Aric Almirola has been racing since he was eight years old, starting with go-karts. After spending a few years cutting his teeth in local open-wheel modified series, Almirola became one of the original members of the Joe Gibbs Racing Driver Diversity Program in 2003. His first few years in the program saw him racing in late model events.
Almirola got his first big NASCAR start in the Truck Series in 2005 at the age of 21. He made four starts that first year and scored two top-10 finishes.
In 2006, Almirola ran a full-time season in the Truck Series for Spears Motorsports. He still maintained an association with Joe Gibbs Racing and scored three top-10 finishes that year. He also made his debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2006 and made nine starts for Joe Gibbs Racing in the series.
The following year, Almirola made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start driving the No. 80 for JGR at Las Vegas and the No. 01 for Dale Earnhardt Inc. for five starts. His best finish was a 26th at Phoenix International Raceway.
He also ran half of the Nationwide events that year and "scored" his first NASCAR victory at The Milwaukee Mile driving the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing. Almirola didn't actually cross the finish line in first, though, as JGR decided to put the car's regular driver, Denny Hamlin, back in the car mid-race. Almirola had qualified the race for Hamlin who was busy with his Cup duties. When Hamlin couldn't make it to the track in time for the start, Almirola started the race and was running third when Hamlin replaced him. Hamlin went on to score the victory.
The incident didn't sit well with Almirola, who requested a release from JGR the following month. He then was hired by DEI to share driving duties on the No. 8 Chevrolet with Mark Martin in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for 2008.
Almirola competed in 12 races that year and scored one top-10 finish at Bristol Motor Speedway. Almirola also led his first laps in the Sprint Cup Series, collectively three laps at Talladega and fifty-three laps at Martinsville.
