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July 31, 2020

Toledo Speedway


August 1, 2020

Toledo Speedway


August 9, 2020

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ARCA Menards Series News and Rumors

  • Bret Holmes scores first career victory at Kansas Speedway: Bret Holmes finally got to experience the emotions of standing in victory lane with a dominating performance Friday night in the Dawn 150 at Kansas Speedway. The 23-year-old Munford, Alabama, driver put the family-owned No. 23 Holmes II Excavation Chevrolet out front for 82 laps and crossed the finish line 14.458 seconds ahead of runner-up Ryan Repko. It was the first career win in his 69th career start for Holmes, who began racing in the series as a 19-year-old in 2016. "We’ve been working so hard for this," said Holmes, who had led 42 laps in his career and just 17 before this season. "I’ve been working my whole life for this. My team did this for me. It’s been a long tough road. I just thank my family and my friends. They believed in me when I didn’t." Riley Herbst, who started on the pole because the starting lineup was set by owner’s points, finished third. Corey Heim was fourth and Tanner Gray overcame an early penalty to take fifth. Championship points leader Michael Self was sixth. It was his eighth straight top 10 to start the season but also represented back-to-back finishes outside the top five. That has allowed Holmes to chop Self’s points lead down to nine. Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-25-20)
  • Drew Dollar picks up primary sponsorship from Sunbelt Rentals: Venturini Motorsports and Drew Dollar are pleased to welcome Sunbelt Rentals to the team as the primary sponsor on the No. 15 Toyota Camry for the duration of the 2020 ARCA Menards Series season. With a passionate team of 15,000 rental experts, a growing network of over 900 locations and an extensive equipment fleet that exceeds $10 billion, Sunbelt Rentals helps professionals and do-it-yourselfers get things done. With a highly diversified offering of equipment, solutions and services available, [Sunbelt Rentals assists] customers throughout North America extend their capabilities, complete projects on-time and handle times of crisis. (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (07-24-20)
  • Tanner Gray secures new sponsor for Kansas: [Tanner] Gray’s No. 17 Ford Fusion will have a new look. Pneumatech will be the primary sponsor for the race. Since 1966, Pneumatech has provided industry-leading compressed air and gas treatment solutions to production facilities across the globe. Its innovative machines and accessories provide clean, dry air and gas to industries such as automotive, textile, power generation, oil & gas, food & beverage, and electronics. They design equipment that is easy to configure, transport, use and maintain, and they provide responsive service globally to ensure you get the most out of your equipment over its long lifetime. Furthermore, they have the capability to engineer products to fit your specific applications. (In part from DGR-Crosley PR) (07-24-20)
  • 18 cars on Kansas entry list: Eighteen cars are entered for Friday's Dawn 150 at Kansas Speedway. Notable entries include #01 Mike Basham, #06 Con Nicolopoulos, #8 Russ Lane, #11 Tyler Hill, #12 Corey Heim, #18 Riley Herbst, #20 Ryan Repko, #22 Derek Griffith, #69 Eric Caudell, and #97 Jason Kitzmiller. Full Entry List (07-23-20)
  • Ty Gibbs wins the Shore Lunch 150 at Iowa Speedway: Ty Gibbs dominated the Shore Lunch 150 in yet another impressive performance. Gibbs led 140 laps en route to his second straight win and the third in his last four starts. Throw in an ARCA Menards Series East win earlier this summer and the West finale to close out 2019, and Gibbs has won five of his last eight starts across all three. While he fended off challenges from Chandler Smith, Hailie Deegan and Sam Mayer at various points of the race, his No. 18 Monster / Terrible Herbst Toyota finished 1.410 seconds ahead of Mayer. Mayer appeared to be closing fast in the final laps but scrapped the wall and was unable to complete the final charge. Bret Holmes finished third, followed by Chandler Smith and Taylor Gray. Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-19-20)
