DAYTONA BEACH, FL - Dylan Kwasniewski will start on the pole for Saturday's Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Real after winning the pole for the ARCA Series season opener Friday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.
Kwasniewski's car made it through a post-qualifying technical inspection by ARCA officials. However, four of the fastest 10 cars through qualifying had times disallowed by series officials and a fifth car was disqualified. The starting lineup was set, then, based on the qualifying speeds and provisionals.
Grant Enfinger will start second, Buster Graham third, Mark Thompson fourth and Chase Elliott fifth.
Mason Mitchell, in his first race with the newly-formed Mason Mitchell Motorsports, will start sixth for the Lucas Oil 200, which will air live at 4:30 PM Saturday on Fox Sports 1. The 80-lap, 200-mile race will be ARCA's 51st at Daytona International Speedway, a tradition that dates back to 1964.
For Kwasniewski, it's his second pole in as many races. He won the pole for the final race of the 2013 ARCA Racing Series at Kansas Speedway.
"Turner Scott Motorsports obviously gave me a great car and the ability to start up front," Kwasniewski said. "All I have to do tomorrow is do the best I can. I'm really excited.
"Starting on the front row at Daytona is great. Not many people get to say they've done that."
Elliott, the youngest superspeedway winner in ARCA Racing Series history, will be making his first start at Daytona, just like Kwasniewski.
"I'll just play it by ear," Elliott said of getting up on the wheel at the 2.5-mile track. "I'm sure it will be wild."
Kwasniewski said remaining confident is a key.
"You have to be confident that you know what you are doing when you are out there," he said. "Just to be at Daytona at 18 is pretty crazy."
Several series veterans will be in the field, including 10-time series champion Frank Kimmel, starting 16th. Kimmel is trying for his first win in more than 20 starts at Daytona. Cunningham Motorsports driver Tom Hessert is starting seventh. Clay Campbell, president of Martinsville Speedway racing for Ken Schrader Racing, will start in the 15th spot.
Others in the field include Jeb Burton in the ThorSport No. 13 Toyota. He was one of the favorites for the championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series until sponsorship issues caused a change in his 2014 plans. He's one of several drivers pulling double duty during Speedweeks. He will also race in the NASCAR truck series with ThorSport.
Elliott and Kwasniewski, both 18, are entered in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race next weekend and will use the ARCA race to gain seat time and win NASCAR approval to race in that series.
The final qualifying result report and starting grid was delayed for about two hours after qualifying ended due to post-qualifying technical inspections. The two-lap speeds recorded by Bobby Gerhart, Leilani Munter, Justin Boston, Tyler Reddick and Spencer Gallagher were disallowed by series officials. Gerhart, an eight-time winner of the ARCA Daytona 200, had won the provisional pole.
Gerhart and Reddick had their times disallowed for rear suspension violations. The cars of Boston and Munter had their times disallowed due to coil spring mount violations. The No. 23 car of Gallagher was disqualified for a mechanical lowering device.
Despite erroneous and unfounded reports distributed on social media, there were no physical altercations, nor was any ARCA participant removed from the ARCA garage during or after qualifying or the inspection process, said Ron Drager, ARCA President.
