PREVIEW: ARCA East Opener at New Smyrna Speedway

Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/NASCAR via Getty Images

Previewing the ARCA East opener at New Smyrna Speedway for the Race to Stop Suicide 200 on Tuesday evening.

Since 2014 the ARCA Menards Series East has held its season-opening event at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida. So, for the ninth season, the ARCA East will race the half-mile paved oval as part of the track’s nine-day World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. On Tuesday, February 15th drivers will strap in for the Race to Stop Suicide 200 presented by Place of Hope at 7:30 pm ET.

A Dramatic Finish Last Year Sets the Field for More Action in 2022

A part-time driver last year, Max Gutierrez is back to defend his first-place finish. He battled with Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray on the final stretch with a three-wide pass to take the checkered flag. All three drivers are contending this year to set up another wild finish.

Smith and Gray are looking for the win at New Smyrna after coming up just shy last year. Smith is the defending ARCA East champion and had the most dominant car, leading 78 laps. Gray also led 43 laps and had the lead coming to the white flag. Smith drove under Gray in the last corner with contact between the two. That opened the door for Gutierrez to make his move and slide under both drivers for the winning pass.

Gutierrez is one of five drivers also running the ARCA Menards Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 19. The other four drivers are Willie Mullins, Brad Smith, Mason Diaz, and Christian Rose.

ARCA East Debuts at New Smyrna

Making their ARCA East debuts are five drivers including Ashton Higgins, Leland Honeyman, Donald Theetge, Steve Austin, and Daniel Escoto. Higgins is in his own No. 49 ALH Motorsports Toyota. Honeyman recently became part of Young’s Motorsports and will drive the No. 02 Chevrolet. Theetge is planning to run at least two East races for Visconti Motorsports this season. Austin is driving the No. 22 Chevrolet for CCM Racing while Escoto is running the No. 60 Chevrolet for JW Motorsports.

More Returning Drivers for the 2022 Season

Christian Rose is returning after two races last season when he finished tenth at the Las Vegas Bullring and seventh at California’s All-American Speedway in the ARCA West Series. Andrew Tuttle is making his first East Series start since 2018.

Stephanie Moyer is returning after finishing tenth in the East Series point standings last year. She bolstered her ranking with a pair of top-ten finishes in six starts. Andy Hillenburg is racing the No. 01 Toyota and will field cars for Mullins, Ed Pompa, and Tony Cosentino.

The Entry List for the Race to Stop Suicide 200

Before their 200-lap event, drivers will participate in practice and qualify at 3:30 pm ET. During the race, drivers will take a break on pit road at or near 100 laps. Teams cannot add or move tires to or from the pit box after the start of the race. A requirement by ARCA is for all cars to make at least one pit stop before the last ten laps of the race. Teams will have a maximum of 12 tires for the day, with a maximum number of tires allowed in the pit box for use in the race at four.

This year fans can watch all the live action on live streaming at FloRacing, the new streaming home of all NASCAR Roots events.