  • Kody Swanson to drive for Chad Bryant Racing at Iowa: USAC Silver Crown Series champion Kody Swanson will make his ARCA Menards Series debut for Chad Bryant Racing in Saturday afternoon’s Shore Lunch 150 at Iowa Speedway. A three-time and reigning Little 500 winner, Swanson will drive the No. 22 Fatheadz Eyewear Ford. Following his first USAC Silver Crown Series championship in 2014, Swanson had the opportunity to test an ARCA car at Daytona International Speedway in preseason testing, but Saturday’s race will be the first in the series’ composite-style race car. "This is an unbelievable opportunity for me," said Swanson. "I’m excited to take this next leap in my racing career and compete in the ARCA Menards Series at Iowa Speedway with a winning-race team." Longtime marketing partner Fatheadz Eyewear has expanded its relationship with Swanson for his ARCA debut in a primary role. "We are excited to extend and grow our relationship with Kody this year as he embarks on this next opportunity in the ARCA Menards Series," said Rico Elmore, Founder and CEO of Fatheadz Inc. "Kody has been a great ambassador of our brands for the past few years and we’re excited to be associated again with him as he transitions into stock car racing with Chad Bryant Racing." (In part from ChadBryantRacing.com) (07-15-20)
  • ARCA adds more 2020 race dates: The Automobile Racing Club of America has solidified the balance of its schedule through August for the ARCA Menards Series following NASCAR's recent schedule update for the top three national tours. The ARCA Menards Series will run a doubleheader at the sanctioning body’s hometown track in Toledo, Ohio, on July 31 and August 1. The Friday night/Saturday night doubleheader at Toledo Speedway will mark the first time since 1956 that the series has run a pair of races on the same weekend in Toledo. And it is also the series’ first weekend doubleheader since 2003 when weather forced the June race at Pocono Raceway to be moved to back-to-back days during the track’s July race weekend. The ARCA Menards Series will also be part of a doubleheader with the NASCAR Gander Trucks on Friday, July 24 at Kansas Speedway and a NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader on Sunday, August 9 at Michigan International Speedway. That sets the table for a historic weekend at Daytona International Speedway August 14-16. The ARCA Menards Series will join the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander Trucks for their first races on the storied 3.56-mile Daytona road course. The ARCA Menards Series race on August 14 replaces ARCA’s first scheduled visit to Watkins Glen since 2001. The ARCA Menards Series will close out the month of August at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, which was originally slated for August 2. The ARCA Menards Series will compete on Saturday evening, August 29, with the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES running on Sunday, August 30. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-14-20)
  • Ty Gibbs wins at Kentucky: Ty Gibbs kept his race car off the wall and, in the end, put it in Victory Lane. The Charlotte, North Carolina, managed to avoid spinning into the wall while battling for the lead with just under 40 laps to go, and then charged back to the front to win the General Tire 150 Saturday afternoon at Kentucky Speedway. [Bret] Holmes, who was chasing his first career win in 67 starts, instead had to settle for a career-best second-place. [Michael] Self wound up making his way back through as well to salvage a third-place run. It was his sixth straight top 10 to start the season. Sam Mayer and Drew Dollar were fourth and fifth, respectively. Ryan Repko finished sixth, followed by Derek Griffith, Ryan Huff, Tanner Gray and Jason Kitzmiller. Hailie Deegan, who entered the race second in points behind Self, was involved in an accident on Lap 77 after contact with Dollar while running fourth and finished 14th. That moved Holmes and Dollar to second in points, each 22 back of Self, and dropped Deegan to fourth. She is 24 points out of the lead. Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-11-20)
  • 17 cars entered for the General Tire 150 at Kentucky: Seventeen cars are entered for Saturday night's General Tire 150 at Kentucky Speedway. Entries include #06 Don Thompson, #11 Willie Mullins, #12 Dick Doheny, #17 Tanner Gray, #18 Ty Gibbs, #20 Ryan Repko, #21 Sam Mayer, #22 Derek Griffith, #69 Scott Melton, and #97 Jason Kitzmiller. All cars will make the event that will air on FOX Sports 1 at 2:30 PM ET. Full Entry List (07-09-20)
  • Thad Moffitt secures primary sponsorship for Memphis: DGR-Crosley [has] announced that CleanPacs brand by Aqua ChemPacs will be the primary sponsor of Thad Moffitt’s No. 46 Ford in the ARCA Menards Series race at Memphis International Raceway on Saturday, Sept. 26, as well as an associate sponsor for his remaining ARCA races in 2020. Aqua ChemPacs is the industry leader in 100 percent dissolvable concentrated liquid chemical packs. Moffitt, the 19-year-old grandson of NASCAR legend Richard Petty, is scheduled to compete in most of the ARCA Menards Series races this season in his first year with DGR-Crosley. “I’m thrilled Aqua ChemPacs decided to join our team,” Moffitt said. “They are committed to producing environmentally-friendly products. Every time an Aqua ChemPac bottle is reused that is one less bottle that is reaching a landfill, or ending up in our oceans and lakes. I’m proud to represent a company which believes in protecting our environment and has high-quality cleaning products for commercial and residential use." (In part from DGR-Crosley PR) (07-09-20)
