ARCA Menards Series names 2026 Road to Daytona participants

TEMPERANCE, Mich. – Several grass roots champions and rookies of the year will make their first laps at Daytona International Speedway during the ARCA Menards Series “Road to Daytona” program at the series’ annual pre-race practice on Jan. 9-10.

Drivers from the ARCA Menards Series East and West, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Weekly Series, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, and ASA Southern Super Series will make laps in cars prepared by 1995 ARCA Menards Series national champion (Indiana) Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track High Performance Racing Team with support from Ilmor, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco, Eibach Springs, and JRI Shocks.

*Isaac Kitzmiller – 16 years old from Maysville, West Virginia, Kitzmiller is the 2025 ARCA Menards Series East champion. The son of ARCA Menards Series driver Jason Kitzmiller, Isaac drove to the East Series championship with three top-five and eight top-10 finishes in eight starts including a best finish of fourth at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and Dover Motor Speedway.

*Robbie Kennealy – 19 years old from Madera, California, Kennealy is the 2025 ARCA Menards Series West Bounty Rookie of the Year. Kennealy scored an emotional first career victory at All American Speedway from the pole, winning a year after his father Gary passed away. He finished third in the West standings with 10 top-10 finishes in 12 starts.

*Craig Lutz – 31-year-old from Miller Place, New York, Lutz was the third-place finisher in the 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour standings. He has six career NWMT wins, including two in 2025 at North Wilkesboro Speedway and Richmond Raceway. A perennial contender at the annual World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway, Lutz had nine top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 16 NWMT starts in 2025.

*Kody King – 18 years old from Cedar Lake, Iowa, King is the 2025 ASA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year; finished fifth in 2025 ASAMWT standings with one top-five finish in 10 starts. King is the 2022 late model champion at Hawkeye Downs Speedway and finished fifth in the 2022 CARS Tour Pro Late Model standings.

*Brad May – 48 years old from Orlando, Florida, May is a multiple-time Super Late Model champion at New Smyrna Speedway and NASCAR Weekly Series Florida State champion. May scored seven feature wins in nine starts en route to the 2025 track championship.

*Albert Francis – 24 years old from Painesville, Ohio, the son of renowned engine builder Dale Francis, finished sixth in the ASA CRA Super Series standings. Francis scored an impressive win in the ASA JEGS All-Star Tour at Winchester Speedway the day before the Winchester 400.

*Hudson Bulger – 18 years old from Perry, Georgia, Bulger will represent the ASA Southern Super Series. He was the 2024 rookie of the year at New Smyrna Speedway before branching out to touring series competition in 2025.

Notable Road to Daytona participants over the years include 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ty Majeski (2014), former ARCA Menards Series race winner and current mechanic for Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 48 Chevrolet Travis Braden (2013), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship contender Layne Riggs (2022), former Daytona ARCA 200 winner Greg Van Alst (2020), and former NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore (2024).

The 2026 ARCA Menards Series season kicks off at Daytona with practice on Thursday, February 12, Pole Qualifying on Friday, February 13, and the 63rd Annual Daytona ARCA 200 set for 12 noon ET on Saturday, February 14. The race will be televised live on FOX and broadcast nationwide on select affiliates of the MRN Radio Network. Live timing & scoring for all on track sessions is available at ARCARacing.com.

Note that Isaac Kitzmiller will have a special waiver for his testing. NASCAR imposes a minimum age of 18 for participation at ovals longer than 2,000 meters in lower series or anywhere in the Cup Series, a rule dating to the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement in 1998.

In 2013, NASCAR imposed tobacco bans at shorter tracks and road courses in order to comply with the new Craftsman Truck Series rule allowing drivers as young as 16 to participate at ovals 2,000 meters and shorter along with all road courses. In 2026, the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will allow 17 year old drivers with the same rule, which will go into effect in Austin when 17-year old drivers can participate in races. Historically, Pocono Raceway has allowed 17-year old drivers in ARCA races. 16 year old drivers can run short tracks in ARCA East or West but are banned from intermediate and superspeedways.

Super Late Model stars who have never participated are chosen by ARCA. Merit, not funds, determine who gets a test.

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