Aric Almirola will be the new driver of the Stewart-Haas Racing’s (SHR) No. 10 Ford team next season, replacing Danica Patrick, Motorsport.com reported.
SHR plans to unveil its newest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver next week but sources familiar with the announcement have revealed that the driver is Almirola.
The 33-year-old will take over from Patrick, who said earlier this year that she would not return to SHR next year.
Almirola is yet to announce his 2018 plans and, when contacted by Motorsport.com, SHR officials declined to comment, however, Sporting News reported that Almirola's primary sponsor for the past six years, Smithfield Foods, will make the move to SHR next year and it would make sense if their driver tagged along.
ESPN noted that Smithfield, which endorsed Almirola at Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), recently had a fallout with the team over the move.
However, a source said the dispute has been resolved and that Smithfield will still be involved with RPM during the transition over to SHR.
Meanwhile Almirola, who has spent several years behind the steering wheel of No. 43 for RPM, will be replaced by Darrell "Bubba" Wallace, CBS News noted.
As for Patrick, her racing career may be coming to an end.
"I never have any regrets," she said, according to Bleacher Report.
"I wish I could have won more often, but so much in racing is out of your control. If this is the end, a certain portion of me has to die. A part of my identity will go away. But you have to let go of things. There's sadness, but there's also excitement. My future could be better than I can even envision."
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