ARCA Racing Series
Daytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, FL
Lucas Oil 200 Qualifying - Feb. 14, 2014
POS NO DRIVER/HOMETOWN TEAM & CAR TIME SPEED
1. 4 Dylan Kwasniewski/Las Vegas NV AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet 49.400 182.186
2. 90 Grant Enfinger/Fairhope AL Motor Honey-Casite-Advance Auto Parts Ford 49.577 181.536
3. 99 Buster Graham/Lafayette LA Hewes Concrete Polishing-Roulo Brothers Racing Ford 49.588 181.496
4. 66 Mark Thompson/Cartersville GA Phoenix Air Toyota 49.603 181.441
5. 9 Chase Elliott/Dawsonville GA HendrickCars.com-NAPA Brakes Chevrolet 49.651 181.265
6. 98 Mason Mitchell/West Des Moines IA Thermal Technology Services Ford 49.670 181.196
7. 77 Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ CAREGARD-AxiomWarranty.com Dodge 49.801 180.719
8. 69 Will Kimmel/Sellersburg IN Messinas-Ingersoll Rand Ford 49.849 180.545
9. 15 John Wes Townley/Watkinsville GA Zaxby's Toyota 49.861 180.502
10. 32 Terry Jones/Amherstburg Ontario Jones Group-JMC Steel Group Toyota 49.901 180.357
11. 17 Bryan Silas/Stuart FL David Ragan Ford-American Custom Yachts Ford 49.996 180.014
12. 88 Justin Allison/Salisbury NC HAVACOSALES.com Ford 50.056 179.799
13. 19 Brian Rose/Louisville KY Battomi-Lawton Insurance-Xstand Dodge 50.130 179.533
14. 48 Sean Corr/Goshen NY Radon.com Ford 50.136 179.512
15. 52 Clay Campbell/Martinsville VA Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet 50.163 179.415
16. 44 Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN Ansell-Menards Toyota 50.176 179.369
17. 8 Cole Powell/Mt. Brydges Ontario Copps Buildall-Empire Racing Ford 50.229 179.179
18. 54 Matt Kurzejewski/Mansfield PA Costy's Used Truck Parts & Auto Parts Dodge 50.249 179.108
19. 12 Jared Marks/Napoleon OH UNOH-Vital One Chevrolet 50.394 178.593
20. 7 Scotty Hubler/Coplay PA Advanced Mobile Power Systems Chevrolet 50.399 178.575
21. 13 Jeb Burton/Halifax VA Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Toyota 50.462 178.352
22. 02 Mario Gosselin/Sainte-Marie Quebec Williams-Gosselin Racing Chevrolet 50.502 178.211
23. 11 Benny Gordon/Dubois PA LightninFAST.com Ford 50.626 177.774
24. 56 Derrick Lancaster/Christiansburg VA RGM Erectors-Glad Precision Dodge 50.723 177.434
25. 3 Tom Buzze/Statesville NC Lane Southern Orchards Chevrolet 50.776 177.249
26. 86 Bobby Grewohl/Hollister CA 989 On Demand Chevrolet 50.786 177.214
27. 20 Scott Sheldon/Las Vegas NV Allegiant Travel Chevrolet 50.915 176.765
28. 33 Kody Weisner/Muskegon MI UNOH-ZLOOP Chevrolet 50.957 176.620
29. 68 Chris Bailey Jr./South Park PA Promo Specialties-Gary Yeomans Ford 51.303 175.428
30. 40 Alx Danielsson/Storvreta Sweden Carter 2 Motorsports Dodge 51.472 174.852
31. 25 Justin Boston/Baltimore MD ZLOOP Computer & Electronics Recycling-JACO Toyota Provisional
32. 22 Tyler Reddick/Corning CA Broken Bow-Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Provisional
33. 55 Leilani Munter/Rochester MN GO 100% Renewable Toyota Provisional
34. 2 Thomas Praytor/Mobile AL ARCA-Mobile 200/DK-LOK Chevrolet Provisional
35. 46 Maryeve Dufault/Sorel Quebec HotTVBrands.com-Tattle Tale Alarms Ford Provisional
36. 97 Tim Viens/Daytona Beach FL Carter 2 Motorsports Dodge Provisional
37. 06 Ed Pompa/Ballston Spa NY Milton CAT-Double H Ranch Chevrolet Provisional
38. 0 Barry Fitzgerald/Sykesville MD OperationShoeBox-Race Against Drugs Ford Provisional
39. 10 Dick Doheny/Ballston Spa NY Fast Track Driving School Chevrolet Provisional
40. 5 Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA Lucas Oil-MAV TV American Real Chevrolet Provisional
Sunday
December 22nd, 2024
2:15AM
