Cars in action during the ARCA Menards Series Practice at Daytona International Speedway – NASCAR Photo
ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway:
Austin Green Leads Day Two of Daytona Pre-Race Practice
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – (January 10, 2026) – Former ARCA Menards Series
winner Austin Green (No. 82 PRG Chevrolet) led the way on the second and
final day of the ARCA Menards Series annual pre-race practice at Daytona
International Speedway. Green timed in at 49.202 seconds/182.919 miles
per hour.
Green’s lap was just 0.002 seconds quicker than reigning ASA STARS
National Tour super late model champion Cole Butcher (No. 30 Rette Jones
Racing Ford). Butcher’s lap of 49.204 seconds/182.912 miles per hour
was just in front of the Kitzmiller duo, reigning ARCA Menards Series
East champion Isaac (No. 79 A.L.L. Construction / Carter CAT Chevrolet),
and his father Jason (No. 97 A.L.L. Construction / Carter CAT
Chevrolet). Isaac timed in at 49.217 seconds/182.864 miles per hour in
his first-ever laps in the draft, while Jason was just behind at 49.230
seconds/182.815 miles per hour.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular Gio Ruggiero (No. 18 JBL Toyota)
was fifth quickest on Saturday at 49.261 seconds/182.700 miles per hour.
Mini Tyrell (No. 17 Cook Racing Technologies Chevrolet), Taylor Reimer
(No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet), Carson Brown (No. 82B PRG
Chevrolet), Nolan Wilson (No. 69 Kimmel Racing Ford) and his teammate
Alli Owens (No. 69 Kimmel Racing Ford) rounded out Saturday’s top ten.
Cleetus McFarland had arrived at Daytona to test the No. 30 Rette Jones Racing Ford, wrapped in a throwback livery from one of Dale Earnhardt’s Rolex 24 campaigns. And the car’s rear quarter panel carried a message: “Be Like Biff,” honoring how Biffle navigated life and extended helping hands to those weathering difficult times.
Kenny Wallace, who was himself left shaken by the news of the plane crash that claimed Biffle and his family, praised McFarland’s actions as nothing short of remarkable. “This guy is a gift from the man above, the Lord Jesus Christ, our savior. Cleetus is heartbroken like all of us over the death of Greg Biffle,” he said.
Gus Dean (No. 25 Nitro Motorsports Toyota) set the fastest lap of the
weekend on Friday, running in a tight six-car draft with his teammates
at the end of the day. Dean’s lap at 48.744 seconds/184.638 miles per
hour was nearly a half-second quicker than the lap Green turned on
Saturday. The top seven speeds of the weekend were set on Friday, with
the remainder of the weekend’s top ten speeds turned on Saturday.
Saturday’s activities were only slowed for track inspections and
debris, but Friday’s action was stopped twice for accidents on the
racetrack. The first was for Amber Balcaen (No. 24 Sigma Performance
Services Ford), who spun exiting the tri-oval after debris punctured her
left rear tire. Balcaen’s car had heavy nose damage and was done for
the weekend, although she did return to the track in the backup car. The
second incident on Friday happened exiting turn two when Bob Martin (No.
52 Martin Racing Toyota) lost control and made slight contact with the
outside wall, damaging the left rear of the car. Martin was also
uninjured in the crash.
The 2026 ARCA Menards Series season revs into action on Saturday,
February 14 with the 64th annual Daytona ARCA 200 at Daytona
International Speedway. The race will be televised live on FOX starting
at noon ET; the race will also be broadcast live on SiriusXM NASCAR
Radio Channel 90 and on select MRN Radio affiliates nationwide.
For live Timing & Scoring data for all on-track activity, please visit
ARCARacing.com; follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) for
up-to-the-minute updates.
###