Danica Patrick helped put the three-day ARCA stock car test at Daytona International Speedway in the spotlight along with other regulars and newcomers.
In her first foray into the professional stock car world the most popular IndyCar driver sped around the high-bank 2.5 mile oval with a top time of 49.442 second or 82.028 mph lap, placing her fifth among 29 drivers who participated in the Sunday afternoon portion of testing. Patrick and her team also spent portions of Sunday making simulated pit stops.
More important than outright speed Danica Patrick turned 92-laps in her main car, a Chevrolet Impala, and 12 in her backup in an effort to get her used to the ARCA cars which are more than twice as heavy as her Dallara/Honda in the IRL.
There were nine other women in the test including her IRL rival Milka Duno, of Venezuela. I knew what I was capable of if given a great car,” said Milka. Her Sunday afternoon effort was curtailed due to an engine problem. “Braun Racing’s No. 90 Toyota Camry was a great car and had we been able to complete today’s test I’m confident that I would have gone even faster than yesterday. I think given that this was my first time behind the wheel of a stock car the test was a great success and a strong indicator of my potential in stock car competition.”
India’s Narain Karthikeyan and Hong Kong’s Darryl O’Young did not test on Sunday.
Mikey Kile, who plans to run the full 20-race ARCA Racing Series schedule in 2010, recorded the fastest time of the weekend with a 49.164 second/183.061 mph lap on Saturday afternoon while drafting with Venturini Motorsports teammates Steve Arpin and Alli Owens.
In her first foray into the professional stock car world the most popular IndyCar driver sped around the high-bank 2.5 mile oval with a top time of 49.442 second or 82.028 mph lap, placing her fifth among 29 drivers who participated in the Sunday afternoon portion of testing. Patrick and her team also spent portions of Sunday making simulated pit stops.
More important than outright speed Danica Patrick turned 92-laps in her main car, a Chevrolet Impala, and 12 in her backup in an effort to get her used to the ARCA cars which are more than twice as heavy as her Dallara/Honda in the IRL.
There were nine other women in the test including her IRL rival Milka Duno, of Venezuela. I knew what I was capable of if given a great car,” said Milka. Her Sunday afternoon effort was curtailed due to an engine problem. “Braun Racing’s No. 90 Toyota Camry was a great car and had we been able to complete today’s test I’m confident that I would have gone even faster than yesterday. I think given that this was my first time behind the wheel of a stock car the test was a great success and a strong indicator of my potential in stock car competition.”
India’s Narain Karthikeyan and Hong Kong’s Darryl O’Young did not test on Sunday.
Mikey Kile, who plans to run the full 20-race ARCA Racing Series schedule in 2010, recorded the fastest time of the weekend with a 49.164 second/183.061 mph lap on Saturday afternoon while drafting with Venturini Motorsports teammates Steve Arpin and Alli Owens.