Aric Almirola Pure Michigan 400 Race Recap

Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Eckrich team brought home one of the hardest-earned top-20 finishes any team will ever see.  Almirola started Sunday’s 200-lap event in the 41st position after hitting the wall during time trials and not recording a qualifying time.  Taking the green flag in a back-up car that Almirola and his team worked overtime to prepare, the driver reported to crew chief Mike Ford after the first 10 laps that his Ford Fusion was handling fairly well.  And it showed, as he had moved all the way up to 25th position.  But the even keel did not last, and a short time later Almirola was reporting that his Eckrich Ford was starting to get too tight in the turns, preventing him from passing any more cars. The No. 43 crew aimed to help him out on their first pit stop of the day on Lap 34, bringing him down pit road under green-flag conditions for right-side tires with an air-pressure adjustment, a turn of the trackbar and fuel.  A few short laps later, Almirola reported bac...