In a trend that has seen several young up-and-coming drivers make their way through the ARCA RE/MAX Series as part of a career path to NASCAR, several top NASCAR names have pre-entered their up-and-coming drivers for the Daytona ARCA 200.

From the Yates ranks, Justin Diercks, Stephen Leicht and Matt McCall have all pre-entered the event. Cunningham Motorsports has entered Ganassi Racing's Scott Lagasse, Jr., as part of their Dodge Driver Development Program and Burney Lamar is entered a Kevin Harvick Chevrolet.

In addition, Evernham Motorsports' Erin Crocker is expected to enter the event.

Roush Racing has also entered Danny O'Quinn in a Roulo Brothers Ford. O'Quinn, a contestant in Roush's Driver X: Race for the Ride competition, is no stranger to the ARCA RE/MAX Series.

In six career ARCA RE/MAX Series starts in 2005, O'Quinn finished a career-best 6th three times, at Michigan International Speedway, Gateway International Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway. He also finished twelfth at Chicagoland Speedway, 16th and 37th at Kentucky Speedway.

Lamar, a native of West Sacramento, California, made his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut in 2005 at Talladega Superspeedway, where he finished 6th after starting 10th. He plans to compete in three ARCA RE/MAX Series events in 2006 as well as competing full time in the NASCAR Busch Series for KHI.

Diercks, Leicht, McCall and Lagasse have not yet competed in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, but are anxious to make their series' debuts.

The ARCA RE/MAX Series has continually been known as the place to send young and talented NASCAR hopefuls. The list of current and former NASCAR superstars who won their career-first superspeedway wins while competing with the ARCA RE/MAX Series is long and impressive.

Kyle Petty, Ryan Newman, Adam Petty, Reed Sorenson, Davey Allison, Tracy Leslie, Ernie Irvan, Dick Trickle, Jeff Purvis, Darrell Waltrip, Mike Wallace, Kenny Irwin, Kirk Shelmerdine, Adam Petty, David Keith, Ron Hornaday, Lyndon Amick, Kerry Earnhardt, Damon Lusk, Casey Atwood, Kyle Busch, Casey Mears, Paul Menard, Blake Feese, Ryan Hemphill, Scott Riggs, Joe Ruttman, Mark Martin, Chase Montgomery, Benny Parsons, Ken Schrader, and Michael Waltrip have all won ARCA RE/MAX Series races over the course of the series' rich 53-year history.

However, if this year's crop of developmental drivers are to taste victory at the famed Daytona high-banks, they will have to battle a robust field of ARCA RE/MAX Series full-time competitors and veterans, including defending and seven-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel, who finished second here the last two consecutive years and was recently selected to compete in the 2006 Crown Royal IROC Series. Other series veterans entered include three-time and defending Daytona ARCA 200 winner Bobby Gerhart, who will aim for an unprecedented 4th Daytona ARCA victory this year and has been testing heavily for the race.

The Daytona ARCA 200 at Daytona International Speedway marks the first event of a 23-race season schedule for the 54-year-old ARCA RE/MAX Series. The race will be LIVE on SPEED at 4 pm Eastern on Saturday, February 11, 2006.