Steve Blackburn Leads ARCA Practice At Daytona

Steve Blackburn paced Thursday's ARCA practice for Saturday's season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Photo courtesy ARCA

A manufacturer switch may be just what Steve Blackburn needs to contend in the ARCA Racing Series. If Thursday’s practice chart from Daytona International Speedway is any indication, Blackburn and his self-owned team are on the right track.

The 49-year-old from Prestonburg, KY drove a best lap of 47.712 seconds (188.632 mph) in a four-hour practice session to top Venturini Motorsports teammates Mark Thompson and Nelson Canache Jr., Tom Hessert of Ken Schrader Racing, and Venturini’s Brennan Poole.

In his eight previous starts since 2005 and both previous Daytona races, Blackburn had driven Dodges but never finished in the top 10 of any event. His new relationship with Richard Childress Racing executive Mike Dillon – father of last season’s ARCA champion Ty – and ECR Engines, however, may have turned the tide, giving his No. 94 Chevrolet a necessary boost.

“I called him back at the first of summer and never got in with him,” Blackburn said of Dillon. “I begged, pleaded, and told him I’d give him my next born for some horsepower, some Chevrolet power. They’ve let me in, I’ve joined the family, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Sponsored by Harley Davidson Pikeville (KY) and Pop’s Chevrolet, Blackburn can enter Menards Pole Qualifying on Friday with plenty of positive thoughts after 24 laps of practice.

“It was a pretty good day,” he said. “I’m just tickled to death.”

Thompson, who drove 39 laps, finished the session at 48.164 seconds (186.862 mph) to lead a usually strong Venturini effort. Canache finished only 0.012 second behind his teammate in preparation for his ARCA debut, posting a speed of 186.815 mph on his best of 24 laps.

Nine-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel ended the practice session sixth; his entry this weekend represents his first ARCA activity with ThorSport Racing, which is adding a full ARCA schedule this season to its 16-year history of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racing. Kimmel has started 20 ARCA races at Daytona and finished second twice, but has never won.

Venturini drivers Ryan Reed and Paulie Harraka finished the session seventh and eighth, just ahead of Alex Kennedy and Sean Corr.

Griffin, GA driver Max Gresham was just outside the top ten, turning in the 11th fastest time with a 49.002 (183.666 mph).

Seven-time and defending Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart ended practice 12th on the speed chart. Last season’s Daytona and season runner-up Chris Buescher was 14th.

In all, 52 cars recorded official practice laps in four hours of practice. 43 will start in Saturday’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, scheduled to air at 4:30 p.m. on SPEED. The starting field will be set today in Menards Pole Qualifying, which will begin at 2 p.m. ARCARacing.com will feature live timing and scoring coverage of qualifying and the race.

For more info, visit ARCARacing.com.

ARCA Racing Series
Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach FL
Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 Practice – Feb. 16, 2012

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