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NASCAR Nationwide Series
ARCA: Patrick Mid-Pack In Saturday Session
Danica Patrick turned four laps at Daytona on Friday...
Tom Jensen  |  Posted December 19, 2009   Daytona Beach, FL
Danica Patrick is getting more laps in today at Daytona International Speedway as she practices for her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in 2010. (Photo: Getty Images)

Danica Patrick may have brought some much-needed visibility to this weekend’s ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards test at Daytona International Speedway, but it was Venturini Motorsports who continued to make news on the track Saturday.

Patrick’s new two-year deal to drive a NASCAR Nationwide Series car part-time for JR Motorsports includes a stock-car debut next Feb. 6 in the ARCA season-opener at Daytona, which is why she is testing this weekend.

In Saturday’s first session, the 27-year-old IndyCar star turned a best lap of 179.183 miles per hour in her No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, which put her 25th during practice and one position ahead of her old open-wheel foe, Milka Duno, who is driving a Braun Racing Toyota.

Shortly before the end of the session, it was Patrick Sheltra who set fastest time of the morning, ripping off a best lap of 181.811 mph.

Then came the three Venturini Motorsports Chevys, which were also tops in Friday’s abbreviated session. This time out, the fastest of the three was Mikey Kile at 181.411 mph. He was trailed by teammates Steve Arpin at 181.284 mph and Alii Owens, 181.280 mph. Completing the top five was Steven Blackburn.

Saturday morning’s practice, like Friday’s, featured only single-car runs. Saturday afternoon’s session, which runs from 1-5 p.m., will include drafting practice around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

For live timing and scoring of Saturday's on track activity at Daytona, visit www.arcaracing.com.

And for much more on the Daytona test, including exclusive video and photography check back at SPEEDtv.com throughout the day.

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of ?Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,? and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to




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