For years, the ARCA Menards Series has been looked down on as a racing league where drivers don’t always seem to be deserving of a ride.
While most ARCA drivers are professionals for a reason, there are moments when fans are left wondering how a certain driver was able to find a ride, or why NASCAR allowed them to compete in the first place. The woes of a few become a burden felt by all. While most of ARCA’s races are tame and relatively professional affairs, there are outlier races that devolve into chaos.
Saturday’s season-opener at Daytona was everything that ARCA detractors claim the series to be.
In Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series season-opener at Daytona, ARCA’s reputation took a hit. Only 13 cars of 40 finished the race on the lead lap. Only 16 cars were running at the finish, with 27 cars being involved in at least one incident throughout the race.
The first “Big One” occurred on lap four, when the No. 11 of Cody Dennison snapped loose on the exit of turn four. The crash ended the days of eight drivers, including three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Katherine Legge.
