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Marks And Speed Top ARCA-RE/MAX Qualifiers

Daytona Beach, FL ? Toyota drivers Justin Marks and Scott Speed topped a large field of ARCA RE/MAX qualifiers Friday afternoon at the Daytona International Speedway. Marks soared to the pole position with a speed of 181.335 miles per hour and Speed was a tick of the watch behind at 181.316 mph.

?It was a good lap, and it is a bonus to be on the pole,? said Marks, who is transitioning from ARCA competition to the Craftsman Truck Series in 2008. ?We placed emphasis on the pole, as we wanted to start in the front and to be part of the lead draft. Getting the pole is big for the team and a good morale booster for my Germain team. Even if we didn?t start on the pole, we?ve got a shot at winning the race.? Germain Racing owns the cars and trucks Marks will drive in 2008.

For the F1 transplant, Speed?s lone stock-car experience came in an ARCA race at the Talladega Superspeedway four months ago. The Californian will campaign full time for Eddie Sharp Racing in 2008. ?Qualifying here and at Talladega is all the same,? Speed stated. ?I had nothing to do with the car going so fast; it is all about the team. To have the second fastest car out there is exciting. I think our car is a bit better in the racing set up than it is in qualifying trim. I?m looking forward to the race very much.?

Michael Annett drove his Toyota to the third fastest time and five-time Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart timed fourth in a Chevrolet. ?That was a pretty impressive effort for a bona-fide ARCA team with no factory support. This is the same car I won with last year, and I think winning this race for the sixth time is possible.?

Max Dumarey qualified fifth in a Ford followed by 20-year old USAC star Ricky Stenhouse Jr. grabbed the outside of the third row, also in a Ford. He will be running a full ARCA schedule for Roush Fenway Racing.

Matt Carter (Ford) qualified seventh followed by Landon Cassill (Chevrolet), a development driver for Hendrick Motorsports.

Reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti timed ninth fastest in a Dodge with Kirk Shelmerdine 10th in a Dodge.

Perennial ARCA champion Frank Kimmel had to settle for a provisional, 43rd place starting position. ?It?s a bit of a struggle right now,? he said. ?We don?t have anything (sponsorship) on our Dodge Charger for the season.?

The 43-car ARCA RE/MAX field will take the green flag for the Daytona 200 at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday.

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