Photo – JWM
Growing up just minutes from Daytona International Speedway, it has been Michael Lira’s dream to compete at the high banks. For years, he watched his own father race at the track, so from a young age he knew he wanted to do the same. On Saturday, Lira will make his restrictor plate racing debut in the Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200 Driven by General Tire at Daytona.
“It still doesn’t seem real to me…” says Lira. “I’ll be taking the green flag at Daytona International Speedway in a stock car. I feel great about our chances coming out of the test, but win or lose, running this race is a dream come true for me,” Lira continued.
Fellow Floridian, Josh Williams is the crew chief for Lira’s No. 6 Mustang Ford in the 200-mile ARCA Racing Series competition at Daytona.
Lira continued. “It would be pretty cool if we could win Daytona with a Floridian driver and crew chief. Josh [Williams] has been great to work with. It’s great to have someone in a leadership role on the team who has current driving experience.”
Lira began racing in ARCA competition in 2013, finishing a career-best seventh at Salem. After 27 starts in four years, the nineteen year-old Port Orange, Florida driver has collected multiple top-ten finishes while tying his career best qualifying effort of fourth at four different tracks on the ARCA circuit. In addition to his ARCA experience, Michael has competed in the FASCAR Pro Truck Series and the Florida United Pro-Truck Series as well as in Pro Late Model and Super Late Model competition. Lira’s racing resume includes experience behind the wheel in SCCA and IMSA Sports Car competition – including a start in the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2015.
The Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200 Driven by General Tire at Daytona International Speedway will air live on FOX SPORTS 1 Saturday, February 18th at 4:00 pm ET. The ARCA Racing Series takes to the track for practice on Thursday from 4:00-6:00 pm ET. Final practice will take place on Friday from 9:30-10:30 am ET. Qualifying will take place on Friday at 3:30 pm ET (Group Qualifying). The Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200 will consist of 80 laps for 200 miles.