Gio Ruggerio Daytona ARCA Menards Series victory

There was plenty of significance behind Gio Ruggiero’s victory Saturday in the General Tire 200 at Daytona International Speedway.

Not only was it Ruggiero’s first triumph in the national ARCA Menards Series, but it also marked the first time Joe Gibbs Racing prevailed at Daytona on the platform.

Joe Gibbs Racing has emerged as one of the most efficient ARCA Menards Series programs during the 2020s with multiple victories and championships, but Daytona was a track that had consistently eluded them. Now the organization has an ARCA Menards Series win added to its long list of Daytona accomplishments that includes four Daytona 500 trophies.

Ruggiero was no stranger to success on drafting tracks entering Saturday’s 80-lap race, having earned his maiden NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win at Talladega Superspeedway last year. The comfort Ruggiero has found on drafting tracks is why he felt confident about winning the General Tire 200 in a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

“Obviously last year, my first ever race in the Truck Series, I finished second,” Ruggiero said. “I think there was a little bit of luck in that with the winner being DQ’d. Since then, I’ve had really strong cars and feel like I’ve just made the right moves on the superspeedways.”