As one glances over the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards entry list for Daytona Int’l Speedway, one won’t have to search long for a rookie. Cunningham Motorsports, one of the premier driver development teams, has earned five of the last seven SCOTT Rookie of the Year awards. The longtime ARCA team has two cars entered (22 and 77) at Daytona this year, with two rookies in the drivers’ seats. Here’s a closer look at some of the rookies who are attempting to make the starting grid for Saturday’s 53rd running of the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire.
No. 3, Steve Fox/Hazleton, Pa., Norm Hutton Racing-Hixson Ford: Despite his 58 years, Fox will make his career-first attempt at Daytona. Fox finished a career-best 12th at Pocono Raceway in 2015. Fox has 13 career ARCA starts overall and works as an instructor for the StockCar Racing Experience at Pocono.
No. 14, Joey Gattina/Alabaster, Ala., Jent Authentics Chevrolet: Joey Gattina, 36, will be making his career-first attempt at Daytona. The new ARCA team is owned by Darrell Jent. Dustin Knowles is listed as crew chief. With no owner points accumulated from 2015, Gattina will have to qualify his way into the field, which means he’ll have to qualify among the top 30. 50 drivers are currently entered.
No. 22, Kevin Thomas, Jr./Cullman, Ala., Bakken Concrete-KT Construction Services Dodge: A USAC Sprint Car veteran, Thomas, 24, will make his career-first ARCA attempt at Daytona. Thomas earned seven USAC Sprint Car wins in 2013. Thomas is one of two rookies entered with longtime ARCA team Cunningham Motorsports. Cunningham has earned five of the last seven SCOTT Rookie of the Year awards. Thomas is expected to compete in a full season in ’16 as well as for the SCOTT Rookie of the Year honors.
No. 32, Shane Lee/Newton, N.C., Win-Tron Racing Toyota: Born on July 4, 1993, Lee is an experienced late model driver; however, Daytona will mark his career-first ARCA attempt. The union of Lee and Win-Tron Racing also marks the return of Win-Tron to ARCA competition following a one-year hiatus. Win-Tron Racing won the Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona in 2009 with James Buescher driving. Lee was 11th fastest overall among 64 ARCA drivers that tested at Daytona in mid-January.
No. 34, Willie Mullins/Fredericksburg, Va., Bugsy’s Auto Repair Ford: The 35-year-old driver will be making his career-first attempt at Daytona. Mullins will at least be able to draw upon the experience of ARCA veteran driver/owner Andy Belmont, who will crew chief for Mullins at Daytona.
No. 36, Brandon Lynn/Penn Yan, N.Y., Crib Creek Outfitters-MOMO-TraqGear Ford: Lynn, 21, will make his fourth career ARCA attempt in the Lucas Oil 200, but first ever at Daytona. In three ARCA races in 2015, he earned an average finishing position of 14th. His career-best finishes are 13th at Salem and Kentucky. Lynn announced earlier this week that he’s competing for SCOTT Rookie of the Year honors in 2016 with Lira Motorsports.
No. 38, Gray Gaulding/Colonial Heights, Va., Krispy Kreme Ford: Gray Gaulding celebrates his 18th birthday on Wednesday, February 10, just three days before the Lucas Oil 200. That said, if Gaulding wins in his Lira Motorsports Ford, he would become the youngest stock car winner in history at Daytona. Currently, Kyle Petty, winner of the Daytona ARCA 200 in 1979 at age 19, is the youngest winner. The Lucas Oil 200 marks Gaulding’s career-first ARCA attempt and first-ever superspeedway start.
No. 54, Cole Custer/Ladera Ranch, Calif., Haas Automation Chevrolet: Custer, who turned 18 in January, would become the youngest driver to ever win a stock car race at Daytona if he can win the Lucas Oil 200. Custer is already the youngest ARCA superspeedway victor, winning at Pocono in 2015 at 17. He is also the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winner with his victory at New Hampshire in 2014 at 16. Custer is driving a Ken Schrader Racing entry at Daytona, the same car that Clay Campbell finished third in at Daytona in 2014.