  • ARCA announces additional race dates: NASCAR today announced its schedule of events through August for all three national series and the ARCA Menards Series, which includes two additional NASCAR Cup Series doubleheaders and two separate stops – on two different courses – at Daytona International Speedway. The ARCA Menards Series will feature three combination event weekends with the NASCAR national series: at Michigan International Speedway, the Daytona International Speedway road course, and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. In addition, the ARCA Menards Series East will race at Dover International Speedway. ARCA Racing officials are working on additional stand-alone dates for the ARCA Menards, East and West series. The latest installment of the 2020 schedule is as follows:
    • Sunday, Aug. 9: Michigan (1:00 PM on MAVTV)
    • Friday, Aug. 14: Daytona Road Course (5:00 PM on MAVTV)
    • Friday, Aug. 21: Dover *ARCA East* (2:00 PM on TrackPass)
    • Saturday, Aug. 29: WWT Raceway (6:00 PM on MAVTV)
    Schedule locations, dates, times and networks are subject to change. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-09-20)
  • Chandler Smith wins at Lucas Oil Raceway: Chandler Smith drove away from the field en route to his ninth win in 23 career starts with a dominating performance in Friday night’s Calypso Lemonade 200. After finishing second to Gibbs last week at Pocono Raceway, Smith — who won the General Tire Pole Award earlier in the day — retook the lead in the No. 20 JBL Audio Toyota from Gibbs on Lap 39 and never relinquished it. Sam Mayer closed on his back bumper with under 10 laps remaining, but after they cleared the car of seventh-place Bret Holmes, Smith was able to stretch the lead back out again and win by .899 seconds on the .686-mile oval. Mayer settled for second, followed by Hailie Deegan. Tayor Gray, 15, finished fourth in his ARCA Menards Series debut, and Thad Moffitt was fifth. Max McLaughlin was sixth, the last car on the lead lap, followed by Holmes. Championship points leader Michael Self finished seventh. He had to pit late in the race for a flat tire after giving up third to Deegan, and lost two laps. Howie DiSavino III and Kyle Sieg rounded out the top 10. Self maintained his points lead of 12 over Hailie Deegan. Drew Dollar, who experienced mechanical issues at the second break and finished 14th, dropped to third – 19 behind Self. Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-03-20)
  • 20 cars entered for Lucas Oil: Twenty cars are entered for Friday night's race at Lucas Oil Raceway. Entries include #06 Tim Richmond, #1 Max McLaughlin, #21 Sam Mayer, #22 Derek Griffith, #32 Howie DiSavino III, #42 Kyle Sieg, #46 Thad Moffitt, #69 Brian Finney, and #91 Justin Carroll. Full Entry List (07-01-20)
  • Kyle Sieg to race at Lucas Oil with Bruce Cook / RSS Racing: RSS Racing has announced that Kyle Sieg will race in the Calypso Lemonade 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway. The team has purchased ARCA cars and it will be led by Bruce Cook, who took over majority ownership of Finley Racing this year. RSS Racing is seeking sponsorship for Friday night's race. (In part from RSS Racing Twitter) (07-01-20)
  • Ty Gibbs wins at Pocono Raceway: Once Ty Gibbs got out front, it was game over. The 17-year-old North Carolina driver dominated the General Tire #ANYWHEREISPOSSIBLE 200 at Pocono Raceway Friday en route to his third career ARCA Menards Series win. To get the victory, Gibbs out-ran runner up Chandler Smith and third-place Sam Mayer, who were celebrating their 18th and 17th birthdays, respectively, on race day. Bret Holmes finished fourth and championship points leader Michael Self was fifth. Hailie Deegan, Derek Griffit, Drew Dollar, Ryan Huff and Scott Melton rounded out the top 10. Self was able to improve his points lead to 15 on Dollar and 16 on Deegan after four races. Holmes, who picked up his second straight top five in ARCA Menards Series is 24 back of Self. Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (06-26-20)
  • Peterson Motorsports withdraws entry from Pocono; Tim Richmond will not race: Peterson Motorsports has withdrawn its No. 0 entry from the General Tire #ANYWHEREISPOSSIBLE 200 event at Pocono Raceway. The team was unable to compete with an Ilmor engine after two engine issues at Talladega, which led to Tim Richmond deciding not to race. Don Thompson will drive the No. 06 entry. Thompson is not expected to finish the event. (06-26-20)
