Imago
Image credits: Imago
Imago
Image credits: Imago
NASCAR is renowned for its enduring rivalries, both on and off the racetrack, setting it apart from other sports. While these rivalries undoubtedly increase sports viewership, they occasionally reach extremes, as seen in the most recent confrontation between Matt Crafton and Nick Sanchez.
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However, not all rivalries result in fireworks. Some are confined to heated exchanges on the radio with one’s crew chief, leaving little lasting impact. Take, for instance, the recent incident in Las Vegas involving Tony Stewart’s protégé and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Although the incident didn’t receive extensive coverage or attention from NBC, it offered a fleeting glimpse into the dynamic between these two drivers.
The prodigy of Tony Stewart demands justice
In NASCAR, drama is never in short supply, and the recent clash between the driver of Tony Stewart and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is no exception. The intriguing twist to this tale lies in the fact that this particular incident went largely unnoticed, with neither NBC nor the commentators shedding light on it. Instead, it was a NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck who brought it to the forefront with a tweet that left fans fuming in its wake.
His tweet read, “PRN’s Mark Garrow says Aric Almirola and Ricky Stenhouse Jr are unhappy with each other and banged doors twice under caution.” But the real fireworks erupted when NASCAR released a video containing all the radio exchanges between drivers and their crew chiefs. It became glaringly evident that Stenhouse Jr. and Aric Almirola were far from pleased with each other’s actions. The exchange began with Stenhouse Jr.’s fiery declaration, “He (Aric Almirola) keeps doing that to me. Blocking, changing lanes every time I come. I am going to spin him out.” This eventually culminated into a contact between the two cars. Aric Almirola was quick to chime in, directing his frustration at his crew chief: “He needs to get penalized for that; we are not supposed to run into each other under caution. You need to tell NASCAR—go look at that.”
But that’s not where the drama ended. The clash on the track soon turned into a collision of doors, adding yet another layer of intrigue to this already gripping narrative. While the on-track drama captivated the fans, there’s also an off-track development involving Aric Almirola and his potential replacement—a subplot that adds another layer of intrigue to the ever-evolving team of Tony Stewart.
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Is Aric Almirola’s retirement still in question?
Aric Almirola’s retirement plans for the end of the 2023 season are no secret as Tony Stewart has been busy scouting potential replacements for both his drivers, Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola. The candidates in the running for the Cup Series include Josh Berry and Noah Gragson.
In the Xfinity Series, where Almirola occasionally competes, Tony Stewart had initially pegged Riley Herbst as the ideal replacement. However, recent developments have left us with a twist in the tale. Stewart-Haas Racing recently confirmed that Riley Herbst is set to return for a fourth season behind the wheel of the No. 98 Ford in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next year, as per beyondtheflag.com. The 2024 season will mark Herbst’s fifth full season at this level of racing.
The intriguing part is that this announcement appears to suggest that Herbst may not be the frontrunner to replace Almirola after all. Otherwise, why make such an announcement at this time? It raises questions about whether Almirola might decide to return for another season or if Cole Custer is the leading contender for the role should Almirola step down.
As of now, Almirola’s decision remains a mystery, at least publicly. If he chooses to extend his career for a seventh year behind the wheel of the No. 10 Ford, it would solidify Stewart-Haas Racing’s four-car lineup for the 2024 Cup Series season and likely secure their two-car lineup for the 2024 Xfinity Series season, with Custer as a strong possibility to return.
