Snapshot: Aric Almirola gets the 3d AS "Royal" treatment

Using red cargo compartment lights for low-light operations, Aric Almirola, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, left, speaks with Senior Airman Toiannah Campbell, 3d Airlift Squadron loadmaster, as the C-17A Globemaster III taxis into position for a combat offload demonstration Sept. 29, 2016, on Dover Air Force Base, Del. More than 40 NASCAR orientation flight participants including Almirola, observed the Globemaster III being air refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., during the 2.2-hour flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)

Snapshot: Aric Almirola gets the 3d AS "Royal" treatment

Airman Taylor Trapp, 3d Airlift Squadron loadmaster, answers questions from NASCAR team members about the C-17A Globemaster III Sept. 29, 2016, on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Trapp was a member of a 3d AS aircrew that took more than 40 participants on a NASCAR orientation flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)

Snapshot: Aric Almirola gets the 3d AS "Royal" treatment

Capt. Matt Plourde, 3d Airlift Squadron pilot, left, explains to Aric Almirola, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, how the C-17A Globemaster III will position itself for air refueling Sept. 29, 2016, on Dover Air Force Base, Del. During the orientation flight, Almirola watched the Globemaster III being refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)

Snapshot: Aric Almirola gets the 3d AS "Royal" treatment

Aric Almirola, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, watches 3d Airlift Squadron pilots fly a C-17A Globemaster III into position for air refueling Sept. 29, 2016, out of Dover Air Force Base, Del. Almirola observed the Globemaster III being refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)

Snapshot: Aric Almirola gets the 3d AS "Royal" treatment

Pilots from the 3d Airlift Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Del., slowly fly their C-17A Globemaster III into position during an air refueling training mission Sept. 29, 2016. On this training mission, NASCAR orientation flight participants took turns observing air refueling operations by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)

Snapshot: Aric Almirola gets the 3d AS "Royal" treatment

After completing a combat offload demonstration in low-light operations, the C-17A Globemaster III taxis to its parking spot with the rear cargo doors open and red cargo compartment lights glowing Sept. 29, 2016, on Dover Air Force Base, Del. More than 40 NASCAR orientation flight participants including Aric Almirola, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, observed air refueling operation with a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)

Snapshot: Aric Almirola gets the 3d AS “Royal” treatment

Published Oct. 5, 2016
By Roland Balik
436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Using red cargo compartment lights for low-light operations, Aric Almirola, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, left, speaks with Senior Airman Toiannah Campbell, 3d Airlift Squadron loadmaster, as the C-17A Globemaster III taxis into position for a combat offload demonstration Sept. 29, 2016, on Dover Air Force Base, Del. More than 40 NASCAR orientation flight participants including Almirola, observed the Globemaster III being air refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., during the 2.2-hour flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)