The 2010 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 was the 1st stock car race of the 2010 ARCA Racing Series season, and the 49th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, February 6, 2010, in Daytona Beach, Florida at the Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) permanent tri-oval shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 80 laps to complete. At race's end, Bobby Gerhart, driving for his own team, Bobby Gerhart Racing, would take home the victory, after dominating a majority of the race, leading 51 laps. This was Gerhart's 7th career ARCA Racing Series win, his sixth at Daytona, and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Mark Thompson and John Wes Townley, both driving for Venturini Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
This race was mostly known as the stock car debut for Danica Patrick, as she was making her transition from IndyCar to NASCAR. With Patrick entered into the race, it became the most viewed ARCA event in series history, with 2.4 million viewers tuning into the Speed Network. Along with Patrick, Nelson Piquet Jr., the former Formula 1 driver, would also make his debut into stock cars.
The race would also make more history, as six total female drivers were entered into the race (Alli Owens, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Jill George, Danica Patrick, Leilani Munter, and Milka Duno), the most in a single ARCA race.
Background
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, IMSA, SCCA, and Motocross. The track features multiple layouts including the primary high-speed tri-oval, a sports car course, a motorcycle course, and a karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's infield includes the Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is operated by NASCAR pursuant to a lease with the City of Daytona Beach on the property that runs until 2054. Dale Earnhardt is Daytona International Speedway's all-time winningest driver, with a total of 34 career victories (12- Daytona 500 Qualifying Races) (7- NASCAR Xfinity Series Races) (6- Busch Clash Races) (6- IROC Races) (2- Pepsi 400 July Races) (1- The 1998 Daytona 500).
The track was built in 1959 by NASCAR founder William "Bill" France Sr. to host racing that was held at the former Daytona Beach Road Course. His banked design permitted higher speeds and gave fans a better view of the cars. Lights were installed around the track in 1998, and today it is the third-largest single-lit outdoor sports facility. The speedway has been renovated four times, with the infield renovated in 2004 and the track repaved in 1978 and 2010. The track is 50 miles north of Orlando.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver
#DriverTeamMakeSponsor0Butch JarvisWayne Peterson RacingDodgeSteris Corporation1Nick Igdalsky (R)Andy Belmont RacingFordModSpace4Ricky CarmichaelTurner MotorsportsToyotaMonster Energy5Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevroletLucas Oil Slick Mist06Barry FitzgeraldWayne Peterson RacingFordTheBusPlace.com 6Nelson Piquet Jr.Eddie Sharp RacingToyotaEddie Sharp Racing7Danica PatrickJR MotorsportsChevroletGoDaddy09Grant EnfingerRAB RacingFordBeasleyAllen.com, Roush Yates Performance10Mike HoltFast Track RacingChevroletCasite11Bryan SilasFast Track RacingFordRockingham Speedway, American Custom Yachts12Russ DuggerDGM RacingChevroletAccell Construction14Chase Mattioli (R)Andy Belmont RacingFordBig Machine Records15Alli OwensVenturini MotorsportsToyotaElectrifyingCareers.com16Joey CoulterCoulter MotorsportsChevroletRip It Energy Fuel17Hal MartinMark Gibson RacingDodgeMark Gibson Racing21Jennifer Jo CobbBowsher-Mooi MotorsportsChevroletBowsher-Mooi Motorsports22Dakoda Armstrong (R)Cunningham MotorsportsDodgeCunningham Motorsports23Frank Wilson Jr.Hixson MotorsportsChevroletDrug Testing Centers of America, Lifeguard M25Mikey KileVenturini MotorsportsToyotaTAG Heuer Eyewear26Brad SmithBrad Smith MotorsportsFordApplianceZone.com28Chris CockrumACG MotorsportsChevroletAccuTech, Mohawk Cable29Jesse SmithJones Racing GroupDodgeHormel Foods, Child's Tire30Terry JonesJones Racing GroupDodgeJones Racing Group31Tim George Jr.Richard Childress RacingChevroletRCR Development32Justin MarksWin-Tron RacingToyotaConstruct Corps34Darrell BashamDarrell Basham RacingChevroletAnti-Monkey Butt Powder35John Wes TownleyVenturini MotorsportsToyotaZaxby's36Robb BrentAllgaier MotorsportsDodgeOrchard Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep38Greg SarffCapital City MotorsportsDodgeGreat Dane Trailers42Scott StenzelSpraker Racing EnterprisesFordYellow Stripes Making The Driver43Kyle MartelBill Martel RacingChevroletHanover Cold Storage, Finish Line Express44Frank KimmelKimmel RacingFordAnsell, Menards48Jill GeorgeJames Hylton MotorsportsDodgeRadon.com51James BuescherPhoenix RacingToyotaPhoenix Construction52Bill BairdKen Schrader RacingChevroletSaturn Machine55Steve ArpinVenturini MotorsportsToyotaVenturini Motorsports58Chad HackenbrachtCGH MotorsportsChevroletTastee Chocolate Apples59Leilani MunterMark Gibson RacingDodgeGREENandSAVE60Patrick SheltraSheltra MotorsportsDodgePowerTrac Machinery66Mark ThompsonVenturini MotorsportsToyotaPhoenix Air68Steve BlackburnBlackburn MotorsportsDodgeHarley-Davidson & Honda of Prestonburg75Chuck WalkerBob Schacht MotorsportsChevroletBob Schacht Motorsports76Jerick JohnsonTeam Johnson MotorsportsDodgeAmerican Legion, David Law Firm77Tom Hessert IIICunningham MotorsportsDodgeCunningham Motorsports80Brad LloydHover MotorsportsFordStadelhofer Construction, Matt Cardeiro Ent.81Craig GoessEddie Sharp RacingToyotaGreenville Toyota of North Carolina83Sean CorrEmpire RacingFordEmpire Racing85Lance FentonTeam Gill RacingDodgeTeam Gill Racing90Milka DunoStringer MotorsportsToyotaStringer Motorsports95Tommy Joe MartinsMartins MotorsportsFordMartins Motorsports97Matt LoftonMatt Lofton MotorsportsChevroletStrutmasters.com99Josh RichardsKen Schrader RacingChevroletPresta
