DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ty Gibbs led more laps than anyone on the ARCA Menards Series platform last season, but due to his age, is making his first start on a superspeedway Saturday in the Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
If Friday’s practice times are any indication, the grandson of racing and football legend Joe Gibbs could be in for quite a debut at the famed 2.5-mile tri-oval.
Gibbs’ No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota shot to the top of the speed chart late in Friday’s one-hour session, with a lap time of 49.323 seconds (182.471 mph).
Gibbs finished the session 0.004 seconds faster than rookie Andy Jankowiak, who held the top position on the chart for much of the session.
Jankowiak was second fastest at 49.327 seconds (182.456 mph). Willie Mullins was third quick at 49.336 seconds (182.423 mph), followed by Thad Moffitt (49.372/182.290) in fourth and defending series champion Bret Holmes (49.377/182.271).
Venturini Motorsports drivers Corey Heim, Gracie Trotter and Drew Dollar ranked sixth through eighth on Friday’s speed chart, with the fourth VMS driver in Saturday’s field, Derek Griffith, coming in 10th quick.
DGR driver Tanner Gray, Moffitt’s teammate for Saturday’s race, was ninth fastest.
Qualifying for the Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.
The race is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on FS1.