PIT BOX: A new ARCA Menards Series season begins Saturday at Daytona

It’s finally that time again.

The green flag will have Saturday to launch the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season at one of racing’s most legendary race tracks, Daytona International Speedway. The first of 20 races on the ARCA Menards Series schedule, Saturday’s ARCA Daytona 200, will mark the 63rd visit by the series to Daytona.

The ARCA Menards Series made its inaugural visit to Daytona in 1964, with three-time ARCA champion Nelson Stacy claiming the first ARCA race at the legendary 2.5-mile superspeedway. In the years that followed, a number of familiar faces graced Victory Lane at the World Center of Racing.

They include two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, 1973 Cup Series champion Benny Parsons, eight-time Cup Series winner Kyle Petty, 13-time Cup Series winner Tim Richmond and 18-time Cup Series winner Ryan Newman. The winningest driver in ARCA history at Daytona is Bobby Gerhart, who won the ARCA opener a whopping eight times between 1999 and 2012.

Tickets to the ARCA Daytona 200 are available. Below is everything to know about Saturday’s event.

ARCA Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

If you’re going to win the ARCA Daytona 200 this Saturday afternoon, you’re going to have to go through Venturini Motorsports.

The team, led by general manager Billy Venturini, has been nearly untouchable at Daytona for the last five years. Starting in 2018, the team has won the last five ARCA openers at Daytona with drivers Michael Self (2018, 2020), Harrison Burton (2019) and Corey Heim (2021-22).

This year, the Venturini Motorsports program is led by Jesse Love, who will contest the full series schedule in pursuit of the ARCA Menards Series championship. At Daytona he’ll be joined by veteran Gus Dean, returning driver Toni Breidinger and team newcomer Amber Balcaen.

The rest of the field will look to dethrone Venturini Motorsports. Among them will be Joe Gibbs Racing, who will field the No. 18 Toyota for Connor Mosack on Saturday afternoon. Rette Jones Racing enters Daytona with a new driver, actor and film star Frankie Muniz, who will pilot the team’s No. 30 at Daytona and beyond.

MORE DAYTONA: Schedule | Tickets

Rev Racing heads to Daytona with a pair of bullets for rookie Lavar Scott and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor Jack Wood. Sean Corr, who has led laps 43 laps in 14 previous Daytona starts, is also back in pursuit of his first Daytona trophy. Mullins Racing also returns with two cars for team co-owner Willie Mullins and young gun Brayton Laster.

Five women are among the 41 entries for Saturday’s race. Joining the aforementioned Breidinger and Balcaen are Mandy Chick, Logan Misuraca and Natalie Decker. Christian Rose will begin his first full ARCA Menards Series season with AM Racing at Daytona, Portugal’s Miguel Gomes will make his ARCA debut driving for Young’s Motorsports, and Dale Quarterley returns for another attempt at Daytona in his own No. 4 Chevrolet.

Other notable entrants include Andy Jankowiak, Greg Van Alst, Tim Richmond, Robby Lyons, Jon Garrett, Scott Melton, Jason Kitzmiller and A.J. Moyer.

The complete entry list for Friday’s ARCA Daytona 200 is available here.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA races at Daytona
• ARCA Menards Series drivers at Daytona

RACE FACTS

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the ARCA Daytona 200 is limited to 34 plus provisional positions. This event will run under the 2023 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: Starting position will be set by each car’s fastest recorded lap in timed sessions by group. Groups determined by random draw.

RACE PIT STOP: Modified live pit stop procedure. There will be a competition caution at or near Lap 40.

The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race is eight (8). No adding or removing tires to or from pit box once race has started.