  • Drew Dollar wins the General Tire 200 at Talladega: Drew Dollar had the best view of the battle between race leaders Riley Herbst and Michael Self. And when Self began to go around in a spin on the Talladega Superspeedway backstretch with two laps remaining, it was Dollar who was perfectly positioned. The 19-year-old from Atlanta took the high lane, avoided the wreck, and drove the No. 15 Lynx Capital-Dollar Concrete his first career ARCA Menards Series victory Saturday in the General Tire 200 at Talladega. "I definitely needed this one," said Dollar. "The Venturini guys gave me the best car out here today. Had the best team, had the best spotter in the stands, Joe White. He guided me through. We lost a family member over the break, so it’s definitely an emotional one. And this ones for him, I know he’s watching up above." Dollar edged Ryan Repko at the line by .115 seconds, as the Venturini Motorsports teammates held off third-place Bret Holmes on the final lap. Herbst finished fourth. Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (06-20-20)
  • ARCA announces Talladega broadcast team; Crafton & Bodine: Matt Crafton and Todd Bodine have combined to win five of the last 14 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series championships. They’ll bring that experience to the broadcast booth Saturday at Talladega SuperSpeedway when the team up for the FS1 airing of the General Tire 200 at Talladega. The General Tire 200 will be the third championship points race of the ARCA Menards Series season. It will broadcast live at 2 p.m. ET. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (06-19-20)
  • Willie Mullins to race at Talladega with help from Fast Track: Willie Mullins didn’t plan on racing this weekend at Alabama's Talladega Superspeedway, but a phone call from an ARCA Menards Series champion changed his plans. Earlier this week Mullins got a phone call from 1995 ARCA Menards Series champion Andy Hillenburg, who was wondering if Mullins would be competing during Saturday’s General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. "My superspeedway car was down in Mooresville at my crew chief Tony Furr’s shop," Mullins explained. "Andy Hillenburg reached out to me to see if I would be racing at Talladega this weekend and I told him no, unfortunately we just don’t have the money to do it." It was at that point Hillenburg offered Mullins a deal: Hillenburg would transport the car and provide the crew so the team could compete during Saturday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. Mullins, 39, thought it over and decided to accept the offer so he could make his second ARCA Menards Series start of the season and first Talladega Superspeedway since the 2017 season. "Andy offered to take the car down and support it with his crew so I could get back on track," Mullins said. "Basically Andy Hillenburg is helping me out to get back to racing even though our business doesn’t have the funds right now to do it. It’s amazing that Andy would offer to lend us a hand so we could go racing and I’ll be forever thankful for that kindness." As part of the agreement to compete in Saturday’s event at Talladega, Mullins’ No. 3 Ford will be renumbered with Hillenburg’s No. 11. The car will carry sponsorship from Bugsy’s Auto and Crow Wing Recycling. (In part from Mullins Racing PR) (06-18-20)
  • 21 cars entered for Talladega: Twenty-one cars are entered for Saturday's General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. Entries include #7 Eric Caudell, #8 Sean Corr, #10 Ryan Huff, #11 Tommy Vigh Jr, #12 Ed Pompa, #17 Tanner Gray, #20 Ryan Repko, #22 Brandon Lynn, #32 Gus Dean, #69 Scott Melton, and #97 Jason Kitzmiller. The race will begin at 2:00 PM ET and will be televised on FOX Sports 1. Full Entry List (06-16-20)
  • ARCA moves Charlotte race to Kentucky (July 11th): Due to a realignment in the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, the ARCA Menards Series race originally scheduled for Charlotte Motor Speedway will now be held on Saturday, July 11, at Kentucky Speedway. The race will be carried live on FS1 with the broadcast start time yet to be determined. Simultaneously, the ARCA Menards Series event at Elko Speedway, originally scheduled for July 11, has been postponed and will be rescheduled later in the season. "The ARCA Menards Series has a rich history at Kentucky Speedway, and we’re excited to return," ARCA President Ron Drager said. "Our teams are ready for the challenge and we know our fans watching at home will be treated to an exciting race." This marks the ARCA Menards Series’ first race at the challenging 1.5-mile tri-oval since 2017. Current NASCAR Cup Series drivers like Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell and Corey LaJoie have all captured ARCA Menards Series wins in the Bluegrass State. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (06-16-20)
