Farmland on Almirola’s No. 43 at Kansas

From: Richard Petty Motorsports

Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Farmland team head to Kansas Speedway a couple days early this week to participate in a two-day test on the newly repaved track. But there's one "test" that this partnership has already passed - that together they can raise awareness for hunger relief.

The Farmland Foods paint scheme on Almirola's Ford Fusion marks the success of "Bacon a Difference," a summer-long campaign that raised funds for Harvesters-The Community Food Network.  With each package of Farmland bacon purchased from Memorial Day to Labor Day in the Kansas City area, Farmland pledged to donate 4.3 cents to the area food bank, with a minimum donation of $43,000.  Total funds raised will be announced by Farmland, Harvesters and race team owner Richard Petty at a special event on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo.

In addition, Farmland has already pledged to double the donation if Almirola wins Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at the 1.5-mile oval.  The driver has as good a shot as anyone in the field, with the racing surface being new to everyone.  Almirola has one previous Sprint Cup start at Kansas Speedway before the repave - a 23rd-place finish in April of this season.  He's coming off a 12th-place finish at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway last weekend, where his fast Ford Fusion ran in the top 15 the entire race.