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Leilani Munter Heads to Daytona Looking for Success in What Could be Her Final Race

www.arcaracing.com January 31, 2019

Leilani Munter has made seven previous ARCA Racing Series starts at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. In 2019, she returns for start number eight with a fast race car and a ton of motivation.

“I don’t have sponsorship lined up for anything beyond Daytona,” she said. “There are a couple of people I am talking to but nothing is signed yet. So it’s within the realm of possibility that this could be my last race.

“We were in the top five two years ago in the Vegan Powered car and got taken out with about 15 laps to go, and then last year we finished eighth. If this is my last run at Daytona, we’d really like to go out with a top five finish. Of course we’d love to go down and win, just like anyone would, but we’d be happy going out with a top five too.”

Munter has perhaps her best chance at finding that magical road to victory lane at the famed 2.5-mile tri-oval. During the recent two-day pre-season test session, she led a Venturini Motorsports sweep of the top four positions on the combined speed charts with a lap at 184.064 miles per hour.

“The test was amazing,” he said. “The Venturini Motorsports guys really gave me a rocket. We were at the front of that pack when we set that fast lap, not getting a tow from the draft. We have a great car and we’re excited to go back. If it really is my last trip we want to go out on a high note.”

If Munter does indeed say goodbye to driving racecars after Daytona, she will still find ways to stay busy.

“There are a lot of things I want to go and do,” she said. “Racing has been a big part of my life, but not my whole life. I have started to accept that this might be the last time I pull down pit road and turn the engine off in a racecar. But there will still be plenty for me to do.”

The first official track activity of the season will come on Thursday, February 7 when the teams receive two hours of practice starting at 4 pm ET. There will be another hour of practice on Friday, February 8 starting at 9:30 am ET followed by General Tire Pole Qualifying at 3:30 pm ET. The green flag will wave over the expected 40-car field in the Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire at 4:30 pm ET on Saturday, February 9. ARCA for Me members can access live timing & scoring, live chat, and live track updates from Daytona exclusively at ARCARacing.com; new members can register for free at ARCARacing.com/login.