Cars drive in the garage during ARCA Testing at Daytona International Speedway on January 14, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/NASCAR)
ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice (Photo: James Gilbert/NASCAR)

Cole Duncan set for Daytona pre-race practice run with Andy Hillenburg

www.arcaracing.com January 10, 2023

The annual pre-race practice for the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway is an excellent opportunity for the series’ regulars to knock away offseason rust and test some new setups for the first of the 20 races that make up the run to the series championship.

For a select number of others, it also provides their first — and perhaps only — opportunity to make laps at the World Center of Racing.

One of those drivers is Cole Duncan, the reigning 410 sprint car champion at Atomic Speedway. Being a sprint car driver seemed nothing but natural for the Lockbourne, Ohio native and son of long-time sprint car racer Rodney Duncan. Cole Duncan’s skills behind the wheel are evident; he has four wins on the ultra-competitive Tezos All-Star Circuit of Champions tour to go along with 38 career wins on the local sprint car circuit.

“My dad used to race with Andy Hillenburg all the time, so we’ve had a great relationship with him over the years,” Duncan said. “Atomic Speedway owner Charlie Vest announced early in the year one of the 2022 track champions would get to go to Daytona for a test with Andy and his team, and we kept that in our minds all year long.

“We were lucky enough to be selected, and I am really looking forward to getting down to Daytona. It’s literally a dream come true.”

Duncan’s first lap on the 2.5-mile tri-oval will be the first he’s made on a paved racing surface since his quarter-midget days.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve made a lap on pavement,” he said. “I raced quarter midgets on pavement, but that’s it. My entire career as a sprint car driver has been exclusively on dirt. Anyone who comes and watches sprint cars on dirt knows we don’t get a lot of time to get acclimated to a new track. They push us off for hot laps, and we have to be ready to go. It’ll be just like that at Daytona.

“Andy and I have talked about it. We’ll let some other drivers go out and make some laps, and I’ll hop on the radio and listen to what the communication is and what to expect when I get out there.”

Like many other young drivers, Duncan has always dreamed of the chance to make laps at one of the world’s most famous race courses.

“I have always wanted to find a way to race at Daytona,” he said. “I think every young driver in the world wants to race at that level. But we get so busy with our sprint car stuff during the season, there are no off weekends. Many times, we’ll race two or three days a week, so there isn’t a lot of time to go and do something else. This really will be a dream come true, even if it’s the only chance I get to ever make laps at Daytona. But if the opportunity presented itself, I absolutely would love the chance to come and race with the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona.”

The ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice at Daytona is set for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 13-14, with Sunday, Jan. 15 reserved as a rain date. Live timing data will be available at ARCARacing.com throughout the two days of activity.