No. 55, William Byron/Charlotte, N.C., Liberty University Toyota: The 2015 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, Byron finished second in his ARCA debut in 2015 at Lucas Oil Raceway after leading 120 of 200 laps. Byron, who drives for Venturini Motorsports, turned 18 in November and would yet be another driver who would become the youngest stock car winner at Daytona if he can win the Lucas Oil 200. Byron also earned the ARCA Menards Pole award at Kentucky Speedway in 2015.
No. 57, Bryan Dauzat/Alexandria La., D.B Builders Chevrolet: Rookie Bryan Dauzat has a lot on his plate for Daytona. The 56-year-old driver is fielding two cars, one for himself and the other for rookie Andy Seuss. Dauzat has just one ARCA start at Talladega in 2014, finishing 26th. He made an attempt in last year’s Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona, but failed to qualify.
No. 59, Jairo Avila/Alhambra, Calif., Lira Motorsports Ford: Jairo Avila is one of only five drivers selected to participate in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program in 2016. In addition to making only his third ARCA start in Saturday’s Lucas Oil 200, and first ever attempt at Daytona, Avila will compete in the full NASCAR K&N Pro Series East tour in 2016 for Rev Racing. Avila has two career ARCA starts in 2015, finishing 10th at Kansas and 16th at Pocono. He’s also doing double duty this weekend, running the ARCA race Saturday and the K&N East Series season-opener Sunday at New Smyrna Speedway.
No. 77, Chase Briscoe/Mitchell, Ind., Cunningham Motorsports Dodge: Chase Briscoe is one of two Cunningham Motorsports drivers entered. In just two career ARCA starts in 2015, Briscoe finished a career-best fifth at Salem and 10th in his debut at Lucas Oil Raceway. Briscoe has announced that he’ll run for both the Series championship and SCOTT Rookie of the Year titles in 2016. Like his Cunningham teammate Kevin Thomas, Jr., Briscoe has an open-wheel background, winning his first sprint car race at Paragon (Ind.) Speedway at age 13.
No. 78, Cole Powell/Mt. Brydges, Ontario, Mason Mitchell Motorsports Chevrolet: Canadian rookie Cole Powell is one of two rookie drivers entered for Mason Mitchell Motorsports. He has two career starts at Daytona, finishing a career-high 20th on the lead lap in 2015. Powell certainly turned a lot of heads at Talladega last year, finishing a career-best third. He earned the NASCAR Whelen Modified Rookie of the Year honors in 2013.
No. 80, Russ Dugger/Owasso, Okla., Tanda Racing Chevrolet: In just a handful of ARCA starts, Dugger failed to qualify in his first Daytona attempt in 2015. However, he bounced right back and finished a career-best fifth at Talladega just a few months later. He also finished 12th at Kansas and 14th at Texas in 2010. Dugger, a music education major from the University of Arkansas, is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force where he was a professional trumpet player in the Air Force band.
No. 82, Dylan Lupton/Wilton, Calif., Empire Racing Ford: Dylan Lupton is yet another rookie who will be making his career-first ARCA attempt at Daytona. Lupton can draw upon the experience of his Empire Racing teammate, veteran Sean Corr. Lupton performed well in the ARCA open test in mid-January, coming in seventh fastest overall among the 64 drivers who posted time and speed. The 22-year-old rookie has competed in everything from karting and late models to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West divisions.
No. 98, Gus Dean/Bluffton, S.C., Carrier Corporation-Cab Installers Chevrolet: Rookie Gus Dean will be making his career-first ARCA attempt at Daytona. He’ll have a good start with his Mason Mitchell Motorsports team. Mitchell was the ARCA champion driver and owner in 2014. Mason Mitchell Motorsports also led the speed charts during the two-day ARCA open test in mid-January – Mitchell leading the way at 189.809 mph, with Dean right behind in second at 189.761. Dean will be a teammate to Cole Powell for the Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire.
The 53rd annual Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire at Daytona is live on FS1 Saturday, February 13 and precedes NASCAR’s same-night Sprint Unlimited. The ARCA Racing Series takes to the track for practice Thursday from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Friday following final practice Friday morning (9:30 – 10:30 a.m.). ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring and live chat for all on-track activities.
ARCA PR
Follow us on Twitter @SpeedwayDigest
Latest posts by Speedway Digest Staff (see all)