Making his eighth career ARCA Menards Series start in Friday’s Henry Ford Health 200 at Michigan International Speedway, Cleetus McFarland, driving the No. 30 BaldEagle.com Ford Mustang for Rette Jones Racing, will lead the field to green.
Posting a lap time of 38.987 seconds (184.676mph), McFarland collected his first career pole position in the ARCA Menards Series, and the first for Ford Performance since last May at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
It’s the first pole for the Rette Jones Racing organization in its ARCA Menards Series tenure, aside from a joint effort with REV Racing and Landen Lewis at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in 2022.
ARCA Menards Series points leader Jake Bollman was second quickest in the session, with Lanie Buice, whose Pinnacle Racing Group No. 77 Chevrolet was fastest in practice, settling into third. Connor Mosack was fourth with Gio Ruggerio, driving the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing, rounding out the top five in the starting order.
Gavan Boschele, Will Kimmel, Andy Jankowiak, Wesley Slimp, and Ryan Vargas completed the top-10 in qualifying. Thomas Annunziata, after being fast in the series’ sole practice session, qualified 13th.
With several cautions over the course of the 25-minute qualifying session on Friday, a number of drivers did not get the opportunity to post a lap: Squirrel McNutt (George Siciliano), Kyle Steckly, Isabella Robusto, and Dystany Spurlock.
McFarland is scheduled to run double-duty at Michigan International Speedway this weekend, competing in the ARCA Menards Series event for Rette Jones Racing, as well as making his second NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start behind the wheel of the No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Niece Motorsports.
The Bradenton, Florida-native is one week removed from making his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Nashville Superspeedway, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing – where he finished 35th after multiple pit road penalties in the final stage.
The Henry Ford Health 200 at Michigan will take place on Friday, June 5, at 5:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 2.