  • Brandon Lynn joins Chad Bryant Racing for Talladega & Watkins Glen: Chad Bryant Racing officially announced today that Polkton, N.C. native Brandon Lynn will drive the team’s mainstay No. 22 Ford Fusion in the upcoming ARCA Menards Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on June 20, 2020. The upcoming race will mark the return of competition in the ARCA Menards Series since being on hiatus since early March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Carolina Excavation will support the 25-year-old’s efforts as the primary partner of his 12th career ARCA race. Carolina Excavation is a residential subdivision total site development company for the developers around the Charlotte region. They specialize in site cleaning work, mass grading, fine grading, utility work, asphalt, and curb. “I’m very thankful for this opportunity with Chad Bryant Racing,” said Lynn. “The team has always had a lot of speed at the superspeedways and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do on the track. Talladega has always been one of my better tracks in ARCA competition and I hope I’m able to showcase that with Chad Bryant Racing and contend for the win in a few weeks.” In addition to Talladega, Lynn will return with Chad Bryant Racing later this summer for the scheduled Aug. 14 race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. (In part from ChadBryantRacing.com) (06-05-20)
  • Gus Dean competing at Talladega with Win-Tron Racing: [When] the ARCA Menards Series emerges from nearly a three-month hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic at Talladega on June 20th, Dean will be there and hope to rekindle the magic from four years ago. Dean will return to Win-Tron Racing for his 53rd career ARCA start under the leadership of veteran Jamie Jones who has worked with the two-time ARCA winner for the last 25 races. “I can’t wait to get back to Talladega in a couple of weeks,” said Dean. “Talladega will always be a special place for me, but it’s also one of my favorite race tracks. I am excited to get back there with Jamie (Jones), Kevin (Cywinski) and the rest of my Win-Tron Racing guys and hunt for a win. “We had a good car again at Daytona and were just biding our time, missed the big wreck and then a bunch of cars tried to avoid running into the pace car and we got wrecked under caution. It was a major bummer because I thought we had a car capable of winning. “Jamie and the guys though have repaired the car and we keep counting down the days to Talladega.” MashOnIt Apparel Co. will support Dean’s effort for his second ARCA Menards Series start of the season. (In part from Catchfence.com) (06-05-20)
  • ARCA announces additional race dates: NASCAR [has] announced the next installment of events in its return to racing, featuring races at Pocono Raceway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The announcement included the rescheduling of three ARCA Menards Series events, which will be held in conjunction with NASCAR Cup Series race weekends.
    • Pocono Raceway, Friday, June 26 (6 p.m. ET on FS1)
    • Charlotte Motor Speedway, Wednesday, July 15 (4 p.m. on FS1)
    • Kansas Speedway, Friday, July 24 (10 p.m. on FS1)
    The Kansas date is realigned from Chicagoland Speedway, originally scheduled for June 18. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (06-05-20)
  • ARCA Menards Series returning on June 20th at Talladega: The ARCA Menards Series will resume its 2020 schedule with a return to the race track at Talladega Superspeedway. The General Tire 200 at Talladega will run on Saturday, June 20, at 2 p.m. ET, and air live on FS1. "Talladega Superspeedway holds a unique and special place in ARCA’s history, and we are eager for the ARCA Menards Series to return to action on June 20 at Talladega," said ARCA Racing President Ron Drager. "We will continue to work closely with the industry to ensure a safe return to racing, and we look forward to sharing the return dates for the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West in the coming days." The General Tire 200 was originally scheduled for Friday, May 22, but was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. All ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and West races through May 21, have postponed as series officials continue to work with tracks and local government officials to determine new race dates. The ARCA Menards Series continues working on rescheduling races slated for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Michigan International Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway in June. The ARCA Menards Series event at Iowa Speedway remains scheduled for July 18, as part of the NTT IndyCar Series weekend. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (05-14-20)
  • KBR Development shuts down; selling equipment: KBR Development, which has competed in the ARCA Menards Series since 2018, has announced that it has shut down. Team owner Mike Bursley posted the following message on the team's website announcing the decision.
