ARCA Season Opens Sunday

Finally the wait is over! The 2001 ARCA RE/MAX season begins Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. It's been a long winter of watching reruns and dreaming of race day, but now we get to see the real thing. Forty-one cars qualified for the ARCA Discount Auto Parts 200, with Kirk Shelmerdine in the #57 CLR Ford taking the pole with a speed of 187.352. On the outside of Row 1 is a young driver with a famous racing name, Ricky Hendrick in the #71 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet. Hendrick is one of the up-and-coming young drivers that is expected to do well this season and possibly even win several races. That is, of course, unless he moves on up to Busch Grand National before the season ends.

Besides Hendrick, the race is full of names that have been associated with NASCAR racing over the years. Among these are Kerry Earnhardt, who qualified 10th in his mom's Chevy. I guess dad must have loaned his car to his brother. Jason Jarrett sits on the inside of Row 6, Justin Labonte is qualified 21st for this year's race and Ronnie Hornaday is in 28th position on the starting grid. Each of these young drivers carry rich racing traditions with them, and are names to watch in the future as they gain experience in the larger, faster cars. You can be sure that some of them will be at Daytona in the future, but in the Daytona 500, instead of the ARCA 200. You can be sure though, that like their predecessors, they won't forget their roots.

Keep an eye on the first seven rows, because it's my prediction that's where the winner will come from. From looking at the starting grid, the power is spread evenly and should make for great competition. By row, these include: Row 2, with Bob Strait and Stuart Kirby; Row 3, with David Keith and Mike Swaim Jr.; Row 4, with Bobby Gerhart and Shawna Robinson; Row 5, with Frank Kimmel and Kerry Earnhardt; Row 6, with Ryan Newman and Jason Jarrett and Row 7, with Dan Pardus and Tim Steele. There are at least 8 legitimate contenders for the victory in these seven rows, and as I said, the competition to get to the front of the pack will be hot and heavy.

The race, part of the famous Daytona Speed Week activities will be televised on a delayed basis on Fox Sports at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday, February 12. It carries a purse of $264,213 in prize, contingency and point money.

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