The ARCA Menards Series will begin its 74th season on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway with the 63rd Annual General Tire 200. This race marks the start of a schedule featuring 20 events held across 19 tracks in 15 states. The race is set to start at 12:00 PM ET and will be broadcast live on FOX, with radio coverage available via MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
The 2026 event draws on a rich history of ARCA racing at Daytona, which dates back to its first race there in 1964, won by Nelson Stacy, a driver with notable victories in the NASCAR Cup Series during his career.
A Look Back at Daytona’s ARCA Racing Legacy
Daytona International Speedway has long been a major stage for stock car racing in the ARCA Menards Series. The first race at this venue was won by Nelson Stacy, a four-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, in a race that featured two qualifying events similar to the current America 250 Florida Duel in NASCAR. Those qualifiers were won by Earl Balmer and Jack Bowsher, setting the tone for what would become a storied relationship between ARCA and Daytona.
Returning Champions and New Competitors in 2026
The defending series champions, Pinnacle Racing Group, are back to defend their owners championship with driver Jack Wood behind the wheel of the No. 28 PRG Chevrolet. Wood brings experience from 85 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts, including four at Daytona, and has prior ARCA Menards Series starts at the track with solid top-ten finishes in 2021 and 2023. Joining the team is Taylor Reimer, racing the No. 77 BuzzBallz Chevrolet, embarking on her first Daytona attempt after strong performances in past seasons, including a podium finish in her series debut and a top-five in Kansas Speedway.
Nitro Motorsports enters six drivers in the General Tire 200, including notable talents like Jake Finch, who won at Talladega Superspeedway in 2024, and 2025 ARCA Menards Series West champion Jake Bollman. Gus Dean, who claimed victory at Daytona in 2024, will return alongside rookie standout Isabella Robusto, 2024’s Bounty Rookie of the Year. The team also fields Thomas Annunziata and newcomer Wesley Slimp in Toyotas, making Nitro Motorsports a strong presence in the event.
Experience and Emerging Talent Join the Field
Gio Ruggiero will pilot the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on superspeedways and intermediate tracks this season. Ruggiero impressed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2025 with a second-place finish at Daytona and a Talladega win from the pole position. He also ranked third in the ARCA Menards Series East standings in 2024 with a victory at Five Flags Speedway.
Greg Van Alst, the 2023 ARCA winner at Daytona, will return to the series for the first time since 2024. Van Alst has accumulated four ARCA starts at Daytona with consistent top finishes, including a third in 2024 and his 2023 victory. Jason Kitzmiller will also compete in his seventh series start at Daytona after securing his best result of third in 2025, having enjoyed a career year finishing third in series points with multiple top-five and top-ten finishes.
Garrett Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland to his large online fanbase, will make his second Daytona start. Owner of the Freedom Factory (formerly DeSoto Speedway) near Bradenton, Mitchell endured early setbacks in last year’s race but achieved his first career top-ten finish at Talladega Superspeedway. His strong pace in recent practice sessions foreshadows a competitive effort.
Veterans Bringing Their Best to Daytona
Sean Corr is a seasoned ARCA competitor with 16 Daytona starts and five top-five finishes to his credit. Among those performances is a career-best third in 2023. Corr has shown strong qualifying speed in the past, highlighted by a Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole in 2012, exhibiting a commanding presence on the track despite mechanical misfortunes. He has also battled fiercely for victories, exemplified in 2018 when he was running for the lead late before a multi-car crash ended his run.
Timothy “Mini” Tyrell is set to debut in the ARCA Menards Series the day after leading RAM Trucks back into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Kaulig Racing. A consistent fighter in the CARS Tour, Tyrell will race for Cook Racing Technologies, the team that secured the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West owners title.
New Faces Ready to Take on Daytona’s Challenge
Reigning ARCA West Bounty Rookie of the Year Robbie Kennealy will make his Daytona debut after joining the race through the series’ Road to Daytona practice program. His quick adaptation to the 2.5-mile tri-oval drew praise from 1995 series champion and two-time Daytona winner Andy Hillenburg, who will also mentor Kennealy and team owner Jan Qualkenbush during the event. Qualkenbush orchestrated a recent acquisition of a car from Hillenburg to prepare Kennealy for the race.
Two drivers with strong local ties, Alli Owens and Logan Misuraca, will compete at Daytona as well. Owens, a South Daytona native who returned to racing after a 12-year hiatus raising her family, has appeared three times at the speedway with a career-best start of second position in 2009. Misuraca, from Sanford and a member of a decorated high school dance team, has extensive track knowledge from her role with the NASCAR Racing Experience and will make her second Daytona start.
Safety, Comebacks, and Qualifying Procedure
Bob Rahilly, a former NASCAR Cup Series team owner and current ARCA crew chief, made a triumphant return to Daytona’s pre-race environment after recovering from severe burns sustained in a 2025 house fire. Rahilly has a deep history in racing, including wins in the Busch Clash and numerous top-five finishes at Daytona as co-owner of RahMoc Enterprises, with drivers like Neil Bonnett, Lake Speed, Joe Ruttman, and Dick Trickle contributing to the team’s legacy.
The 40-car starting lineup for the General Tire 200 will be determined through the Sioux Chief PowerPEX Pole Qualifying on Friday, February 13, at 1:30 PM ET. Drivers will be randomly assigned into groups, each receiving four minutes on track, yielding about three timed laps. The fastest 32 cars will lock their starting spots, while the final eight positions will be filled based on 2025 owners points standings.
Schedule and Broadcast Details for the Event
The event week at Daytona will kick off with practice sessions on Thursday, February 12, at 4:00 PM ET. Following qualifying on Friday, the much-anticipated 63rd Annual General Tire 200 race will take place at noon on Saturday, February 14. Fans can watch the race live on FOX and listen on MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90, and via MRN.com. Comprehensive timing, scoring, and live audio streaming are available on the official ARCA Racing website. For real-time updates, followers can check @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter).
About the ARCA Menards Series and Menards
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), established in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, is the premier grassroots stock car racing organization in the United States. NASCAR acquired ARCA in April 2018, further integrating it within the national racing framework. ARCA sanctions over 100 events annually, spanning the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and West, and several regional tours. This broad reach creates a vital developmental platform bridging local racing circuits and national NASCAR competitions.
Menards, the series’ title sponsor, is a family-owned home improvement retailer operating since 1958 with 236 stores across 15 states. Known as a Midwest leader in home renovation and building supplies, Menards offers an extensive product range from lumber and construction materials to appliances, garden center plants, and outdoor equipment. Their focus on customer service and value has made them a household name for professionals and homeowners alike.
