Staff
Steve Arpin watched the lightning, then drove like it.
The Fort Frances native captured his first-ever checkered flag on the Red Bull Global Rallycross auto racing circuit Saturday during a doubleheader weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
Arpin, who now makes his home in Cornelius, N.C., tasted victory for the first time in four seasons and showed his second-place finish at his previous outing in Dallas was a sign of better things to come.
He was second in his opening heat Saturday, which featured persistent lightning that pushed the schedule back.
But Arpin then won his second heat and the semi-final before navigating the 10-lap final in a time of 7:17.724 to edge Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Brian Deegan by just under three seconds (7:20.486) and also giving his team its first rallycross triumph.
There would be no weekend sweep for Arpin, though, as he placed sixth in yesterday’s final (6:35.258).
That was 9.5 seconds behind winner Tanner Foust of Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross (6:25.634).
Arpin’s efforts at Daytona also catapulted him into second place in the driver standings with 201 points, just four back of Foust (205).
The next stop will be another doubleheader at the tour’s most unique racing location, the Marine Corps Air Station New River army base in Jacksonville, N.C., on July 2-3.
Action both days will be broadcast live on NBCSN starting at 4 p.m.
