Aric Almirola confirm his presence at Bristol Motor Speedway just days after tense on-track encounter with Austin Hill at Indy

Aric Almirola has announced a fan meet-up in the MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway, slated for Saturday, August 2. The appearance comes just days after his shunt with Austin Hill at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while Justin Bonsignore is set to drive his #19 Toyota in the Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway.

Hill caused an uproar after he right-hooked Almirola during last weekend's race. The two were battling for fourth when the collision happened, and Hill promptly served a five-lap penalty. Furthermore, the whole ordeal landed Hill a one-race suspension and cost him all his playoff points.

Meanwhile, Almirola crashed head-on into the outside barriers and wrecked out of the race. He was sore from the hit but reported no further injuries. The DNF ultimately marked him 35th in a 38-car field.

On Friday, August 1, the 41-year-old took to X and shared news of his Speedway Classic appearance.

"Excited to be in Bristol tomorrow for the Speedway Classic! I will be at the New York Life Fan Experience from 3pm-4pm in the Fan Zone by Gate 4. Looking forward to meeting you all!," he wrote.

Aric Almirola has made nine starts this season and has mostly finished among the top 10. His best result comes from a win at Phoenix Raceway, followed by a runner-up placing at Las Vegas and Dover. He isn't scheduled to run anymore; Xfinity starts with JGR this season.

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Aric Almirola accuses Austin Hill of 'intentional' move at Indy

During a post-race interview, Aric Almirola stood firm on his claim that Austin Hill intentionally turned into him. He likened the impact to when he broke his back at Kansas Speedway in 2017.

"It was definitely intentional. He blocked me three times. Finally got him loose into [Turn] 3, he had damage on the nose, so he was really slow in the corners. And so, it was time to go. We’re coming to nine laps to go, and the leaders are starting to put a gap on us," he said via Tobychristie.com So, it’s time to go. And I got him loose, and yeah, he just turned left and hit me in the right rear. Honestly, one of the biggest hits I’ve had in my NASCAR career. Very reminiscent of the hit I took when I broke my back," Aric Almirola added.

Austin Hill defended his move and claimed that he lost control of the car instead. However, footage reveals that his white gloves appeared to turn in Almirola's direction.

Under NASCAR's 2025 regulations, Hill would have to apply for a waiver to compete in the playoffs, since he's missing out on Saturday's (August 2) Xfinity Series race. Moreover, with his 21 playoff points stripped away, he's also ineligible to collect more before the postseason begins.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua