James Buescher Takes the Checkered Flag in the ARCA Slick Mist 200

The 46th running of the ARCA Re/Max Slick Mist 200 was full of attrition and excitement.

It all began at 4 p.m. when the No. 6 of Justin Lofton and Florida native Alli Owens brought the field to the green flag.

The 200 mile race featured Lofton leading the first 35 laps. 

Young Moto-cross superstar (and Kevin Harvick Inc. Development driver) Ricky Carmicheal had high hopes, but those hopes were shattered in an early wreck. Carmichael's wreck was the first of six wrecks in what could have been called the wreck fest 200.

It didn't take long until Owens wrecked with Steve Arpin and several others, 14 I do believe.

The third wreck happened when the No. 29 of Mikey Kile got into the two laps down car of Mario Gooseling. Included in the wreck was John Ferrier, Matt Carter, and many others.

Then at lap 50 Micheal Phelps' No. 39 wrecked all alone to bring out the fourth caution.

The fifth caution was one of the biggest let downs when five time Daytona ARCA winner Bobby Gerhart blew a Hooiser tire and hit the wall. The wreck was pretty severe and sent Gerhart to the Halifax Medical Center for precautions. Two years ago Gerhart suffered a broken neck at Pocono Speedway in Pennsylvania.

Wreck number six was the most horrific of the day as the No. 6 of Lofton got into the No. 60 of Patrick Sherta then hit the outside wall. The wreck didn't look bad until the No. 27 of Larry Hollenbeck crashed into the back of Sherta.

It took emergency crews 20 minutes to extract the two drivers and then both were sent to Halifax Medical Center. This all happened with six laps to go. Also involved in the final caution was the biggest heartbreak of the day as Frank Kimmelwas also spun out.

With four laps to go the red flag was displayed and the cars were parked on the high banks of turn one.  

ARCA rules do not include green-white-checkered, so after the red flag was lifted the green and white flag flew with James Buesher leading the pack and Joey Logano close behind. Lofton took the green flag in third and a three-way drag race on the final lap began.

As the clocked rolled over to 6:45, Buescher held off a late charge by Logano to take the checkered flag.

Earlier in the race, Logano was parked for one lap after one of his crew members went over the wall without a helmet. (The crew member was also the eighth over the wall.)

Buescher became the third youngest driver to win in the ARCA Series at Daytona Speedway. He also joined a list of first time winners who took their first trip to Victory Lane at Daytona. The list includes: Kyle Petty, Tim Richmond, and Kyle Busch.

Congrats to Buescher and his Wolfpack Toyota.

Final Results

FIN	STR	NO	DRIVER/HOMETOWN	TEAM & CAR	LAPS	STATUS
1	7	32	James Buescher/Plano TX	Wolfpack Rentals Toyota	80	Running
2	3	25	Joey Logano/Middletown CT	Home Depot Toyota	80	Running
3	1	6	Justin Lofton/Westmorland CA	Lofton Cattle Toyota	80	Running
4	28	09	John Wes Townley/Watkinsville GA	Zaxby's Franchising Ford	80	Running
5	29	4	Ken Weaver/Dallas TX	1-800-4-A-Phone/Tricolor Dodge	80	Running
6	27	00	Ed Kennedy/Coppell TX	Thunder 2-Daytona Lagoon Chevrolet	80	Running
7	30	77	Parker Kligerman/Westport CT	Cunningham Motorsports Driver Development Dodge	80	Running
8	34	2	Tim George Jr./Petaluma CA	Ruby Tuesday Toyota	80	Running
9	38	34	Darrell Basham/Henryville IN	Anti Monkey Butt Powder-Eagle Hoist & Winch-Heatwell Chevy	80	Running
10	37	84	Norm Benning/Pittsburgh PA	Shodeen Chevrolet	80	Running
11	24	44	Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN	Ansell-Menards Ford