Open Race Thread: ARCA Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 | Daytona International Speedway

Update: 2:50 p.m. EST - Notes from the ARCA Series drivers meeting can be found in the comments section.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. - The ARCA Racing Series has a unique place in the grand scheme of NASCAR’s ladder system. With its blend of short tracks, dirt tracks, and superspeedway action, ARCA serves as the last link between NASCAR and its short track racing heritage.

Many of the same names that Ranting and Raving reported on at the Snowball Derby will also attempt to take the checkered flag for today’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway. To compare, Five Flags Speedway is a half-mile speedway. Daytona -- as you may recall is 2.5 miles -- with 32 degree banking in the corners.

ARCA could boast the most the most versatile drivers in motorsports if they truly wanted to. The Series competes on short tracks, dirt tracks, superspeedways and road courses.

Qualifying for the event was scheduled for Friday afternoon and witnessed Sean Corr secure his first career pole in major stock car racing. Ryan Reed, Steve Blackburn, Tom Hessert and Chris Windom round out the starting top-5.

Cale Gale is the 2010 Snowball Derby polesitter and a former Kevin Harvick Inc. developmental driver. He’s done a little bit of everything in his 10-year career. He has not won at Daytona. He’ll sixth for Eddie Sharp Racing, with equipment purchased from KHI. He was 13^th in final practice.

Frank Kimmel has won nine ARCA championships but is also winless at Daytona. Kimmel doesn’t believe in legacies but believes his career is incomplete until he wins at the famed 2.5-mile superspeedway. He was second-fastest in practice and qualified in 17^th.

“Daytona is a big one on my personal bucket list,” Kimmel said. “It’s the grandest stage in motorsports and we’d definitely love to win it. We’re a little behind on our speedway program but ThorSport carries a proven track record. We definitely have a shot at coming away with a real good finish.”

And then there’s Bobby Gerhart.

Gerhart has won five of the last seven ARCA Daytona 200s and seven overall. He initially qualified on the pole for today’s race but his time was disallowed after failing post-qualifying inspections. He qualified for the race based on a provisional and will roll off in 42^nd.

Gerhart posted the fastest time in Saturday happy hour at 184.102 mph.

The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. at Daytona International Speedway. SPEED will begin television coverage at 4 p.m.

The complete starting lineup can be found after the jump. See you in the comments section!

ARCA Racing Series
Daytona International Speedway
49th Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona
Provided by ARCA Statistics - Sat, February 18, 2012 @ 11:00 AM Eastern