DAYTONA BEACH FL (1-2-10) - With the first decade of the new millennium behind us, it's time to look ahead to 2010. And that means that the "World Center of Racing" - AKA Daytona Int'l Speedway - is right around the corner.

As it has since 1964, the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards, in its 58th consecutive year of competition, will open its season at Daytona Int'l Speedway with the 47th running of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona Saturday afternoon, February 6th, 2010.

The event, which is live on SPEED at 4:00 PM ET, precedes Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star race, the Budweiser Shootout. However, unlike year's past, the ARCA Racing Series event will follow pole qualifying for the Daytona 500 offering more appeal to an already action-packed afternoon of racing at Daytona.

ARCA on-track activity begins Thursday, February 4th with a lengthy afternoon practice session from 12 noon to 4:50 PM in preparation for ARCA pole qualifying Friday, February 5th at 11:00 AM. A final ARCA practice session will follow Friday afternoon from 5:40 to 6:30 PM.

Raceday Saturday opens with Daytona 500 qualifying presented by Kroger at 1:05 PM followed by the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at 4:30 PM with live coverage on SPEED beginning at 4:00. NASCAR's Budweiser Shootout is scheduled to get underway just after 8:00 PM.

After a three-day open test in December where more than 80 drivers participated, an exceptionally healthy entry list combining series veterans with an onslaught of rookies is much anticipated for the ARCA Racing Series' marquis event.

From the line-up of veterans, nine-time series champion Frank Kimmel, 1999 ARCA champion Bill Baird and five-time Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart are among the entrants. Kimmel, despite solid finishes of second at Daytona in 2004 and 2005 and a pair of third place finishes in 2001 and 2002, is winless at the legendary 2.5-mile superspeedway. Baird, 60, is entered in a Ken Schrader Racing entry while Gerhart will be in his own Lucas Oil-sponsored Chevrolet.

From the rookie ranks, the race will feature unprecedented star power with entries from Izod IndyCar Series star Danica Patrick and 15-time AMA motocross champion Ricky Carmichael.

Defending Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 winner James Buescher is also expected to participate in this year's event as well as Daytona Beach, Florida favorite Alli Owens in the ElectrifyingCareers.com Chevrolet.

Only seven different drivers have won from the pole in the ARCA 200 at Daytona: Gerhart '05 & '06, Benny Parsons '69, Andy Hampton '72, Iggy Katona '74, Woody Fisher '77, Jeff Purvis '93 and Andy Hillenburg '97. Only Gerhart has repeat wins ('05, '06 & ‘07) in consecutive years.