The 2022 season takes the green flag this Friday and Saturday, March 18-19 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. While ARCA Menards Series East will headline the weekend, it’s just one of five different classes racing over the two-night period.
The weekend begins on Friday night with racing at 8 PM featuring the Faith Chapel Outlaws, the Dock Sportsmen, and the Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks. It will be the first night of the season for the three local classes, staple divisions at the speedway.
Then Saturday night, the young up-and-coming stars of ARCA will be racing in the Pensacola 200. Sammy Smith, last year’s winner, will battle it out with fellow ARCA Menards Series East front-runner Taylor Gray. The pair finished first and second in the season opening event at New Smyrna Speedway. Gray also picked up an emotional win at Phoenix last weekend after losing his hauler driver, Steven Stotts in a fatal crash.
Local fans will also be watching the 2021 Outlaw track champion, Jake Finch, of Lynn Haven, FL. The 16-year-old driver will be making his first ARCA start at the track where he has plenty of experience. Last season, Finch claimed one victory and five top five’s in eight starts to take the championship.
Rounding out the weekend’s classes will be the Vore’s Compact Touring Series powered by Mercer County Electric. 36 drivers are on the entry list, set to race in the Pest Doctor 40. The 36 drivers come from across the country with 9 different states represented. The series made their first Five Flags Speedway appearance last season when Indiana’s Kyle Frame claimed the win.
Grandstands open at 3:00 PM Friday with practice from 3:00-6:25 for Vore’s Compacts and the three local classes. Local division qualifying is at 7:00 with racing at 8:00.
On Saturday, grandstands open at 12:00 PM with practice from 2:00-4:00 for ARCA and Vore’s Compacts. ARCA General Tire Pole Qualifying is at 4:30 with the Pest Doctor 40 for Vore’s at 5:00. An ARCA autograph session is set for 6:00 with the Pensacola 200 to take the green shortly after 7:00.
A lot of exciting racing action is making its way back to the land of palm trees and sunshine. Advance sale reserved and general admission tickets for this incredible double-header are now available by calling the ARCA Ticket Hotline at 850.941.4343. Tickets will also be available at the gate on each of the two race days.
Track Enterprises PR
