Almirola hoping to shine at Homestead-Miami finale

Aric Almirola has enjoyed a superb season in the Truck Series with seven top fives including two second-place finishes in 15 races. Almirola could bring it to a dazzling conclusion with his first victory in Friday's Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"It's been a great year that I've had running for Billy Ballew Motorsports and all of the sponsors that have supported me throughout the last 15 races," Almirola said. "And I hope to take Graceway Pharmaceuticals and AKAwareness.com to victory lane to finish out the season."

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Almirola joined the Ballew team a third of the way into the season after starting the first seven Cup races in 2009 with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. He ran the full 25-race truck schedule in 2006 and had 33 total starts in trucks without a top-five finish. More mature and experienced at age 25, Almirola was fourth at Memphis in his third start this season and has had 10 top-10's in the past 13 races.

"Our team has really stepped their game up," Almirola said of the No. 15 Toyota's progress. "We bring trucks to the racetrack every single weekend and they're capable of winning and I think we've proved that. I can't thank Billy enough for putting me in his trucks to race this season. It sort of worked out good for both of us. I needed a truck to drive, and Billy needed a driver."

Almirola, from Tampa, is excited about racing in his home state, but disappointed it is the final race of 2009.

"It's bittersweet," Almirola said. "I love going to Florida any chance I get, but going to Homestead, you know the season is over. I just hope we can continue our relationship [with Ballew] into 2010. I'm very happy that [sponsors] came on board and helped us get through the end of the year, but God's honest truth about next year, I have no clue.

"Last year, two years ago, I probably would've felt like a little bit of an outcast and felt like the minority going to Homestead and not having any idea what I'm doing next year. But for whatever the case may be, whether it's the economy, whether it's just people not sure of what's going on, I really feel like the majority. It seems like half the garage in all three [NASCAR national] series are really unsure on their 2010 plans. There's a lot of uncertainty going into next season, and I just seem to be a part of that."