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73 Team Repairs Heavy Damage After an Early Wreck, Andy Jankowiak Moves Through the Field to Finish Eighth in the ARCA Menards Series Season Opener
By Mike Twist
It took the KLAS Motorsports team and driver Andy Jankowiak 140 days to prepare for the Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente 200 at Daytona International Speedway (FL). It then took only three laps on Saturday afternoon for their #73 Ford to be caught up in a wild multi-car wreck during the race that kicked off the 2025 ARCA Menards Series season.
The team had ended their 2024 season on a high note back in September at Kansas Speedway. Jankowiak battled for the victory in that race and finished seventh. So hopes were high to start the new season off in a similar way. Even after the early bad luck, the #73 team refused to accept the fate of dropping out of the Daytona race early.
Jankowiak drove away from Saturday’s wreck with heavy damage to the left side, right side and rear panels of the #73. Armed with duct tape and various hand tools, the KLAS Motorsports team restored their ride on pit road and got it back onto the track two laps down to the race leaders. Jankowiak would then make up those laps, run as high as third and finish the 200-mile race in the eighth position.
If the team had retired from the race immediately after the wreck, they would have not even finished in the top 35.
“We were wrecked on every corner of the racecar and by all rights, our race was over,” said Jankowiak. “However, I drive for KLAS Motorsports and we don’t give up easy.
“With three laps to go, we were fighting for second (place). We were leading the outside line with the fenders flapping in the breeze and we were still trying to win the race. We got shuffled out (of the draft) and finished eighth.”
The KLAS team was supported by a roster of valued marketing partners at Daytona including Phillips 66 Lubricants, Acacia Energy, Whelen Engineering Company, Inc., Suntric Renewable Energy, Gladiator Fence, Automotive Consultants of Ithaca, Dak’s Market, Florida Safety Systems, Mike Sells Golf Carts, Yukon Creek Sportsman Club, Rusty Diamond Cores and Latina Boulevard Foods.
In addition, the team was “Racing for Jeff MacRae” at Daytona. MacRae is a concert photographer and friend of the team who is battling cancer. A get-well message for Jeff was shown on the quarter panel of the #73 car at Daytona.
The General Tire 150 is next on the ARCA Menards Series schedule. The race will take place at Phoenix International Raceway (AZ) on March 7th and will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 starting at 8pm ET.
