Aric Almirola announced his intentions to retire from the NASCAR Cup Series at the conclusion of the 2022 season before the campaign began. Instead, Almirola decided to come back for another year in the No. 10 car for Stewart-Haas Racing.
It was a shocking development as the 39-year-old driver went back on his decision. With the organization and his sponsor, Smithfield Foods, wanting him to return, it reminded Almirola that he still wants to race in NASCAR.
However, the 2023 NASCAR season has not gone as expected. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver sits 25th in the point standings and likely needs a win to make the playoffs this year. In fact, it could be his last opportunity at pursuing a win in the Cup Series.
Related: Aric Almirola announces shocking return to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2023
Aric Almirola ‘widely expected’ to step away from NASCAR at the conclusion of 2023
Almirola doesn’t have many seasons left in the tank after previously announcing his retirement in 2022. When a driver ponders retirement, it typically means the clock is ticking on their career. For the Stewart-Haas Racing driver, this appears to be the case.
According to The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi, Almirola is “widely expected” to step away from Stewart-Haas Racing and the NASCAR Cup Series at the conclusion of the 2023 season. This news should not come as shocking overall.
The 39-year-old driver was simply delaying the inevitable when he decided to return for the 2023 season. With Stewart-Haas Racing struggling overall, the performance of the cars might be helping Almirola make this decision.
It means the organization will likely have to replace at least two drivers for the 2024 season. One of them is Kevin Harvick, who will be retiring after the finale at Phoenix Raceway this November. In his place, Stewart-Haas Racing is planning to sign Josh Berry.
Berry, 32, is a JR Motorsports driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has impressed in his replacement starts for Hendrick Motorsports this year. The Xfinity Series driver is working toward finalizing a contract with the organization.
There have been plenty of drivers linked to Stewart-Haas Racing so there won’t be a significant amount of struggle to find a replacement driver if Almirola retires. In fact, there will probably be lots of rumors flying around about potential candidates.
If Almirola does expectedly retire, who could drive the No. 10 car for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024? Continue reading to find out three realistic drivers that could be on the organization’s radar!
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3 realistic drivers for Stewart-Haas Racing to hire if Aric Almirola retires in 2023
Stewart-Haas Racing will likely need two new drivers for the 2024 season and with Berry moving toward a deal, it leaves one open seat. Who could be the driver that locks in a spot with the organization’s NASCAR Cup Series program?
Cole Custer drives for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series but has yet to see much success this season. Custer, 25, was previously with the organization’s Cup Series program for three years before being demoted for Ryan Preece.
The 25-year-old driver was expected to produce better results in 2023 but it is still early in the year. If Custer can turn it around and snag a couple of victories, he would be the ideal replacement for Almirola in terms of overall production.
Riley Herbst also drives for the Xfinity Series program as Custer’s teammate and remains on the verge of breaking out. Herbst, 24 has yet to win an Xfinity Series race but was one of the most consistent drivers in the division to start the season.
The 24-year-old driver has a great amount of funding and would be a brilliant addition to an organization that could lose two major sponsors. If Herbst can prove to be successful, it would make the most sense from a money perspective.
Todd Gilliland is the current driver of the No. 38 car for Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series and he has undoubtedly been impressive. Gilliland, 23, has already made incredible strides with more top-10 finishes in 2023 than last season.
The 23-year-old driver likely has the most talent out of these three drivers but the sponsorship factor is an issue. Gilliland would need to find funding to propel himself into an organization that would truly love to have his services.
Stewart-Haas Racing will have plenty of options if Almirola retires so it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds. If Almirola steps away, there could be plenty of reasons to be excited about a new and young driver lineup in 2024.