Historic double?

Fresh from his breakthrough victory at Daytona International Speedway in early July, Aric Almirola can be forgiven for thinking big.

After all, he put the vaunted No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports car in the winner’s circle for the first time in 15 years.

Almirola would like nothing better than to complete the Daytona/Brickyard double, last accomplished by Jamie McMurray in 2010.

“We brought a brand-spanking new race car with, I’m sure, a lot of horsepower from Doug Yates, so I’m expecting good things,” Almirola said Friday morning before opening Sprint Cup practice. “We haven’t been on the race track for practice yet, but every time you show up at the race track, you expect to run really good.

“I don’t think anybody shows up at the race track expecting to run 35th, so I fully intend to have a lot of speed and be able to go race on Sunday for a Brickyard 400 win. That would be amazing to have an opportunity to win at probably both of the most historic race tracks on our circuit.”