ARCA News: ARCA moves Daytona race to Friday to avoid weather

Saturday’s scheduled ARCA Racing Series opener at Daytona International Speedway has been shifted to Friday night with the threat of weather this weekend.

The race was originally scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Hard Rock Bet 200 will now take place after the NASCAR Truck Series opener, with a anticipated start time of 10:30pm on Friday for the ARCA race. The Truck Series race is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.

NASCAR said fans with Saturday grandstand tickets or admission to the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone have access to the double-header, starting with the Fresh From Florida 250 race.

Shane Van Gisbergen gets lucky break

With 50 cars on the entry list and only 40 grid positions available, a sense of jeopardy awaited drivers at the first ARCA event of the season.

Van Gisbergen was drawn in Group 4 of seven for qualifying at the Florida superspeedway and would set the 35th-fastest time in the field, a 50.927s, one position outside the automatic cut-off.

However, his Pinnacle Racing Group team has now announced that Car #7, which had been qualified 17th by Eric Caudell, has now been withdrawn, meaning the New Zealander will start.

ARCA 200 Starting Lineup