Aric Almirola got the shaft at Milwaukee

[FS Myron]

or did he? He was supposed to get the car ready and qualify it for Denny Hamlin. When Hamlin was late for the race, Almirola started it and was running well when the powers that be decided to yank him out of the car once Hamlin was at the track. Did Almirola get the shaft or is that just how racing works? Let us know.

[Chris]

hhuummm
After thinking about it, and reading various posts...
I think in the big picture... Aric did EXACTLY what he was SUPPOSED to do.
Lets look at everything
Aric KNEW in advance he was JUST supposed to practice and qualify the car... so he did that and did a good job of it.
Then Denny couldn't land... so he STARTED the car (what was supposed to happen in that situation,... the car just sit on pit road until Denny got there and be 53 laps behind.... ddduuuhhh)
SO Aric did a good job running the car and made a good accounting of himself at the same time in the race..  He was to be commended.

Where he screwed up was he got all "hopeful" and started thinking... HOPING he was going to get to STAY in the car since Denny was late AND he was leading the race.... The plan all along was for Denny was to come out, and race the car.  If Aric had been running mid-pack it would have been a non-issue.  SO it was all about he was leading, and just wanted to "change the rules" because of that.
Sure it's sad,.. but thats not what you do.
Then he FURTHER went and shot himself in the foot, and went off and POUTED and was MIA the rest of the race, and wouldn't even come to victory lane.  He should have been right there in the pits cheering on his teammate, and right there in victory lane SHARING in the victory.  AFTERALL, it was his STOUT run at the start of the race until Denny got there that even gave Denny a shot to win in the first place.
Denny sounds like he would have GLADLY gave him the credit he deserved.

NNaawwww Aric didn't get the shaft.... he shafted HIMSELF