ARCA- Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200

[DanicaFan]

Well, Danica's stock car debut is this Saturday at Daytona for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 in the ARCA Series. You can tell Im excited so I am starting a thread about it.

Danica has been in New York for photo shoots and other media this week but she will be testing along with the other drivers for this race at Daytona. They practice Thursday (today). Danica will be in the #7 Go Daddy Chevrolet. Go get em' Danica!!

Here is the entry list for the race..

Car# & Driver / Team (Sponsor)& Car Manufacturer

#0 Butch Jarvis / Steris Corporation / Dodge
#1 Nick Igdalsky / ModSpace / Ford
#4 Ricky Carmichael / Monster Energy / Toyota
#5 Bobby Gerhart / Lucas Oil Slick Mist / Chevrolet
#6 Nelson Piquet / ESR / Toyota
#7 Danica Patrick / GoDaddy.com / Chevrolet
#10 Mike Holt / Casite / Chevrolet
#11 Bryan Silas / Rockingham Speedway-American Custom Yachts / Ford
#12 Russ Dugger / Accell Construction / Chevrolet
#14 Chase Mattioli / Big Machine Records / Ford
#15 Ali Owens / Electrifying Careers.com / Chevrolet
#16 Joey Coulter / Rip It Energy / Chevrolet
#17 Hal Martin / Mark Gibson Racing / Dodge
#21 Jennifer Jo Cobb / Bowsher-Mooi Motorsports / Chevrolet
#23 Frank Wilson / Drug Testing Centers of America-Lifeguard Medical / Chevrolet
#25 Mikey Kile / TAG Heuer Eyewear / Toyota
#26 Brad Smith / ApplianceZone.com / Ford
#28 Chris Cockrum / Accu-Tech-Mohawk Cable / Chevrolet
#29 Jesse Smith / Hormel Foods-Child's Tire / Dodge
#30 Terry Jones / Jones Group / Dodge
#31 Tim George Jr. / RCR Development / Chevrolet
#32 Justin Marks / Construct Corps / Toyota
#34 Darrell Basham / Anti-Monkey Butt Powder / Chevrolet
#35 John Wes Townley / Zaxby's / Toyota
#36 Robb Brent / Orchard Chrysler Dodge Jeep / Dodge
#38 Greg Sarff / Great Dane Trailers / Dodge
#42 Scott Stenzel / Yellow Stripes Making The Driver / Ford
#43 Kyle Martel / Hanover Cold Storage-Finish Line Express / Chevrolet
#44 Frank Kimmel / Ansell-Menards / Ford
#48 Jill George / Radon.com / Dodge
#51 James Buescher / Miccosukee Gaming & Resort / Toyota
#52 Bill Baird / Saturn Machine / Chevrolet
#55 Steve Arpin / Venturini Motorsports / Toyota
#58 Chad Hackenbracht / Tastee Chocolate Apples / Chevrolet
#59 Leilani Munter / Green and Save / Dodge
#60 Patrick Sheltra / PowerTrac Machinery / Dodge
#66 Mark Thompson / Phoenix Air / Toyota
#68 Steve Blackburn / Harley Davidson & Honda of Prestonburg / Dodge
#73 Amber Cope / Asset Protect / Dodge
#75 Chuck Walker / Bob Schacht Motorsports / Chevrolet
#76 Jerick Johnson / American Legion-David Law Firm / Dodge
#77 Tom Hessert / Cunningham Motorsports / Dodge
#80 Brad Lloyd / Stadelhofer Construction-Matt Cardeiro Enterprises / Ford
#81 Craig Goess / Greenville Toyota of NC / Toyota
#83 Sean Corr / Empire Racing LLC / Ford
#85 Lance Fenton / Team Gill Racing / Dodge
#89 Chris Lafferty / Lafferty Perfomance / Chevrolet
#90 Milka Duno / Stringer Motorsports / Toyota
#95 Tommy Joe Martins / Tommy Joe Martins Racing / Ford
#97 Matt Lofton / Strutmasters.com / Chevrolet
#99 Josh Richards / Presta / Chevrolet
#03 Donny Kelley / Royal Purple-Porter Glass-American Screen / Chevrolet
#06 Barry Fitzgerald / TheBusPlace.com / Ford
#07 TBA / Stott Classic Racing / Chevrolet
#09 Grant Enfinger / BeasleyAllen.com-Rous Yates Performance / Ford

[Maelochs]

I have been quietly and patiently waiting.

[DanicaFan]

Well, the practic session is over. James Buescher had the best times today. He had a lap time of 49.355 with a speed of 182.325. Danica Patrick was 17th fastest with a lap time of 49.866 with a speed of 180.484.

The top 5 were..

1. #51 James Buescher - 49.355 / 182.325
2. #25 Mikey Kile - 49.379 / 182.264
3. #66 Mark Thompson - 49.513 / 181.77
4. #16 Joey Coulter - 49.537 / 181.682
5. #22 Dakoda Armstrong - 49.549 / 181.638

[DanicaFan]

Well, qualifying is over. James Buescher won the pole. He had a lap time of 49.575 with a speed of 181.543.

Danica Patrick did very well, she qualified 11th with a lap time of 50.059 and a speed of 179.788.

[Maelochs]

That's actually a little better than I had thought she would do. Good solid performance.

[DanicaFan]

The starting grid shows Danica in 12th. She had the same speed as Patrick Sheltra who is now shown in 11th. They both had lap times of 50.059 and speeds of 179.788.

[MSulka]

Milka also had a nice run today.

[DanicaFan]

Danica's race could save new ticket holders money for this year's Indianapolis 500 by leading laps in this ARCA race.

