Aric Almirola recently announced his retirement from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition after the 2023 season, but has decided to participate in a part-time Xfinity Series schedule for 2024. Despite not racing in the Xfinity Series since May, where he finished fifth at Darlington, Almirola seems poised to make a comeback.
It has been revealed that Almirola was suspended by Joe Gibbs Racing due to an altercation with Bubba Wallace during a competition meeting. Almirola was initially set to compete in the Charlotte Xfinity race for JGR, but was replaced by Ty Gibbs. According to sources, the team saw Almirola as the instigator of the dispute, leading to his suspension.
The altercation occurred during a weekly competition meeting involving drivers from both JGR and 23XI Racing, who have a close technical alliance. The exact cause of the dispute remains unknown, but it resulted in Almirola being suspended for the Charlotte race where he was supposed to drive the No. 20 car.
After speculation on social media about the suspension, a report confirmed the rumors and stated that Almirola is expected to return from his suspension in July. Despite this setback, Almirola, who accumulated three wins in 460 Cup Series starts, remains determined to race and has been running a partial schedule in the Xfinity Series for JGR.
While Almirola’s racing career has seen its fair share of ups and downs, he has shown resilience and commitment to the sport. His return to JGR, where he began his career, demonstrates his passion for racing. Almirola’s suspension is just another chapter in his racing journey, and it will be interesting to see how he bounces back from this setback.