The ARCA Racing Series turned laps all afternoon at the Daytona International Speedway to allow teams and drivers get one last feel before the season opener next month. The test session didn’t get underway until around noon after the track needed to dry from overnight rain. A total of 37 cars turned laps around the 2.5-mile oval.
With the rain delaying the start, ARCA officials decided to combine the two test sessions into one that allowed a full afternoon of exciting testing. Originally, the plan was to run between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an hour break at noon.
With a lot of drivers running in the draft, it could play beneficial to earning the pole next month with qualifying scheduled to be held in groups. A lot of teams also chose to either run or start out the day in single car runs until the mid-afternoon.
When the six-hour day was complete, the Empire Racing trio finished the day on the top of the board. Sean Corr, who ended the day as the fastest driver, ran 86 laps to run a fast time of 47.951 seconds, 186.939 mph. His teammates, Austin Hill and Patrick Staropoli, finished the day second and third on the speed chart.
With the announcement yesterday of Frank Kimmel and Brandon Jones splitting 10 races with each other in the No. 25 Venturini Motorsports entry, both drivers were among the 37 cars to make laps. The two drivers finished the afternoon fifth and sixth on the board. Even though Jones isn’t competing in the season opener, it allowed both drivers to learn how to communicate each other. Jones and Kimmel posted times of 48.131 and 48.141 seconds.
Will Kimmel spent some time in the afternoon with the fastest time of the day. However, when the day finished, Kimmel sat eighth with a time and speed of 48.189 seconds, 186.765 mph. With the two days of testing back in December, combined with today, Kimmel could be a huge threat in next month’s season opener.
The Scott Rookie of the Year winner in 2014, Austin Wayne Self, had a good day in the No. 98 Ford. Self posted a fast time of 48.276 seconds, 186.428 mph. His team owner and 2014 ARCA Racing Series champion, Mason Mitchell, also had a solid day behind the wheel. Mitchell finished the day in 10th after a solid lap of 48.257 seconds, 186.501 mph.
The season opener for the ARCA Racing Series will take place on Saturday, February 14 at the Daytona International Speedway at 4:15 p.m. Et. and will be televised on FOX Sports 1. The event is a great way for fans to get pumped-up before the start of the Sprint Unlimited later that evening.
About Me: Brett has been following the sport of NASCAR since the beginning of the 2006 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Since Brett was 13, he has had a passion of chasing a job in sports that not many get the opportunity of doing. He has been in the NASCAR media since the middle of the 2010 season. Since then, he has been a part of many racing podcast shows to improve his talents. He has written for racingonfuel.com and theracingwheel.com. Currently, Brett writes for motorsportsnat.com and TracksideChatter.com. You can find him on twitter @NASCAR_Brett.
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