MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 9, 2016) – As one of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards premier driver development teams, Cunningham Motorsports is returning to Daytona International Speedway this season with two rookies – Chase Briscoe and Kevin Thomas, Jr. (KTJ).
Both of the Cunningham drivers will be competing for ARCA’s SCOTT Rookie of the Year honors, as well as the championship. Briscoe has made two previous ARCA Series starts in 2015, finishing a career-best fifth at Salem Speedway. Briscoe will drive the No. 77 Cunningham Motorsports Dodge at Daytona.
“Getting to race at Daytona is an honor,” Briscoe said. “Growing up, it’s one of those tracks, just like Indianapolis, where every racecar driver dreams of racing. A win there would be unbelievable. Cunningham Motorsports always brings fantastic racecars. We have a really good shot at this one.”
Thomas, Jr. will be making his ARCA Series debut at Daytona in the No. 22 Bakken Concrete/KT Construction Services Dodge. Both teams participated in the open test at Daytona. Thomas got limited practice during the test because he was also running the Chili Bowl Nationals in a Kevin Swindell Midget.
“I am excited to get the season started,” Thomas said. “We have a good car and the team is working well with one another. Daytona is going to be a great experience. Hopefully we can make the right moves, at the right time. We are hoping to accomplish our goals and come out with a good finish.”
After competing against each other for the past six years, Briscoe and Thomas are now teammates. Each hopes to learn from the other.
“It’s going to be really nice working with KTJ all year,” Briscoe added. “It will be great to be able to talk about what the car is doing with someone who has the same background as I do.”
Both Briscoe and Thomas have open-wheel backgrounds. Cunningham Motorsports has earned five of the last seven SCOTT Rookie of the Year titles.
The 53rd annual Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona is live on FS1 Saturday, February 13 and precedes NASCAR’s same-night Sprint Unlimited. The ARCA Racing Series takes to the track for practice Thursday from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Friday following final practice Friday morning (9:30 – 10:30 a.m.). ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring and live chat for all on-track activities.
~ Cunningham Motorsports Press Release ~