Drivers to watch at ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice at Daytona

The ARCA Menards Series will have a full two days of pre-race practice at Daytona beginning tomorrow. There are a number of interesting drivers. Not all of the drivers who participate this week are going to attempt to qualify for the race, but most of them will.

Just like any ARCA race at Daytona, there are a ton of drivers hoping to get on the track even for a practice session, let alone the big race. A lot of new names are entering the series full-time and should produce and exciting championship race, unlike recent years.

Let’s break down the most interesting drivers in the field. Fans will want to keep an eye on these ten competitors.

Lavar Scott – Rev Racing No. 6

The 2024 season was the first full-time season in the ARCA Menards Series for Lavar Scott. He finished 2nd in the standings behind his teammate Andres Perez.

This season, Scott should be the driver that steps up in ARCA. He appears to be back with Rev Racing in the No. 6 car for another season in the series and the expectation is going to be for him to win a race or two.

Lanie Buice – Rev Racing No. 2B

A Rev Racing driver who has spent a lot of time racing late models in North Carolina the last two years, Lanie Buice is one to watch. She impressed during her young karting career and now the 18-year-old is ready to take another step up the ladder.

It seems that there are more and more women in motorsports every year. Will we see Buice develop into a future NASCAR driver over the next few years?

Brent Crews – Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18C

Joe Gibbs Racing is fielding a trio of cars for the ARCA pre-race practice at Daytona. This season Brent Crews, William Sawalich, Gio Ruggiero, and 15-year-old Max Reaves will share the No. 18 car.

Crews in the No. 18 car for Daytona practice is surprising. At 16, Crews is not allowed by ARCA rules to race at Daytona. However, it appears he will be able to participate in practice.

Chase Pinsonneault – Venturini Motorsports No. 15

Coming to Venturini Motorsports for a full-time season in 2025, Chase Pinsonneault is another 18-year-old driver. Pinsonneault is from Canada and races late models for Carson Hocevar.

With this opportunity, we will see if the Canadian is the real deal or not. Hocevar has a lot of belief in the driver, but now he has to go out and make it happen. He will be in great equipment with Venturini.

Thad Moffitt – Nitro Motorsports No. 46

After a rough season in the NASCAR Truck Series, Thad Moffitt begins his ARCA Menards Series championship quest with Nitro Motorsports. Nitro is a brand new team with a Venutrini alliance.

Moffitt feels confident about his resources and chance to succeed. The pre-race practice at Daytona should reveal if the driver and team are for real this season or not.

Lawless Alan – Venturini Motorsports No. 20

Another Venturini Motorsports entry, Lawless Alan could very well be an ARCA champion at the end of the year. Alan was developing with Reaume Brothers Racing and now has a full-time ARCA ride with select Truck Series starts with Toyota.

Alan is an interesting prospect. I think many see him as a similar driver to Carson Hocevar. He is tall and there appears to be raw speed in there. Will Toyota be able to get the most out of Lawless?

Brenden “Butterbean” Queen – Pinnacle Racing Group No. 28Q

This is the one driver I’m most excited about for not just Daytona but the entire 2025 season. Butterbean Queen is fresh off his 2024 CARS Tour Late Model Stock championship and ready to win the ARCA title.

Queen is going to stand out on the short tracks. Watching him adjust to superspeedway racing is going to be very interesting. PRG will have him in a great car and he has a legendary teammate that we will talk about in a bit.

Isabella Robusto – Venturini Motorsports No. 55R

Another great driver to keep an eye on, Isabella Robusto has the chance to really make a name for herself. Expect her to race up front and be a real factor for the championship.

Of course, Robusto is still developing as a driver. If she begins to pan out how many believe she will, we have a future superstar on our hands.

Corey Day – Spire Motorsports No. 77

This is the most surprising entry, at least for me. Corey Day is driving the No. 77 car for Spire Motorsports. But Spire doesn’t have an ARCA team, until now, I guess.

I’m not sure if this is a one-off or a full-time deal. It would be very exciting to see Day compete for the championship with a team like Spire. This also shows how valuable teams consider a talent like Day who carries HendrickCars.com sponsorship.

Helio Castroneves – Pinnacle Racing Group No. 82

Finally, the most famous of our ARCA entries. Helio Castroneves is taking on the ARCA 200 to prepare for the Daytona 500. The four-time Indy 500 winner is getting himself into a hornet’s nest with this race.

It will be fun to watch Castroneves in the pre-race practice. Seeing how quickly he adapts to the stock car will give us an idea of what to expect of him in the Cup Series. Can he walk away from Daytona with an ARCA or NASCAR win?