The ARCA Menards Series kicks off its 73rd season at the famed 2.5-mile oval at Daytona International Speedway for the Ride The ‘Dente 200.
Despite qualifying raining out for the ARCA season opener, William Sawalich kicks off his second of three races in Speedweeks part-time tenure in the No. 18 Starkey Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing on the pole alongside Venturini Motorsports Lawless Alan, who is vying for the ARCA Menards Series title this season in the No. 20 Toyota Camry.
Lavar Scott is out for vengeance this season as he starts third in the No. 6 Chevrolet SS for Rev Racing. Scott’s former teammate from 2024, Andrés Pérez de Lara became the first international-born ARCA Menards Series champion by besting Scott of 41 points for the championship. Scott looks to kick off his third year with Rev Racing with a solid run in Daytona.
A pair of rookie contenders kick off their full-time seasons in the fourth and fifth starting positions in Toyota Racing Development driver Isabella Robusto in the No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. Short track phenom Brendan “Butterbean” Queen will be a championship favor all season long in the No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet SS.
Part-time INDYCAR Series and IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship driver Katherine Legge rolls off the grid in the ninth spot in the No. 23 for Sigma Performance Services.
The notable YouTubers participating in Daytona include Cody Dennison from Fast Track Racing, who starts in 10th position, and Garrett Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland from Rette Jones Racing, who will start 27th.
Brazilian racing star and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will start in the 19th position in his No. 82 Wendy’s Chevrolet SS for Pinnacle Racing Group during the ARCA Menards Series season opener. Castroneves is hoping for a positive rebound after having to switch to a backup car for the Daytona 500 on Sunday due to a crash in his duel race.
Corey Day, a recently signed development driver for Hendrick Motorsports, will compete for the win on Saturday in the No. 77 HendrickCars.Com Chevrolet SS for Spire Motorsports.
Jeff Scofield, who was originally marked as a withdrawal from the event will pilot the No. 48 Brad Smith Motorsports Chevrolet replacing Smith himself. This will be the first time Smith will not compete at Daytona in the ARCA Menards Series since 2003.
A pair of Brother-in-Law Racing Chevrolets will fill the final starting spots, with Hunter Deshauntelle (No. 57) and Bryan Dauzat (No.28) starting 39th and 40th, respectively.
The race will serve as a doubleheader to the NASCAR Xfinity Series race taking place later on Saturday at 5:00 pm EST.
The Ride The ‘Dente 200 at Daytona International Speedway will air live on FOX at Noon EST on Saturday, February 15.
