ARIC ALMIROLA Smithfield Racing Team Report Round 9 of 36 – Richmond 400 – Richmond Car No.: 10 – Smithfield Ford Mustang At-Track PR Contact: Dakota Hunter, True Speed Communication (704-875-3388 ext. 813, [email protected]) Primary Team Members: Driver: Aric Almirola Crew Chief: John Klausmeier Hometown: Tampa, Florida Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland Car Chief: Chad Haney Engine Builder: Roush Yates Engines Hometown: Fairmont, West Virginia Headquarters: Mooresville, North Carolina Engine Specialist: Jon Phillips Spotter: Joel Edmonds Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri Hometown: Dobson, North Carolina Over-The-Wall Crew Members: Fuelman: Jeremy Howard Front Changer: Daniel Coffey Hometown: Dalhart, Texas Hometown: Granite Falls, North Carolina Carrier: Jon Bernal Rear Changer: Chris McMullen Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina Hometown: Canton, Michigan Jackman: Brett Morell Hometown: Windham, Maine Road Crew Members: Transporter Driver: Todd Cable and Scott Robins Tire Technician: Keith Eads Hometowns: Shelby, North Carolina, and Woodsville, New Hampshire, Hometown: Arlington, Virginia respectively Shock Specialist: Brian Holshouser Engineers: Mike Cook and Marc Hendricksen Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina Hometowns: Annapolis, Maryland, and Clinton, New Jersey, respectively Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez Front End Mechanic: J.D. Frey Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina Hometown: Ferndale, California Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams Hometown: Naples, Florida Richmond Raceway Notes of Interest: • Aric Almirola will make his 289th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start and his 15th at Richmond (Va.) Raceway. • In the Tampa native’s 14 previous starts at Richmond, he has two top-five finishes and two top-10s. • Career: Almirola has career totals of two wins, two poles, 16 top-five finishes, 55 top-10s and 429 laps led in 288 starts. • 2019: Almirola has earned one pole, one top-five finish, six top-10s and has led 72 laps in nine races this season. • Last win: His most recent Cup Series win came Oct. 14, 2018 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. • Point standings: Almirola is ninth in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings with 246 points, 115 out of first place. -more- Smithfield Racing Team Report – Richmond I Page Two • Last race: Almirola started sixth and finished 37th Sunday at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Running on the outside of William Byron’s No. 24 machine in turn two on lap two, Almirola was pushed into the wall when Byron got loose and slid into Almirola’s No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang. The right-front corner of Almirola’s Mustang hit the wall first, and the impact bent the lower control arm beyond repair. With Almirola unable to steer his racecar, his race was over. The DNF (Did Not Finish) ended a six-race streak of top-10 finishes. • Crew chief Johnny Klausmeier is in his second full-time season as a Cup Series crew chief. The Perry Hall, Maryland, native transitioned from an engineer to Almirola’s crew chief for the 2018 season. Klausmeier has one win as a substitute crew chief while filling in for Tony Gibson at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June 2016, and one win as a crew chief for Almirola last fall at Talladega. As a race engineer at SHR, Klausmeier has worked with drivers Ryan Newman, Danica Patrick and Kurt Busch. • Smithfield rejoined SHR this season and will be the primary partner for the majority of the season on the No. 10 Ford Mustang piloted by Almirola. Founded in 1936, Smithfield is a leading provider of high-quality pork products, with a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts. • Almirola will adorn a special Get Grilling America Smithfield paint scheme this weekend at Richmond. With summer in full swing, fans have the opportunity to celebrate the grilling season by entering Smithfield’s “Hero of the Grill” contest that Almirola and five-time world-champion barbecue pitmaster Tuffy Stone helped launch last year. Fans are encouraged to nominate their favorite grill hero by visiting SmithfieldGetGrilling.com. One “Hero of the Grill” nominee will win $5,000. You can pick up your Smithfield Extra Tender Pork Ribs at Walmart this grilling season Aric Almirola’s History at Richmond Raceway: Year Date Event Start Finish Status/Laps Laps Led Earnings 2018 4/21 Toyota Owners 400 25 17 Running, 400/400 0 N/A 9/22 Federated Auto Parts 400 6 5 Running, 400/400 1 N/A 2017 4/30 Toyota Owners 400 25 9 Running, 400/400 0 N/A 9/9 ◊Federated Auto Parts 400 23 17 Running, 404/404 0 N/A 2016 4/24 =Toyota Owners 400 24 21 Running, 400/400 0 N/A 9/10 ◊Federated Auto Parts 400 23 17 Running, 407/407 0 N/A 2015 4/26 Toyota Owners 400 27 20 Running, 399/400 0 $118,936 9/12 Federated Auto Parts 400 24 4 Running, 400/400 0 $158,236 2014 4/26 Toyota Owners 400 15 17 Running, 400/400 0 $119,201 9/6 Federated Auto Parts 400 26 10 Running, 400/400 0 $132,451 2013 4/27 ×Toyota Owners 400 34 8 Running, 406/406 0 $126,746 9/7 Federated Auto Parts 400 15 20 Running, 400/400 0 $118,921 2012 4/28 Toyota Owners 400 11 26 Running, 398/400 0 $110,996 9/8 Federated Auto Parts 400 18 26 Running, 397/400 0 $111,571 * Race cut short due to weather. × Race length extended due to green-white-checkered finish. = Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via practice speed ◊ Race length was extended due to overtime finish - TSC – .