Moffitt Lands On Top During Daytona ARCA Practice

Thad Moffitt in action at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (Scotte Sprinkle/Race Face Digital photo)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The ‘First Family’ of Daytona Int’l Speedway found its way back to the top of the scoreboard during Friday’s ARCA Menards Series practice session.

Thad Moffitt, the grandson of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty and great-grandson of inaugural Daytona 500 winner Lee Petty, led the way in the only on-track action before Saturday’s Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente 200 at the World Center of Racing.

Moffitt’s last of nine laps around the 2.5-mile Daytona high banks was good enough for top honors, a time of 49.772 seconds (180.825 mph) in the No. 46 Nitro Motorsports Toyota.

The 24-year-old from Trinity, N.C., will chase the ARCA championship this season and has joined the Toyota Driver Development (TD2) program in an effort to advance his racing career.

“We tested here (in January), so I think that helped us a lot, but obviously the guys have done a lot to the race car since then,” noted Moffitt after practice. “Just being able to make a couple of laps and make sure nothing’s leaking, everything was good, and there were no vibrations anywhere was huge.

“Being able to go out and run in the draft with my quasi-teammates, the Venturini (Motorsports) cars, was vital as well. I think we were able to make really good speed, and everyone’s stuff drove really well, so that’s all according to plan so far,” Moffitt added. “The plan for tomorrow is that we’re all starting up front, so we want to keep everyone there and then sort out the win among ourselves in the last five or so laps.”

Moffitt has three prior Daytona ARCA starts, with a run from last-to-third in 2020 with DGR Crosley (now TRICON Garage) ranking as the highlight.

In those races, he didn’t have many friends in the draft. This time, Moffitt will have increased support as he chases a Daytona victory and looks to join his uncle Kyle, grandfather, and great-grandfather as a winner at the World Center of Racing.

“I think it’s huge,” Moffitt said of the extra benefit the Venturini drivers can provide him. “The Toyotas all work well together, and having a really, really fast race car helps as well. We proved we have that today, with being top of the board in practice, and it might force people to work with us to get to the front.”

The Venturini trio of Isabella Robusto, Lawless Alan, and Jake Finch ranked second through fourth, respectively, in single-lap speeds, with Robusto turning a lap of 49.804 seconds (180.708 mph) in the No. 55 Mobil 1 Toyota after going out late in a drafting line with Moffitt and her teammates.

Behind Alan and Finch, Jason Kitzmiller was fifth at 49.879 seconds (180.437 mph) in the No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet.

Polesitter William Sawalich, A.J. Moyer, reigning rookie-of-the-year Lavar Scott, and NTT IndyCar Series stars Helio Castroneves and Katherine Legge closed out the top 10 in practice.

Friday’s on-track time was originally supposed to be General Tire Pole Qualifying, but a heavy rainstorm Thursday afternoon at Daytona Int’l Speedway washed out the initially scheduled practice session and forced the starting lineup to be set by the ARCA rule book.

As such, Steve Lewis Jr., Ryan Huff, Chuck Buchanan, Venturini Motorsports rookie Chase Pinsonneault, and Robert Martin failed to make the field for the season opener.

Saturday’s Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente 200 for the ARCA Menards Series is slated for a noon ET green flag, with live coverage on FOX, select Motor Racing Network affiliates, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.