"Anybody who is alive and breathing knows of the Daytona 500" - Aric Almirola on why the race is special for him

Aric Almirola is excited to begin the 2023 NASCAR season. The 75th anniversary NASCAR Cup Series is set to begin in less than a week, as Almirola eyes clinching the season opener at the Daytona 500.

Daytona has a special place in Aric Almirola’s heart, as it's his home track having grown up in Tampa. The driver has fond memories associated with the track, having attended the races in his childhood and also having two victories at the world-famous Speedway.

The Stewart-Haas driver regards the Daytona 500 as an iconic and much-anticipated race as he made the following statement:

“First off, Daytona is always exciting for me. It’s my home racetrack, having grown up just two hours away in Tampa. I have a lot of childhood memories from going there with my family. To top it off, I’ve won there both in Xfinity and Cup cars."

"I just have a tremendous amount of fond memories of spectating at Daytona, even all the way back to my beginning days. I would go back and go-kart in Daytona. It’s always exciting because it brings back all those great memories. Not to mention, it’s the world center of racing.”

Aric Almirola added:

“It’s the greatest place on earth to go race at. It’s the biggest race of the year, the one everyone wants to win. Your name is forever etched in history. There’s just no other race like it. It’s such a special race because of the prestige and the paycheck at the end. It’s the highest-paying race."

"Anybody who is alive and breathing knows of the Daytona 500. Even if you’re not a huge race fan or even a NASCAR fan, you know of the Daytona 500. There’s just so much history around this race that being a Daytona 500 champion is a really big deal.”

There is no argument for Aric Almirola’s claims as the Daytona 500 is one of Motorsports' biggest spectacles. The Daytona International Speedway will become centerstage on February 20th as millions of fans across the globe tune in to watch the 500-mile race.

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Aric Almirola’s previous exploits at Daytona

Aric Almirola came heart-breakingly close to being crowned the Daytona 500 champion in 2018 as he lost the lead just half a lap before the checkered flag. The 38-year-old driver pulled an aggressive block on the No. 3 driver, resulting in Almirola being sent sliding to the outside wall thus ending his hopes for glory.

Aric Almirola is no stranger to wins at Daytona as he has previously won races at the superspeedway in NASCAR’S top two series but the Harley J. Trophy eludes him.

With anticipation and excitement building up for NASCAR's biggest race, Almirola will leave no stone unturned in etching his name in history.