Aric Almirola heads to the Kansas Speedway ready to bring the iconic No. 43 back to Victory Lane. Almirola circles the mile-and-a-half track as one of his best. In three starts, he has two top-10 starts, led 69 laps (the most at any track) and a top-10 finish.
In the spring, Almirola drove from the sixth starting spot to an eighth place finish, his third of four consecutive top-10 finishes. In this event last year, multiple flat tires mired his dominant car laps down at the finish after leading the second-most laps of the race.
A win in this event would also check off Kansas Speedway for Crew Chief Todd Parrott who has won at all but six tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule. One of the newer tracks on the circuit, Parrott has only 14 starts. In those events, he posted one top-five and three top-10 finishes. Elliott Sadler tallied Parrott’s best finish of fourth in the 2004 event.
Almirola will join Richard Petty and Farmland to kick off the weekend on a high note. Farmland will host “Bacon A Difference,” an event to benefit Harvester’s – The Community Food Network, at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. Almirola and Petty will open the event with a check presentation and fan Q&A before Country Music Award winners Eli Young Band take the stage. The $10 event tickets are still on sale. For more information or to buy tickets, head to baconadifference.com.
Comments from Farmland Ford Fusion Driver Aric Almirola:
“Kansas is unique in its own right. For whatever reason, we run really well at Kansas. We take some of the stuff from Kansas to the other mile-and-a-halfs but don’t run as well as we do in Kansas. It’s one of those race tracks that have a lot of grip since it is newly repaved. The track is really fast, and we tend to run really well there. I’m excited about going back there.
“We have a test day to work on some stuff and test out the new tire. We’ve got a laundry list of things we would like to try. Having a four-hour test will let us try some things that we don’t have time to try on a regular weekend, so I look forward to seeing what works and what will make our car better for Sunday.
“It’s Farmland’s headquarters, so that’s a big weekend for us. Hopefully, we will put on a good show for them and put that Farmland Ford Fusion in Victory Lane. I’m also really looking forward to Farmland’s ‘Bacon A Difference’ event on Thursday. It should be a lot of fun, and I appreciate any time we can give to help people in need. I think a lot of us take for granted that we don’t have to go to bed on an empty stomach. Being a part of these food donations really makes you appreciate what you have. I’m just grateful to be a small part of helping hungry families.”
Comments from Farmland Ford Fusion Crew Chief Todd Parrott:
“Something seems to click when we go to Kansas. Last year, we had an amazing car and backed that up this season in just our fourth intermediate track start in the Gen-6 car. We have learned some things since April and hope to build on those during the test on Thursday. I think we have the potential to be the best car this weekend and bring that No. 43 back to Victory Lane.”
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