Season-Opening Victor at Daytona International Speedway Wins Iconic DAYTONA Road Course Event
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 14, 2020) – After a spirited battle of trading paint and lead swapping, Michael Self muscled his way past Ty Gibbs with six laps to go to win the General Tire 100 ARCA Menards Series race at the DAYTONA Road Course Friday night. The victory kicked off a historical weekend at storied as road course racing for stock cars returned to Daytona Beach.
The General Tire 100 marked the first time in history that the ARCA Menards Series, a staple at Daytona since 1962, had ever competed on the storied tri-oval/road course, made famous by the Rolex 24 AT DAYTONA, North America’s premier event that also started in 1962.
For Self, a noted road course ace, the victory was extra special as he was able to win on layout with many twists and turns (14) but also he made it DAYTONA sweep after winning the season-opener on the high banks of the tri-oval in February. This marks the first time in history two ARCA races have competed at Daytona in a single season and Self won them both.
“It’s a little extra special for me. I wanted to win a road course race so bad this year,” said Self, the championship points leader who notched his second triumph of the season. “This is so special to me. Anytime you win at Daytona it is really special. To do it twice in one year is really cool. Road course racing has a special place in my heart. Just really cool.”
As a result of the win, Self stretched his lead in the title chase to 15 over Bret Holmes, who wound up eighth. As for his hard racing with Gibbs, the grandson of NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs, Self said, “every point is incredibly important right now. I wanted to lead laps…wanted to get out front. The side-by-side racing that Ty and I had was exciting.”
Self was able to stretch his lead to 6.993 seconds at the checkered flag. Behind Gibbs in third was former IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar champ Colin Braun, who, at the midway point of the event, came in as a relief driver for Sam Mayer, who entered the race with an injured right arm. Rounding out the top six were Taylor Gray, Will Rodgers and Hailie Deegan.
The start of the race was delayed by nearly three hours for heavy showers, but once the inclement weather moved out of the area, most teams chose to use treaded rain tires on the track, which remained wet in places throughout the race.
NASCAR’s three top-tier series will now get a chance to challenge the DAYTONA Road Course, each for the inaugural time, beginning Saturday with the UNOH 188 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which is set for a 3 p.m. ET start. Sunday will feature a doubleheader for the Sunoco 159 for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series at 12:00 p.m. ET while the NASCAR Cup Series’ Go Bowling 250 will take the green flag at 3:00 p.m. ET.
The full schedule is below:
· Saturday, August 15 – NASCAR Xfinity Series at 3:00 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
· Sunday, August 16 – NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors at 12 Noon ET (FS1)
· Sunday, August 16 – NASCAR Cup Series at 3:00 p.m. ET (NBC)
A limited number of fans will get the opportunity to see the Go Bowling 235 and Sunoco 159. Fans can get tickets, which start at $49 (both races included) for adults and $10 for kids 12 years old and younger, by visiting www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or calling 1-800-PIT-SHOP.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and by downloading Daytona International Speedway’s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a state-of-the-art motorsports facility and was awarded the SportsBusiness Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Award for Sports Facility of the Year in 2016. Daytona International Speedway is the home of “The Great American Race” – the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Cup Series event garners most of the attention – as well as the largest audience in motorsports – the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex, also known as the “World Center of Racing,” boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe. In addition to at least nine major event weekends, the Speedway grounds are also used extensively for events that include concerts, civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.
