Jason Jarrett, the son
of 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Dale
Jarrett, announced on Dec. 9 that he will run
the complete 25-race ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule
in 2001.
Driving Chevrolet Monte
Carlos fielded by ML Motorsports of Winona Lake,
Ind., the third-generation driver began his new
endeavor in ARCA RE/MAX Series Daytona testing
Dec. 15-17 in preparation for the Feb. 11 Discount
Auto Parts ARCA 200 at Daytona International Speedway
in Florida.
"I'm excited because
I'm running in the ARCA RE/MAX Series at the best
possible time," Jarrett says. "Over the past few
years the level of competition and quality of
teams competing in the series has increased each
season; and it's at an all-time high as we head
into 2001. The expansion of the ARCA speedway
schedule will make even more drivers and teams
take notice of the crucial experience such a strong
schedule provides. This is definitely my best
opportunity yet in this business."
Beginning with the 2001
season, RE/MAX has assumed title sponsorship of
ARCA's premier racing series - a circuit that
began in 1953. The three-year sponsorship contract
will take RE/MAX through the seriesŐ 50th anniversary
in 2003. Series racing events are expected to
be viewed by 800,000 live spectators and 23 million
television viewers - instantly doubling the brand-name
awareness RE/MAX gains through its involvement
in motorsports.
Jarrett debuted in ARCA
RE/MAX Series competition in Charlotte, N.C.,
last fall. The 25-year-old racer borrowed a car
from fellow ARCA and NASCAR Busch Series competitor
Lyndon Amick and turned a third-place starting
position into a fourth-place finish with a solid
run at the front of the field throughout the race.
ML Motorsports fielded
Chevrolets for Plymouth, Ind., driver Brian Ross
in the ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2000 and finished
fourth in points, earning Ross the Prestone ARCA
Rookie of the Year award.
A record 41 ARCA RE/MAX
Series teams checked in through the gates at Daytona
International Speedway for a three day test session
Dec. 15-17 in preparation for the upcoming Feb.
11th Discount Auto Parts ARCA 200.
It will be the first
event under RE/MAX sponsorship of ARCA's premier
racing series and kicks off a 25-race season.
Three-time ARCA RE/MAX
Series winner Ryan Newman, in Roger Penske's Ford
Taurus, posted the quickest speed overall at 186.997
mph just before the final bell rang. Newman was
under the careful eye of NASCAR veteran driver/TV
analyst Buddy Baker, who was first in line at
the garage gate all weekend.
While Baker kept a close
watch on Newman, NASCAR legend Red Farmer kept
a keen eye on third-generation driver Jason Jarrett,
who along with '99 Daytona ARCA 200 winner Bobby
Gerhart in the Greektown Casinos Chevy shared
second-quick honors at 185.406 mph.
Shawna Robinson, in
the Michael Kranefuss Ford Taurus, was fourth
in line at 185.056 in front of Birmingport, Ala.,
driver Mike Harmon, who tested James Hylton's
Chevy at 184.619.
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