Gio Ruggiero wins ARCA Menards Series season opener at Daytona

Lower than 24 hours after he got here up a number of ft wanting a win in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection race at Daytona Worldwide Speedway, Gio Ruggiero obtained redemption. 

The 19-year-old driver earned his first ARCA win after a late crash took out leaders Jake Finch and Gus Dean and despatched the race to extra time. 

Ruggiero pulled away on the restart and was by no means critically challenged for the lead. He led solely the ultimate six laps.

“It is superior, clearly I wished to win final evening and got here up quick,” Ruggiero informed Fox Sports activities. “It obtained hectic there on the finish. I used to be making an attempt to push our lane ahead and the 15 obtained squirrelly and misplaced it.”

Ruggiero, a full-time driver within the Craftsman Truck Collection, can even compete in Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection race at Daytona. 

Notable outcomes

Jake Bollman completed runner-up, with Kole Raz, Daniel Dye and Glen Reen rounding out the top-five. Jack Wooden, Jason Kitzmiller, Ryan Vargas, Bobby Earnhardt and Andy Jankowiak accomplished the highest 10. 

Different notable finishers embody Cleetus McFarland in eleventh, Tim Richmond in twenty third, Alli Owens in thirty fourth, Isabella Robusto in thirty seventh and Mini Tyrrell in thirty eighth. 

Robusto led laps earlier than a mechanical problem ended her day. 

Finch and Dean completed twentieth and twenty ninth, respectively, after their late crash.