    Bursley:     "In the 20+ years that I've been involved in motorsports as either a team member, driver, crew chief, a manufacturer, owner, or representing an organization in the sport, I’ve been blessed to have worked side by side with a number of great people along with a lot of the past and present industry leaders. Over those years, together we have won our fair share of races all while losing our share. We’ve set records, battled through many sleepless nights rebuilding cars and traveling, been involved in different rivalries and altercations, and along the way met a number of great people/friends. Through all that, I’ve been blessed to have either been crowned or part of a number of different Championships but like most things eventually they come to an end. To all the past and present team members, the number of different drivers, the variety of marketing partners, customers, to my family and the people that have supported & cheered along over the years, I want to say THANK YOU, it's been fun and was quite the ride." *KBR will be posting items/contact info and selling off the remainder of its assets over the next few weeks. (Trailers, ARCA Cars, ARCA & Late Model Engines, Late Model Cars, Pit Boxes, Tools, Radios, Shocks, Springs, Scales, Shop Equipment, Track Equipment, Pull Down Rigs, Etc.) (In part from KBRDevelopment.com) (05-10-20)
  • Charlotte race postponed until a later date due to COVID-19: ARCA has postponed the Friday, May 22nd ARCA Menards Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway until a later date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ARCA's full statement is as follows:
    STATEMENT:     "The ARCA Menards Series General Tire 150 scheduled for Friday, May 22 at Charlotte Motor Speedway has been postponed until a later date. We look forward to resuming our season soon and will share more details at the appropriate time." (In part from ARCARacing.com) (04-30-20)
  • Bill Venturini cancer free after chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery: Bill Venturini, ARCA champion and owner of Venturini Motorsports, has posted on Facebook that he is cancer free after treatment for stage 3 rectal cancer. Venturini took to Facebook to share the news:
    Venturini:     "Back in June I was diagnosed with rectal cancer, stage 3. It was also in my lymph nodes. After 6 months of Chemo and the 30 straight days of radiation, then 8 more weeks anticipating what’s going to. Today was the day to remove tumor and see how we have done. Dr. Dobson (Dr. McDreamy) as the nurses call him is the best. He tried a relatively new approach to this. Chemo, radiation, then surgery. The good NEWS, I’m still alive,Cancer is gone, tumor surgery when better than expected. As soon as we all can get back to The thing that we love,RACING, I am planning on being there." (In part from ARCARacing.com) (04-06-20)
  • Racing postponed due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: ARCA Menards Series officials have announced that races have been postponed through May 3rd due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read ARCA's full statement below:
    STATEMENT:     "Our top priority is the health and safety of our fans, competitors and racing communities. In conjunction with NASCAR, all ARCA Menards Series race events – including the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West – are postponed through May 3. We will share future rescheduling information as it is determined." (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-16-20)
  • Brad Smith unable to compete at Phoenix due to engine compatibility issues: Veteran driver Brad Smith was unable to race in the General Tire 150 at Phoenix due to engine compatibility issues after losing his only Ilmor 396 motor at Daytona. Smith took to Twitter to explain why the team withdrew from the event.
