Chase Bound: RPM In The Driver Seat Of Own Destiny

Chase Bound: RPM In The Driver Seat Of Own Destiny

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty’s name is synonymous with winning, and this past weekend’s win by Richard Petty Motorsport’s driver Aric Almirola has ‘The King’ and his team in the fast lane to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. 

NASCAR Chairman Brian France made it clear when the changes to the Chase were made heading into this season – winning is all that matters.

With Almirola’s win, the famed No. 43 team could make the Chase for the first time. Almirola now meets one of three criteria to make the Chase; if he can stay in the top 30 in points (he currently 21st) and attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races, he is almost assured a spot in the Chase.

Almirola’s win was big on many levels. He became the first Cuban American to win a race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The last time the No. 43 car visited Victory Lane at Daytona was July 4, 1984 with Petty behind the wheel (it was his 200th and final victory). The last time the No. 43 car won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was at Martinsville Speedway on April 18, 1999 with driver John Andretti. The No. 43 car is now one win shy of 200 NSCS victories (199th win - second-most all-time).  Additionally, the last time an active driver posted a first career NSCS win was nearly three years ago – August 15, 2011 at Watkins Glen – by Almirola’s now-RPM teammate Marcos Ambrose.

Heading to New Hampshire, Almirola is looking to build off the fifth-place finish he posted last fall at the 1.058-mile track. Almirola has an average finish of 21.0 and a pre-race Driver Rating of 61.7 at NHMS. Ambrose also has an average finish of 21.9 at New Hampshire.

Ambrose, the series’ unofficial road course ace, has his sights set on Watkins Glen. He has won twice (2011 and 2012) and finished in the top three in five of his six starts at Watkins Glen International. RPM’s Director of Operations Sammy Johns concedes that WGI is their next best option to get both cars in the Chase and they plan to prepare all they can.

“Yeah, we've got a test scheduled for Watkins Glen right now with both Aric and Marcos, so obviously Marcos will be one of the favorites there, so we're looking forward to getting there and testing and seeing if we can have both the 9 and the 43 in the Chase. That would be so awesome,” said Johns.