NEW BRAUNFELS, Tex: Parker Chase closed out his 2022 edition of Speedweeks with an exclamation point as the 21-year-old earned a career-best finish in the ARCA Menards Series on its biggest stage this past Saturday at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
Chase in the first of a minimum 10 ARCA Menards Series races this season for the potent Venturini Motorsports utilized the 80-lap Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire to earn crucial superspeedway experience but contend for a career-best finish in just his sixth career start aboard his No. 15 Vertical Bridge Toyota Camry.
Throughout the 2022 ARCA season-opener, Chase kept his race car pinned to the yellow double line in clutches with his teammate and defending race winner Corey Heim.
Even through controlled pit stops and a demanding race that produced two lines of intense drafting, Chase rarely found himself outside the top-five throughout the race and when the race had a green-white-checkered finish to determine the winner, Chase was a part of the mix.
Unable to secure the additional drafting help needed to make a run at Heim, Chase instead pushed his teammate to the team’s fifth consecutive victory at the “World Center of Racing” – while delivering himself his first career top-five finish and a one-two punch in the finishing order for the Concord, N.C.-based team.
“Daytona was awesome,” said Chase. “You dream of racing there – let alone being in contention for the win. We had a shot there on the last restart – but if I couldn’t pull it off myself, I was going to make sure my Venturini Motorsports teammate won the race.
“A first and second-place finish for the organization is something to be really proud about. I cannot thank Vertical Bridge and all our partners for the opportunity. A runner-up finish is a great way to end my Speedweeks in Florida and give me some great momentum for the rest of the racing season.”
Daytona marked Chase’s sixth career start in the NASCAR-owned series with the avid Sports Car driver delivering his first career top-five but his sixth straight top-10 finish dating back to the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Course in August 2020.
“I’ve only competed in six ARCA races, but I have learned so much since my first race in the summer of 2020,” added Chase who turned 21 on Feb. 22. “Each race track offers a different discipline and has introduced me to new elements of racing that I’ve been able to quickly adapt to.”
From the high banks of Daytona, Chase is keeping a smile on his face as he prepares for his next ARCA race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway on March 11th before shifting his attention to the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series (IMPC) at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway beginning March 16th.
“I’m hoping that all that experience will continue to be beneficial as the 2022 season marches on – including in my next ARCA race at Phoenix Raceway next month and then getting to return to IMSA competition at Sebring a week later.”
In IMPC competition, Chase drivers the No. 98 Elantra N TCR for Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) with Curb Agajanian.
For more on Parker Chase, please visit ParkerChase.com, like him on Facebook (Parker Chase), Instagram (@parkerchase) and follow him on Twitter (@parker_chase19).
