Aric Almirola’s hopes of making it to the Main Event in the 2022 Busch Light Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum are over. NASCAR Cup Series rookie Todd Gilliland was running in the fourth-position in Last Chance Qualifier 1, when he got roughed up by Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola.
As Gilliland fell to sixth, Almirola nudged Gilliland into the wall on the straightaway. Gilliland seemingly had enough and sent Almirola for a spin.
As Almirola went spinning, he nearly collected his teammate Kevin Harvick in the crash.
Here is video of the crash from FOX Sports:
Aric Almirola goes into the wall after contact with Todd Gilliland. pic.twitter.com/LJc1C0vtip
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 6, 2022
After climbing from his No. 10 car, Almirola pointed at Gilliland as Gilliland drove past the wreckage.
"?"- AA pic.twitter.com/sIbaltd9AI
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 6, 2022
“It was a bigger hit than I expected with as slow as we were going here,” said Aric Almirola. “The 38 just destroyed us. We had a decent start and we were moving forward and the 38 just drove in there a mile and tore us up.”