    Smith:     "We're very disappointed in having to miss @phoenixraceway. After losing the Ilmor in Daytona we had to revert to a used Legacy motor we had. Although swapping engines is routine in racing, changing from an Ilmor to a Legacy is not. They're architecturally different. Different fuel systems different oiling systems different ignition systems, and different wiring. Although we overcame all the obstacles as we encounterd them we simply ran out of time. It took more a analyzation in what needed to be changed in the underdash wiring & we simply ran out of time. Thanks to everyone for your help and support! See you at @Salem_Speedway!" (In part from Twitter.com) (03-09-20)
  • Chandler Smith wins the General Tire 150 at Phoenix: [Chandler Smith] used pit strategy to get his No. 20 JBL Toyota out front of the ARCA Menards Series field, and he held off Ty Gibbs and Michael Self in a two-lap sprint to the finish to win Friday night’s General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway. The race was also the first of 10 races in the Sioux Chief Showdown. On the last pit stop, Smith’s team elected to change just two tires, which allowed him to start at the front. The victory was Smith’s eighth in 21 ARCA Menards Series starts. He is running the full Sioux Chief Showdown schedule, as well as the ARCA Menards Series races at Kansas, Pocono and Springfield. Michael Self, the Daytona winner, overcame early electrical issues to nip Gibbs at the line by .022 seconds for second. Gibbs, who was fastest in practice and won the General Tire Pole Award, settled for a disappointing third-place finish. “I kicked their butts all day, the car was just so good,” said Gibbs, who led two times for a race-high 22 laps. “We drove away from them and at the end there, we just got jacked. I was happy with how we ran. It just sucks what happend at the end.” (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-09-20)
  • Thad Moffitt returns to DGR-Crolsey for Phoenix: Thad Moffitt is excited to head to Phoenix Raceway for Friday’s General Tire 150 after earning his best career ARCA Menards Series finish at Daytona International Speedway last month. Moffitt drove his No. 46 Richard Petty Performance Plus Motor Oil Ford Fusion to a fifth-place finish in his first start with DGR-Crosley and only his second start at Daytona. This race will be a new experience for Moffitt since he has never raced at Phoenix Raceway. To prepare, he has spent many hours watching film of past races, practicing on the simulator and talking to his teammates and co-owner, David Gilliland, about what to expect at the one-mile oval. Moffitt will also be sporting a new look at Phoenix after getting his long red locks cut off last week for a good cause. Moffitt donated his hair to “Children With Hair Loss” last Tuesday while at Victory Junction. Six-time Victory Junction camper Kaylin Allison had the honor of cutting off 10 inches of his curly red hair for the donation. (In part from DGR-Crosley PR) (03-05-20)
  • MRN To Broadcast Select ARCA races: Race fans will have even more ways to follow all the action from the ARCA Menards Series. MRN will broadcast 10 more races, including Friday’s General Tire 150 from Phoenix Raceway, from the 2020 schedule. The season kicked off with flag-to-flag coverage of the season-opening Lucas Oil 200 Driven By General Tire from Daytona International Speedway in February, and will include four races that are part of the Sioux Chief Showdown. Fans will be able to listen on MRN.com, through the Race Center page on ARCARacing.com, and NASCAR.com. The MRN broadcasts will also air on SiriusXM on their play-by-play channel, 385, and online/app at 985. [Races include Phoenix, Talladega, Charlotte, Mid-Ohio, Michigan, Chicagoland, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Bristol, and Kansas]. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-05-20)
  • ARCA Daytona Season Opener Moves to February 13th in 2021: Daytona International Speedway has announced adjustments to the traditional 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening race week – changing the course of the popular Busch Clash race and condensing the schedule of Daytona Speedweeks. Among the changes, the traditional ARCA Menards Series season opener will become a double-header with the NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener on Saturday, Feb. 13, with the “The Great American Race,” the Daytona 500, will take place Feb. 14, putting an exclamation point on the week of speed. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-05-20)
  • Hailie Deegan picks up sponsorship for Phoenix and Charlotte: Hailie Deegan will carry Toter colors on her No.4 Ford Fusion for the ARCA Menard’s Series races at Phoenix (March 6) and Charlotte (May 22), and carry the brand as an associate sponsor throughout the season. “I’m really excited to partner with [parent company] Wastequip and glad they are supporting me in the most crucial time of my career, helping me develop and further my skill set to break down barriers as we stay focused on winning,” said the 18-year-old, who joined Ford’s driver development program at the end of last year. Toter manufactures two-wheeled curbside waste and recycling collection bins. “I’ve seen Hailie race, and I’ve been very impressed with her drive, toughness and entrepreneurship,” said Marty Bryant, CEO of Wastequip. “Further, her winning spirit and dedication to her sport align perfectly with Toter’s ‘Built for Extremes’ commitment — she’s a tough fighter in a crowded space who won’t settle for anything short of leading the field.” (In part from Racer.com) (02-13-20)
