Aric Almirola needs to go

JJ_14

JJ_14

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It's time for SHR to part ways with Aric Almirola. This guy has two wins in 5+ seasons. During that span, Kevin Harvick has 23 wins. That is just unacceptable. Sure, SHR is struggling right now, but what was the excuse when they were at the top? Not only does he has two measly wins, but both of them were also a fluke. Winning a fuel mileage race at Talladega is not impressive whatsoever. His other win @ New Hampshire was the same story, a fuel mileage victory. It has gotten to the point that whenever Almirola wins, it's an underdog victory.

There is so much talent @ the lower ranks. Most top drivers in the xFinity would be huge upgrades over Almirola. As a matter of fact, Cody Ware would probably be an upgrade. Almirola is that bad.

I understand the funding side to all of this. It's important, no doubt. However, how long will he have the funding if he keeps underperforming? At one point, sponsors will want to see results. Almirola is probably on the verge of losing all that funding if he keeps finishing 25th every race.

On the other hand, if you sign a driver who raises the performance of that team, funding will come. That's the way SHR should approach this. They really need a fresh start. Almirola is dragging that team down heavily.

My two favorite drivers for the #4 & #10 would be Corey LaJoie & Justin Allgaier. There's no need to say much about LaJoie. The guy is a wheelman. He comes from a family of racing, Randy LaJoie was an old-school guy & I think Corey has some of the same qualities. Allgaier is in his prime doing very well in xFinity. He's paid his dues & deserves a chance at the highest level, assuming he likes the idea of moving up. Why wouldn't he though?

Start fresh with a line-up of:
Corey LaJoie
Justin Allgaier
Chase Briscoe
Ryan Preece

That's a very talented roster with tons of potential.
 
JJ_14 said:
Start fresh with a line-up of:
Corey LaJoie
Justin Allgaier
Chase Briscoe
Ryan Preece
Click to expand...
I get your point, but this would bankrupt the team. They've had at least one pay driver for years. Danica in the 10 was a pay driver, bringing GoDaddy money and then Nature's Bakery, and once that funding went away she was immediately out.

Aric is the same situation. SHR isn't like Penske or Hendrick. Penske has Shell/Pennzoil because they can also make parallel deals to exclusively use Shell/Pennzoil lubricants at all of the Penske dealer service departments, so each party gets something from the other. Why do you think Penske has a Freightliner deal for years too, then look at the Penske rental trucks. Hendrick is the same way with Ally and Valvoline, it's tied to the car dealers. Axalta - HMS dealers all have to have a bodyshop and that's a lot of paint. Etc, etc. These are relationships, not just slapping a logo on the hood for cash.

SHR can't really offer that, so they need more of the "logo on the good for cash" situations, which is far less appealing and doesn't lend itself to as lengthy of commitments. So if they have Smithfield tied to Aric, and Smithfield is paying well, then they're going to do whatever it takes to keep Aric there before that money shuts off.

There will always be some level of pay driver at SHR. It'll never be four hot-shoes based completely on speed.

Also, even Algaier is a pay driver with Brandt, but he's a good one. Apparently they don't have enough money to go Cup racing, or he probably would have by now outside of that H-Scott deal years ago. But I agree he should have been in Cup.
 
cheesepuffs said:
I get your point, but this would bankrupt the team. They've had at least one pay driver for years. Danica in the 10 was a pay driver, bringing GoDaddy money and then Nature's Bakery, and once that funding went away she was immediately out.

Aric is the same situation. SHR isn't like Penske or Hendrick. Penske has Shell/Pennzoil because they can also make parallel deals to exclusively use Shell/Pennzoil lubricants at all of the Penske dealer service departments, so each party gets something from the other. Why do you think Penske has a Freightliner deal for years too, then look at the Penske rental trucks. Hendrick is the same way with Ally and Valvoline, it's tied to the car dealers. Axalta - HMS dealers all have to have a bodyshop and that's a lot of paint. Etc, etc. These are relationships, not just slapping a logo on the hood for cash.

SHR can't really offer that, so they need more of the "logo on the good for cash" situations, which is far less appealing and doesn't lend itself to as lengthy of commitments. So if they have Smithfield tied to Aric, and Smithfield is paying well, then they're going to do whatever it takes to keep Aric there before that money shuts off.

There will always be some level of pay driver at SHR. It'll never be four hot-shoes based completely on speed.

Also, even Algaier is a pay driver with Brandt, but he's a good one. Apparently they don't have enough money to go Cup racing, or he probably would have by now outside of that H-Scott deal years ago. But I agree he should have been in Cup.
Click to expand...
Hmmm Haas Automation wasn't mentioned. They have occasionally fronted the money for a driver to continue as in Kurt Busch's case, Haas is on the side of Custer's Xfinity car and probably helping to finance Preece's ride.
But Almirola who is the worst driver out of the bunch, is getting almost a full ride with Smithfield. I doubt SHR is doing anything but smiling and hoping when Almirola takes a hike that they can continue to work with Smithfield. Sponsors are in many cases more important than drivers and winning is.
 
