly closed the gap. The ensuing face-off between the two Ford stalwarts was short-lived. With fresher rubber, the NASCAR Playoffs contender outpaced Almirola, clinching the lead with just 23 laps on the horizon. Almirola gracefully steered into a second-place finish, trailing Ryan Blaney by about a second and maintaining a three-second lead over the third-placed Denny Hamlin.

Read More: “It’s a Grind” – Aric Almirola Reveals the Real Reason Behind Leaving Stewart-Haas Racing and His Future Plans in NASCAR