  • Michael Self wins the Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona: Michael Self’s 2019 season ended one spot short of a championship. In the 2020 season opener, he made sure to put the field on notice, dominating from the pole to win the Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire for the second time in the last three years. “It’s unbelievable. I can tell you the second time is every bit as sweet as the first,” he said. “And to do it with this group of people around me. Sinclair Oil, Toyota, my family here, a bunch of my friends here. It’s no secret, it’s a little extra special to come to Daytona. And to do it here with these guys makes it more special on top of that. Just a truly amazing day for us a little bit surreal.” The victory is the third straight Daytona win for Venturini Motorsports (Self in 2018, Harrison Burton in 2019) and fourth overall for the organization. In her DGR-Crosley and Ford debut, Hailie Deegan drove her way to a runner-up finish, her best career result and tying the best result for a female in the ARCA Menards Series. Self’s Venturini teammate, Drew Dollar, finished third in his first career series start, with Sean Corr and Thad Moffitt rounding out the top five. Jason White scored a career-best finish of sixth, with Riley Herbst, Willie Mullins, Bret Holmes and Scott Melton completing the top 10. Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (02-08-20)
  • Dominique Van Wieringen running partial schedule with Rette Jones Racing: Rette Jones Racing announced today that siblings Dominique and Tristan Van Wieringen will double down and compete in ARCA Menards Series competition beginning with Saturday afternoon’s Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire. Dominique Van Wieringen will drive the team’s No. 30 DuroByte Ford Fusion in this weekend’s ARCA Menards Series season-opener, while brother Tristan will take the wheel two days later on Monday night at New Smyrna Speedway for the ARCA Menards Series East season-opener. Overall, Dominique Van Wieringen is planning to compete in a number of ARCA Menards Series races, while Tristan is set to return to the East Series and run for the series’ championship in 2020. Other races slated for Dominique Van Wieringen include Talladega Superspeedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Kansas Speedway. As for Daytona, Dominique Van Wieringen returns to the 2.5-mile superspeedway after setting the fastest time in preseason testing last month. Saturday’s 80-lap race will mark her ARCA Menards Series debut. “I’m really excited about getting this opportunity to compete at Daytona for Rette Jones Racing,” said Dominique Van Wieringen, a veteran of ARCA East competition. “As we proved last month, we have a really fast race car and I can’t wait to get on the track and showcase that speed once again and have the opportunity to race for a win in my ARCA debut. It’s going to be a lot of fun.” (In part from RetteJonesRacing.com) (02-06-20)
  • Willie Mullins racing at Daytona & New Smyrna: Willie Mullins and Mullins Racing are going to mix a little bit of old with a little bit of new this year in Florida. Mullins and the No. 3 Crow Wing Recycling Ford team will open the ARCA Menards Series season on Saturday, Feb. 8 by competing in the Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire at Daytona International Speedway. Following the race at Daytona, Mullins Racing will travel to New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on Feb. 10 to compete in the Skips Western Outfitters 175, the season opener for the ARCA Menards Series East. "We’re going to do the double I guess you could call it," Mullins said. "That’s our plan. We’re going to try and stick to it and see what happens." Mullins returns to Daytona this year in search of redemption. One year ago Mullins qualified a career-best fourth for the ARCA Menards Series opener, but a crash on the third lap of competition brought a premature end to his day. "We’re cautiously optimistic again," said Mullins, who finished second in the ARCA opener at Daytona in 2018. "We just need to not make any mistakes. I, as a driver, I can’t make mistakes like I did last year. We have a good car and we were solid in the test down there a few weeks ago, we just need to carry that into the race. We want to come out of there with a top-10." Typically Mullins Racing would return home to Fredericksburg, Va., following the race at Daytona. However, thanks to the unification of the rulebooks between the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East and West, the opportunity presented itself for the team to compete at New Smyrna Speedway. (In part from Mullins Racing PR) (02-04-20)
  • Max Force Racing extends UNOH partnership: For the eighth consecutive season, Thomas "Moose" Praytor is partnering with the University of Northwestern Ohio, (UNOH) utilizing students from their High Performance Motorsports Program. UNOH students Collin Peterson, Christopher Wolford, Kai Campbell and Tim Winecoff will begin working with Praytor in the ARCA Season Opener at Daytona International Speedway next week. "Over the years we’ve had a lot of UNOH students work with our race team. We take a lot of pride in the guys we’ve trained that have moved on to NASCAR after finishing their school," offered Praytor. "UNOH’s Adam Lowe was my crew chief when we finished 5th in the point standings and former UNOH Intern Tevin Bair returned to our team this year after spending 2 seasons in NASCAR Xfinity Series." Located in Lima, Ohio, UNOH’s High Performance Motorsports program was created in 1992 and has been training students with the latest technology available in the industry since. (In part from Max Force Racing PR) (02-01-20)