If Patrick leads 40 laps, fans will receive a $40 reduction from the regular $90 price of a Tower Terrace ticket purchased between Saturday, Feb. 6 through Saturday Feb. 13. If she leads all 80 laps of the race, fans will receive the $90 ticket for $10!

In honor of Patrick's ground-breaking 19-lap run at the front in the closing laps of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 2005, the Speedway will offer at least $19 savings on Tower Terrace tickets for the 2010 Indy 500 purchased during the promotion dates. If Patrick doesn't qualify for the ARCA race or leads 19 or fewer laps in the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, the ticket price reduction remains $19.

The promotion is for new purchases of Tower Terrace tickets only.

[diamonddave]

the Jr. from F1 who probably is seeing an ARCA car for the 1st time outqualified her

[IndyAndy]

28 laps in & so far it's been one big crashfest.

[DanicaFan]

Danica finishes 6th! Way to go Danica!

[DanicaFan]

Here are the final results..

1. #5 Bobby Gerhart
2. #66 Mark Thompson
3. #35 John Wes Townley
4. #51 James Buescher
5. #60 Patrick Sheltra
6. #7 Danica Patrick
7. #4 Ricky Carmichael
8. #95 Tommy Joe Martins
9. #11 Bryan Silas
10. #55 Steve Arpin
11. #32 Justin Marks
12. #38 Chris Cockrum
13. #36 Robb Brent
14. #83 Sean Corr
15. #77 Tom Hessert
16. #25 Mikey Kile
17. #21 Jennifer Jo Cobb
18. #23 Frank Wilson
19. #31 Tim George Jr.
20. #1 Nick Igdalsky
21. #30 Terry Jones
22. #34 Darrell Basham
23. #15 Ali Owens
24. #26 Brad Smith
25. #44 Frank Kimmel
26. #16 Joey Coulter
27. #6 Nelson Piquet
28. #14 Chase Mattioli
29. #06 Barry Fitzgerald
30. #09 Grant Enfinger
31. #48 Jill George
32. #29 Jesse Smith
33. #22 Dakoda Armstrong
34. #81 Craig Goess
35. #17 Hal Martin
36. #52 Bill Baird
37. #68 Steve Blackburn
38. #12 Russ Dugger
39. #59 Leilani Munter
40. #58 Chad Hackenbracht
41. #0 Butch Jarvis
42. #99 Josh Richards
43. #99 Milka Duno

[Touchette]

I didn't see any of this, what happened to Milka?

And, LOL at Mr. Piquet...

[MSulka]

Originally Posted by Touchette

I didn't see any of this, what happened to Milka?

And, LOL at Mr. Piquet...

Milka Duno made her stock car racing debut in the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway today and despite power issues was able to qualify for and compete in her inaugural stock car race. A major fourteen-car pile-up in the early laps caught Duno’s #90 Toyota and ended her race prematurely.

CANTV was on-board as primary sponsor and Celebrity Jazz as associate sponsor for Duno’s first effort in today’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona.

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At the ARCA Series open test at Daytona in December, and in her very first time in a stock car, Milka was the fastest stock car rookie on the second day of the three-day test. On the third day of the test the car developed a loss of power which ended her session early.

The engine was replaced for a test session at Talladega in January – but the car didn’t seem to have the power it had at Daytona. Subsequent dynamometer testing showed that the new engine had 15 less horsepower than the Daytona test engine – and was shipped back. A new engine arrived just in time for the team to install it in the No. 90 Toyota before departing for the race – but not with enough time to test it on the dynamometer.

In Thursday’s practice session Duno quickly noticed that this engine also did not have full power – evidenced by reaching only 6800rpm rather than the normal 7200rpm. Her practice times and qualifying times were further indications that something was not right. Nonetheless, out of 56 cars entered, Duno was one of 43 cars making it into today’s race.

"We had a good December test and the team had provided me with a good car," said Milka. "We noticed at Talladega that the car just wasn’t performing as well as it did in December and the team did everything they could to solve the problem. But during our first practice session here at Daytona we noticed that we were still experiencing the same issues – and it was a major disappointment for me and the team as well. There’s not a lot we can do to solve this issue here – so we’ve done the best we could and we’re in the race," added Duno.

Duno started the race in 41st and utilized both skill and the draft to advance her position. By lap five she had already advanced as many as ten positions when an accident ahead on the track began to collect cars in its wake – a total of fourteen. Duno was set to clear a disabled car when another car coming very fast from behind veered left and pushed her into the disabled car – which then damaged her car to the point that she was unable to re-renter the race. Duno was taken to the infield medical center along with the other drivers involved and left the center unhurt – but disappointed.

"It ended up being a pretty tough week for us - we were handicapped with power issues – but we were determined to do the best we could under the circumstances, said Duno. "As soon as the green flag waved I knew that in order to advance I would need to be very careful in selecting when to pass and when to draft – and it was working. In only a very short time we had advanced something like ten positions and it felt good – it felt that despite the power issues we may be able to have a fairly good race. Then there was an accident up ahead and everyone was going everywhere to avoid contact. I was just about clear when I was caught up."

"We had to deal with some adversity in our first race," added Duno. "But we just kept working on things – working together as a team – and we weren’t going to give up. We were going to have to run our race smarter due to the lack of power and that’s just what we were doing. It’s too bad that we got caught up in the early race pile-up – it would have been interesting to see how we might have finished had we not been collected in the accident."

[MSulka]

Had Milka's engine been up to speed, she'd easily have been in the top five.

[Maelochs]

I would dearly have loved to see Milka and Danica duking it out for fifth at the end of the race.

And then after, in the pits.