Aric ran fine his first couple years at SHR; consistently ran in the top 10, won at Talladega and nearly won Fall Dover 2018, obviously 2018 Daytona 500, and a couple other near chances based off my moment.
Besides the random win at New Hampshire, he hasn’t been good the past couple years and probably should have stayed retired but he brings the sponsorship money that Stewart-Haas obviously needs
 
Jorge De Guzman said:
That bacon money is oh so sweet. Smithfield like Aric so therefore SHR like Aric. Performance be damned in this case I’m afraid, economics rule out
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I don’t see where Almirola has underperformed that much when his teammate in the 41 is just as subpar.
 
Efisher131 said:
He should know that since his girl Hailie Deegan is mid pack every week in top equipment too but keeps getting promoted.
Click to expand...
I posted it long ago in this thread that Almirola is here for the money in a car that costs 25 million a year to race.
 
SHR has a disparity in their cars. You got the 4, then you got the 14 a bit behind, and whatever “R&D” or whatever cost/equipment cap on the 10 & 41. JMO.

13th at Richmond. Okay result. Not sure any other drivers other than Larson, Chastain, Logano, Kyle Busch are gonna do much different.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
If SHR felt that way, they wouldn't have asked him back.
Click to expand...

Smithfield asked Almirola back, and SHR needed their checks. Tony and Gene can't run a car without money and having Aric in the car is better than no car at all.

I have no idea WHY Smithfield is so loyal to Almirola. He has no family money in the operation and isn't related to any of their executives. You would think that they would want a driver who puts up more consistent results. Maybe Tony and Gene failed to sell them on Ryan Preece (who I assume would have gotten the 10). If another team can come along and woo Smithfield, then SHR will be down a car and a driver.
 
I find it hilarious that terms like bankrupt the team and need the checks are used. What it costs to field that car probably wouldn't cover the catering bill for the F1 team. SHR has CHOSEN to take the money over footing the bill to put a more competitive driver in the car just as Penske has done with Harrison Burton. Just a matter of where your priorities are. When Rick had a chance to land this weeks winner, he just did what he did with his Four time and seven time champion drivers: "Get them signed, THEN, I'll figure out the finances.
 
Formerjackman said:
I find it hilarious that terms like bankrupt the team and need the checks are used. What it costs to field that car probably wouldn't cover the catering bill for the F1 team. SHR has CHOSEN to take the money over footing the bill to put a more competitive driver in the car just as Penske has done with Harrison Burton. Just a matter of where your priorities are. When Rick had a chance to land this weeks winner, he just did what he did with his Four time and seven time champion drivers: "Get them signed, THEN, I'll figure out the finances.
Click to expand...

I don’t really disagree, but I’m not sure who else is a better option than a decent driver that brings a good sponsor. Zane Smith I guess but no major sponsor.
 
AuzGrams said:
I don’t really disagree, but I’m not sure who else is a better option than a decent driver that brings a good sponsor. Zane Smith I guess but no major sponsor.
Click to expand...

Maybe not at this exact moment, but SHR didn't get in this position overnight. They let Ford talk them out of Larson, they passed on Kyle Busch. How many other drivers COULD they have gotten?
 
AuzGrams said:
I don’t really disagree, but I’m not sure who else is a better option than a decent driver that brings a good sponsor. Zane Smith I guess but no major sponsor.
Click to expand...

As for sponsors, correct me if I missed any, but only one of all the primary sponsors at Hendrick was brought in by the driver, Liberty University. Where is the SHR marketing department? It seems they can't keep Smithfield without Almirola, or replace them, it sounds like Busch is out the door as soon as Harvick retires. Seems like there is some work to be done there.
 
JJ_14 said:
It's time for SHR to part ways with Aric Almirola. This guy has two wins in 5+ seasons. During that span, Kevin Harvick has 23 wins. That is just unacceptable. Sure, SHR is struggling right now, but what was the excuse when they were at the top? Not only does he has two measly wins, but both of them were also a fluke. Winning a fuel mileage race at Talladega is not impressive whatsoever. His other win @ New Hampshire was the same story, a fuel mileage victory. It has gotten to the point that whenever Almirola wins, it's an underdog victory.

There is so much talent @ the lower ranks. Most top drivers in the xFinity would be huge upgrades over Almirola. As a matter of fact, Cody Ware would probably be an upgrade. Almirola is that bad. ( THEOSE DRIVERS NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND FIND SPONSORS FOR THEMSELVES. aLMITOLA HAS A RIDE BECAUSE HE HAS A SPONSOR PAYING THE BILLS.)

I understand the funding side to all of this. It's important, no doubt. However, how long will he have the funding if he keeps underperforming? At one point, sponsors will want to see results. Almirola is probably on the verge of losing all that funding if he keeps finishing 25th every race.

On the other hand, if you sign a driver who raises the performance of that team, funding will come. That's the way SHR should approach this. They really need a fresh start. Almirola is dragging that team down heavily.

My two favorite drivers for the #4 & #10 would be Corey LaJoie & Justin Allgaier. There's no need to say much about LaJoie. The guy is a wheelman. He comes from a family of racing, Randy LaJoie was an old-school guy & I think Corey has some of the same qualities. Allgaier is in his prime doing very well in xFinity. He's paid his dues & deserves a chance at the highest level, assuming he likes the idea of moving up. Why wouldn't he though?

Start fresh with a line-up of:
Corey LaJoie
Justin Allgaier
Chase Briscoe
Ryan Preece

That's a very talented roster with tons of potential.
Click to expand...
 
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