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8 Is Enough: Almirola Gets Full-Time Ride In Famed Car

The Associated Press

Aric Almirola (8) hits the wall in turn two Sunday June 29, 2008, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Lenox Industrial Tools 301 auto race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

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By TONY FABRIZIO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 2, 2008

Updated: 07/02/2008 12:11 am

TAMPA - Aric Almirola finished up the contracts Tuesday after more than a week of serious talks.

At last, the Tampa native and Hillsborough High graduate is going to be a full-time Sprint Cup driver.

After sharing a car with Mark Martin for last year's second half and this year, Almirola will take over Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s No. 8 Chevrolet full time next season, the team announced.

It's the famed No. 8 car that Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR's most popular driver, drove from 2000-07 - the one Almirola is driving in 12 races this season.

"I'm very excited, to say the least," Almirola, 24, said by phone late Tuesday. "I wish I could go to sleep tonight and wake up tomorrow and we'd be at Daytona testing for next year."

Almirola's path to a full-time ride was made clear with Martin's apparent decision to return to full-time competition next year and drive Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Chevy. A formal announcement could come as soon as this weekend.

Even Almirola, who is close to Martin, is surprised by Martin's expected move.

"I really am," he said. "He's talked to me a little about how much he liked having a partial schedule and how he can get in the grind for a couple of weeks and then take a week off. ... I think it will be cool to watch him try and win a championship. In my opinion, he's one of the best drivers in the series."

Even if Martin had stayed, DEI may have found a way to get Almirola a full-time ride for 2009.

Almirola said informal discussions about his future have been taking place since he debuted this season with an eighth-place finish March 16 at Bristol.

"I had a good run at Bristol and everybody was kind of shocked, and from that point forward, they started getting interest from sponsors and other people," Almirola said. "Then we went to Martinsville and ran well, and after that, they tried to figure out a way to get me in a car full time."

Almirola broke into NASCAR through a diversity program started by Joe Gibbs Racing and late NFL great Reggie White in 2003. After working his way up to part-time duty in the Nationwide Series with Gibbs, he signed with Ginn Racing last summer to share the team's No. 01 car with Martin in the Cup series.

Ginn Racing was absorbed by DEI, and Almirola became a DEI driver. He has run five of the 12 races he's scheduled to race this year. Martin got to choose his schedule and is driving in the other 24 races.

Between them, Martin and Almirola have put the No. 8 car 18th in the owners standings, one spot ahead of the No. 2 car driven by Kurt Busch.

"There is no doubt Aric is ready to go full time," Martin said. "Aric is an incredible talent and a true student of the sport. Having him run a full-time program in the No. 8 was always part of the plan, but his development has allowed us to accelerate things."

Martin added that Almirola has "a lot of sponsorship excitement" around him.

DEI does not have a sponsorship for next year, but Almirola said the team is "really close" on a couple of things, including a renewal of the U.S. Army sponsorship. The Army, as a governmental entity, must do its sponsorships as one-year contracts.

Almirola will become part of a DEI lineup that includes Martin Truex Jr. and Regan Smith, if Truex stays. Truex is in the final year of his contract and, according to SI.com, could be headed to Penske Racing if Ryan Newman moves on.

"With Aric running a full-time schedule in 2009, we will have a group of immensely talented drivers with long careers in front of them, and we like our position for the future," DEI vice president of motor sports operations John Story said. "We know that Aric will get the job done."

Almirola has only seven races remaining in 2008. He'll keep a busy schedule as a test driver and he could get some Nationwide Series starts if DEI secures sponsorship.

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at (813) 259-7994 or afabrizio@tampatrib.com.

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