ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200: Results, Reaction, Leaders and Post-Race Analysis

Bobby Gerhart pulled off an improbable victory at the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, starting off the 2012 ARCA season with his eighth win at Daytona International Speedway.

Gerhart claimed pole position on Friday after posting an insanely fast lap of 183.479 mph. Unfortunately, his engine failed the post-race inspection, and Gerhart was forced to start 42nd.

However, that didn't stop the seasoned vet from adding another memorable victory to his resume. He took advantage of some poor decisions by other drivers and executed a textbook sling shot maneuver on the final lap to move from fifth to first.

The wild finish amazed everyone, including Dave Rodman of Nascar.com.

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Holy Smokes! Bobby Gerhart proves for the 8th time @DISupdates that old age,treachery, great pit strategy and #badass crew chief prevail

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It was the eighth time Gerhart took first place at Daytona. As one race fan identified only as "Tony" pointed out, Gerhart would own ARCA if they had more races on the legendary track.

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Too bad for Bobby Gerhart that ARCA doesn't only run at Daytona.

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Unfortunately for Gerhart, ARCA likes to throw a little diversity into their season.

What It Means

Gerhart started off 2012 on the right foot, but his past success at Daytona hasn't always translated to a big year. It will be interesting to see if he can build on this momentum.

Although Gerhart will get all the headlines, Drew Charlson (second), Brett Hudson (third) and Nelson Canache (fourth) all had solid races.

What's Next

Next up is the the Mobile ARCA 200 at Mobile International Speedway. The race will be held on March 10.