ARCA: Early pileup leaves Ed Pompa last, Toni Breidinger unhappy
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
Pompa next to his car in the Fast Track Racing shop the week before the Daytona race
PHOTO: Andy Hillenburg/@Andy_Team364
Ed Pompa finished last for the 1st time in his ARCA Menards Series career in Friday’s Daytona ARCA 200 at Daytona International Speedway when his No. 10 HYTORC of NW Florida / Double H Ranch Chevrolet fell out with crash damage after completing 3 of 84 laps.
The finish came in Pompa’s 82nd career start.
Pompa has been racing in ARCA since 2006, when he made his series debut with Andy Belmont finishing 25th at Pocono. Since then, Pompa has been a mainstay at Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing. While Fast Track entries are often a part of the “start-and-park” practice, Pompa has consistently run many races to their completion: 62 of his 82 career starts have seen him running at the finish. His lone previous entry on this site came in the ARCA Menards Series East race at Dover two years ago.
Heading into the season-opener at Daytona, a staggering 50 cars appeared on the race’s entry list. Only 40 spots were available for the race, including 34 based on qualifying speeds with the remaining six going to provisionals. The most notable driver who initially failed to qualify for the event was Supercars champion and 2023 Chicago Street Course Cup Series winner Shane van Gisbergen. After losing the draft in his qualifying group, van Gisbergen’s fastest lap placed him 35th in timing and scoring, making him the first driver unable to earn a spot in the field on time. However, following qualifying, CCM Racing and Eric Caudell’s No. 7 Toyota withdrew from the event, bumping van Gisbergen up to 34th and securing the New Zealander a starting spot.
Hunter Deshautelle, ARCA’s 2023 last-place finisher at Daytona, also initially missed the race, but was re-added to the starting lineup as a last-minute replacement for his teammate Bryan Dauzat. Dauzat was scheduled to race in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event as well as the ARCA race, but forecasted inclement weather forced the latter to be moved up to Friday evening. After finishing ninth the Truck race, Dauzat elected to withdraw from the ARCA race as the Truck race had run longer than expected due to several cautions.
Other drivers who missed the show included ARCA Menards Series West regular Takuma Koga, series fan favorite Brayton Laster, and newcomer Cody Dennison, perhaps better known on YouTube under the handle @CAMELOT331. Dennison’s crowdfunded effort placed him 50th and last in qualifying, with the driver later posting on X, “as soon as I took a lap in practice, I knew the car wouldn’t have the horsepower.”
The wreck that took out Pompa was also responsible for several other drivers’ early exits from the race. Entering Turn 1 on Lap 4, Gus Dean moved down a lane before he was clear and made contact with Venturini Motorsports teammate Toni Breidinger. Breidinger was then forced into the path of Jason Kitzmiller, spinning her out and causing a multi-car accident behind them. Having already slowed going through Turn 1, Pompa turned hard left onto the apron in an attempt to avoid the carnage through the infield grass. However, he was unable to do so, running into the back of John Aramendia’s No. 63 Chevrolet, leaving the two 40th and 39th respectively.
The crash also resulted in terminal damage for Breidinger and another Venturini teammate, Kris Wright, who finished 38th right behind Breidinger in 37th. Breidinger expressed her displeasure on X and was visibly upset with Dean in her Fox Sports interview for causing the initial contact, saying, “it’s unfortunate he has a lack of respect for his teammates.” Yet another Venturini entry belonging to Amber Balcaen also sustained damage in the wreck, although she was able to continue and ultimately recover to finish ninth. Rounding out the Bottom Five was Jeff Scofield, who was only able to complete three additional laps after the accident before pulling behind the wall in 36th.
Up front, Dean went on to win the race after the fifth and final Venturini car of Jake Finch was taken out in a last-lap accident. Trans-Am driver Thomas Annunziata, making his ARCA debut, made it through the crash to finish second, while defending ARCA Daytona winner Greg Van Alst backed up his 2023 victory by rounding out the top three.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
40) #10-Ed Pompa / 3 laps / crash
39) #63-John Aramendia / 3 laps / crash
38) #15-Kris Wright / 3 laps / crash
37) #25-Toni Breidinger / 3 laps / crash
36) #07-Jeff Scofield / 6 laps / crash
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES MANUFACTURERS CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Chevrolet (1)
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES OWNERS CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Fast Track Racing (1)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Click HERE throughout the 2024 ARCA season to view the full drivers’ standings for both the ARCA Menards Series and its East and West divisions. You can also find the manufacturers’ and owners’ standings for all three series HERE.
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP
