Michael Self Does the Double as ARCA Menards Series Kicks off Daytona Race Weekend

Michael Self completed the season double at the Daytona International Speedway with a win in the ARCA Menards Series race on Friday. The ARCA Menards race kicked off the first NASCAR weekend at the 3.61-mile, 14 turn Daytona Road Course, with Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series races to follow. Michael Self had earlier won the season opener at Daytona in February.

On Friday, he sealed the sweep at the course in the General Tire 100 race, for his ninth career win in the ARCA Menards Series. It was his second win overall for the season as well. Self came through in an exciting battle for the top spot against Ty Gibbs, winning comfortably in the end.

Tough conditions at Daytona

Earlier, the race saw a shortened practice session due to weather conditions. Lightning close to the track then delayed the start by three hours and forced the race to be run under lights.

Self and Gibbs then dominated the race from the very beginning. Colin Braun, a NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series driver finished in third place, after entering the race midway. Braun came in as a substitute driver for Sam Mayer at the halfway mark. Mayer had suffered a hand injury in a crash during a Trans-Am race last week.

Taylor Gray and Will Rodgers finished in fourth and fifth places, respectively. And Hailie Deegan finished in sixth place.

Michael Self and Ty Gibbs’ battle for the top spot

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Self and Gibbs fought for the lead with constant shifts in momentum for the two. Self, who drives the #25 Sinclair Lubricants Toyota, started the race in second place and Gibbs used the backstretch chicane well to take the lead in the first lap. The lead was back to Self before the halfway mark. Gibbs then jumped right back to the lead on lap 18 with just 10 laps to go. But Self stayed close, found his chance, and earned the lead again with six laps to go and held it to finish 6.993 seconds ahead of Gibbs.

Self extended his lead over Bret Holmes in the ARCA Menards Series to 15 points with the win. Drew Dollar and Deegan are tied on third place, 56 points behind Self.

Also read – NASCAR Set for Debut at the Daytona Road Course – All You Need to Know