Almirola rides the draft of three top-10 finishes to Talladega

CONCORD, N.C. - After three consecutive top- 10 finishes, Aric Almirola and the No. 43 team are one of the most successful teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series right now.

This weekend, they are hoping to extend their streak with the colors and branding of Gwaltney on the high-banks of Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race will mark Gwaltney's first of two races this season.

Aric Almirola, Ford

Photo by: Action Sports Photography

Almirola will make his seventh start at Talladega this weekend. He posted his best Sprint Cup superspeedway finish of 12th during the spring race at Talladega last season.

At the 2.66-mile track, Almirola posted two runner-up finishes in the truck series in 2009 and 2010 and a ninth-place finish in the Nationwide series in 2011.

Comments from Gwaltney Ford Fusion Driver Aric Almirola: "Talladega is a bit of a crapshoot. You go in knowing you of a one in 43 chance of winning the race, but also have a one in 43 chance of ending up on your roof and done for the day.

Roush Yates has built a great engine package for this race and Todd (Parrott) and the guys worked on some aero with the chassis since Daytona too. I feel like we will have good speed this weekend.

"This will be Gwaltney's first race with us this season, so hopefully we can continue our top-10 streak and give them a good showing this weekend. We have some really good momentum now. I think last week at Richmond really proved how good our team is.

We took an okay car, worked on it all race, and by the end we had a top-10 finish. We're right in the thick of it for a Chase position. Although some think it's still early for that, maybe, but every race is important. Right now, we're taking advantage of all of them."

Comments from Gwaltney Ford Fusion Crew Chief Todd Parrott: "We weren't too happy with our car in Daytona, so we came back and built a new chassis.

I am very proud of the season we put together so far. If we keep putting ourselves in position for top-10 and keep improving, we'll start posting top-fives and really be in contention to win each week.

That's our goal. Talladega is difficult because you really don't know what you are going to get until the last few laps. We just have to give Aric a fast car and try to be in the right place at the right time at the end."

Richard Petty Motorsports