Rookie Jake Bollman secured the pole position for the ARCA Menards Series season opener on Saturday, February 14, at Daytona International Speedway, marking a remarkable debut with Nitro Motorsports. Bollman’s qualifying lap of 49.122 seconds narrowly edged out teammate Gus Dean by just a hundredth of a second, positioning Dean second on the starting grid.
Strong Performance from Nitro Motorsports in Qualifying
Nitro Motorsports dominated the top starting positions, with Isabella Robusto qualifying third on the second row alongside Sean Corr in fourth place. Daniel Dye, returning to ARCA competition with Sigma Performance Services for the first time since 2022, secured fifth position. Sharing the third row with Dye is Garrett Mitchell, known as Cleetus McFarland, who earned his best career ARCA start at sixth.
The remainder of the top ten qualifiers include Derek White in seventh, Bobby Dale Earnhardt eighth, Mini Tyrrell ninth, and Gio Ruggiero rounding out the tenth spot.
Qualifying Setbacks and Drivers Missing the Race
Jason Kitzmiller faced a penalty, having his qualifying time disallowed and will start in the 40th position using a provisional spot. With 50 entrants vying for only 40 available slots, ten drivers did not qualify for the General Tire 200. Among those missing the race were Bob Martin, Andrew Patterson, Ron Vandermier Jr., Kole Raz, Steve Lewis Jr., Dale Shearer, Tony Cosentino, Greg Van Alst, and Nick White. Notably, Cosentino is expected to compete full time in the upcoming season.
Race Details and Broadcast Information
The season-opening General Tire 200 will commence at 12 p.m. ET, with live coverage available on FOX. This event marks the beginning of the ARCA Menards Series calendar, with fans anticipating a competitive and intense race at Daytona International Speedway.
“Jake Bollman will be the polesitter for this weekend’s #ARCA Menards Series race at Daytona. Here are the qualifying results: pic.twitter.com/vy7SXM0pij” — Toby Christie, ARCA Reporter
Significance of the Qualifying Results
Jake Bollman’s surprising pole in his first ARCA start highlights Nitro Motorsports’ strong foothold early in the season, suggesting they may be a significant contender in the General Tire 200. With high-profile drivers like Gus Dean and Isabella Robusto also leading the grid, the race promises intense competition and could shape the trajectory of the 2026 ARCA season.
Jake Bollman will be the polesitter for this weekend's #ARCA Menards Series race at Daytona. Here are the qualifying results: pic.twitter.com/vy7SXM0pij
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) February 13, 2026