December testing
Nearly two months before the race, ARCA would have a three-day testing session, which lasted from Friday, December 18, 2009, through Sunday, December 20. The sessions would mainly last for a few hours. The first session was held on Friday, but would only last for 35 minutes, due to inclement weather. Despite only running four laps at full speed, Danica Patrick would drive a stock car for the first time in her career. She would rank 12th overall in the session. Another notable driver that made laps during the session was Narain Karthikeyan, who was the first Indian driver to compete in Formula 1. Karthikeyan placed 17th overall. At the end of the session, Mikey Kile, driving for Venturini Motorsports, set the fastest time, with a lap of 49.804, and an average speed of . Kile was followed by his teammates, Steve Arpin and Alli Owens, who were 2nd and 3rd quickest. 20-year-old Brandon McReynolds, the son of veteran NASCAR crew chief, Larry McReynolds, recorded the 4th position. Joey Coulter, driving for his family team, rounded out the top five. The rest of the top ten consisted of Bryan Silas, Nick Igdalsky, Lance Fenton, Grant Enfinger, and Matt Lofton.
The second session would be held on Saturday, and would go the full distance, with 61 drivers competing in it. By virtue of just starting the session, Milka Duno became the first Hispanic woman to test an ARCA Racing Series car. Patrick Sheltra, driving for his family team, recorded the fastest time, with a lap of 49.502, and an average speed of .
He was followed by the Venturini teammates, Mikey Kile, Steve Arpin, and Alli Owens, who ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively. Steve Blackburn rounded out the top five. The rest of the top ten included James Buescher, Matt Lofton, Bobby Gerhart, Joey Coulter, and Terry Jones.
The third and final session would be held on Sunday, also going the full distance, with 53 drivers that ran laps. Robb Brent, driving for Allgaier Motorsports, recorded the fastest time, with a lap of 49.250, and an average speed of . Once again, Mikey Kile would post the second quickest time, with Bryan Silas recording third place. Alli Owens and Patrick Sheltra would round out the top five. The rest of the top ten included Steve Arpin, Terry Jones, Joey Coulter, Jason Bowles, and Danica Patrick.
Practice and qualifying
The official practice session was held on February 4, 2010, and would last for nearly five hours. James Buescher, last year's race winner, scored the fastest time throughout the session, recording a lap of 49.355, and an average speed of . Mikey Kile and Mark Thompson, teammates at Venturini Motorsports, recorded the 2nd and 3rd fastest times. Frank Kimmel, the nine-time ARCA Racing Series champion, scored the 8th quickest time. The five-time ARCA winner at Daytona, Bobby Gerhart, was 18th fastest overall.
Patrick Sheltra, the Florida native, earned the sixth fastest time.
"Our PowerTrac Dodge is really good," stated Sheltra. "We didn't have to play with it a whole lot today. The car handles well all by itself and the little drafting we did today, I didn't have one complaint. We're going to qualify somewhere between eighth and 12th, I think tomorrow but come race day, we're going to have a shot at winning this thing. I just have to thank Jon and all of the guys for working real hard. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the weekend."
Danica Patrick, who brought most of the media attention during the session, posted the 17th fastest time overall.
"I think today's practice was a success," stated Patrick. "I felt that the #7 GoDaddy.com car got stronger and more comfortable the more runs I made. We have been working hard to get to this point, so hopefully tomorrow's qualifying run goes well."
Along with Patrick, five female drivers also made laps during practice, including Alli Owens, who was 13th quickest, Leilani Munter, who was 32nd, Milka Duno, who was 44th, Jennifer Jo Cobb, who was 47th, and Jill George, who was 50th.
Qualifying would be held on February 5. Earning a time of 49.575, and an average speed of , James Buescher, driving for Phoenix Racing, would take the pole position.
"I knew the car was going to be fast because we were fast yesterday. I wasn't sure how the wind changing around was going to affect everyone else. You could definitely feel the wind blowing. We don't want to mess the car up so we're not going to participate in happy hour. I've actually never done the happy hour practice in any speedway race. They tend to wreck a couple of cars in that practice and I don't want to risk it." stated Buescher. He also describes how it was like to race alongside Danica Patrick.
"She's just another driver in the field and that's how you have to look at it. Hopefully everyone in our race stays smart and no one over drives while trying to impress the large audience we have for this race. They showed us a crash video during the driver's meeting yesterday and it got our attention. I think there were 3 or 4 wrecks ahead of me in this race last year that I was able to avoid so hopefully my heart won't skip too many beats this year."