
ARCA Menards Series News and Rumors
- Con
Nicolopoulos joins Tim Richmond Racing for Pocono: Con
Nicolopoulos Racing is pleased to announce a partnership with Tim
Richmond Racing to compete in the ARCA Menards Series General Tire
Delivers 200 at Pocono Raceway on Friday, July 22, 2022. Con will make
his seventh career Pocono start behind the wheel of the No. 27 Tim
Richmond Racing Toyota sponsored by Mountain View Property Management,
Track Dogs Racing, and Quantum eSports. “I’m
thrilled to have the chance to partner with the Richmond family and our
amazing sponsors to race in the ARCA Menards Series at Pocono this
July" said Nicolopoulos. "What began as a favor between friends to run
just a few laps for points reasons has now evolved into one of the most
exciting opportunities of my career. This would not have been possible
without the support of my sponsors Mountain View Property Management,
Track Dogs Racing, and Quantum eSports who came on board to back a full
race effort. Thank you to Dave, Tim, Spencer, Darrell, Ryan, Josh, and
David for making this race possible for me.” (In part from Con
Nicolopoulos Racing PR) (07-02-22)
- Joe Cooksey
& Ken Schrader join Fast Track Racing for DuQuoin:
[Joe] Cooksey has no idea who will be on his crew at DuQuoin. What he
does know for now is that he’ll be driving a car fielded by
Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing team in the Sept. 4
Southern Illinois 100. As a bonus, Cooksey will be a teammate to
three-time DuQuoin ARCA winner Ken Schrader, who is also driving for
Hillenburg. According to Cooksey, the plan is to have a great time yet
when it comes down to business, neither driver will be sharing any
serious notes. “He’ll do his thing and
I’ll do mine,” Cooksey said.
“We’ll poke around with each other and have a great
time but we’re each in it to win it. Besides, the last time I
asked Schrader for advice, all he said was, ‘You’ve
got three pedals and a steering wheel; just figure it out.’
“We’re definitely serious about it, but no matter
what it’s going to be a good time. Andy (Hillenburg) is
generally excited. We’ll come out with years of stories out
of one weekend. It’s gonna be good, but he (Hillenburg) also
knows he’ll have a better chance with the two of us in his
cars. But when the race starts, I’m as serious as a heart
attack. It doesn’t matter who it is. Once we start racing,
it’s every man (and woman) for himself.” (In part
from ARCARacing.com)
(06-30-22)
- Clubb Racing
fielding two cars at Mid Ohio for Rita Thomason & Casey Carden:
When the field takes the green on Friday, July 8 for
the Dawn 150 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio,
Clubb Racing will have two cars in the field: Rita Thomason in the
team’s flagship No. 03, and Casey Carden in the No. 3.
Thomason, known as “The Racing Cop,” will make her
second start in the ARCA Menards Series. She finished 12th earlier this
season in the Zinsser Smart Coat 200 at Michigan’s Berlin
Raceway. Thomason is looking for a good run, as she will feel back at
home on a road course. Thomason started racing in 2018 with autocross
and then moved into spec Miata before making the jump to the ARCA
Menards Series. Carden will make his ARCA Menards Series debut at
Mid-Ohio. He comes from a road racing background with starts in a
variety of sports cars, including the former IMSA Continental Tire
Challenge Series and Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series. Carden currently
manages Denton Carden Racing, which specializes in sports car racing
preparation as well as driver coaching. Carden will be driving the No.
3 Beachy Blooms/Denton Carden Racing/Layne Denton Band Ford Fusion.
Clubb Racing will be borrowing the No. 3 from Willie and Dinah Mullins
of Mullins Racing in the same fashion the No. 03 was used for races at
Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway earlier this
year. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for both cars. The
Dawn 150 at Mid-Ohio is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. ET on Friday, July
8, and the race will broadcast live on FS1 with a live stream available
on the Fox Sports App. (ARCARacing.com)
(06-29-22)
- Sammy Smith
dominates at Elko Speedway: Last week Sammy Smith needed
a bit of luck to win his first ARCA Menards Series race at
Michigan’s Berlin Raceway. That wasn’t the case
Saturday at Elko Speedway as the driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Kyle
Busch Motorsports dominated the Menards 250 to earn his second ARCA
Menards Series victory in as many weeks. “This one feels way
better, to win it like this. We kicked their butts today,”
Smith said after his dominant run. “Thanks to the whole
team.” Smith swept the day at Elko Speedway. He opened the
afternoon by topping practice and followed that up by earning the
General Tire Pole Award for the Menards 250 during qualifying. [Jesse]
Love chased Smith, but he was never able to seriously challenge him and
was forced to settle for second. Landon Pembelton, making his ARCA
Menards Series debut, finished a strong third for Venturini Motorsports
in the No. 15 Toyota after racing within the top-five throughout the
evening. Taylor Gray finished fourth after spinning to bring out the
first caution of the race and Daniel Dye completed the top-five. Full
Results (In part from ARCARacing.com)
(06-26-22)
- 20 cars
entered for Elko Speedway: Twenty cars are entered for
tomorrow's Menards 250 at Elko Speedway. Noteable entries include #03
Alex Clubb, #7 Colton Collins, #11 Bryce Haugeberg, #12 Willie Mullins,
#15 Landon Pembelton, #17 Taylor Gray, #20 Jesse Love, #27 Dallas
Frueh, #55 Tom Hessert, and #66 Ron Vandermeir Jr. Full
Entry List (06-23-22)
- Colton
Collins making ARCA debut at Elko with CCM Racing: CCM
Racing is excited to announce that 17-year-old Oklahoma native Colton
Collins will be making his ARCA Racing Series debut this weekend at
Elko Speedway. Collins, who is a regular crew member for CCM Racing,
will be piloting the No. 7 Chevrolet in this weekend’s
Menards 250 with sponsorship from Safari Joe’s H2O, a
Tulsa-based water and adventure park about 20 miles east of
Collins’ hometown of Mannford. Much of Collins’
racing background comes from quarter midgets, having earned multiple
championships and race wins around the state of Oklahoma and Midwestern
United States over the course of his career. More recently he has
competed in the Baby Grand and Super Trucks classes at Bolivar Speedway
in Missouri. Getting to race in a major stock car racing series like
ARCA is the fulfillment of a long-time dream for him. "I’m
very excited to be making my ARCA debut this weekend," said Collins.
"I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long
time and am hoping to make the best of it. Thank you to CCM Racing and
team owner Eric Caudell for the opportunity and to Safari
Joe’s H2O for coming on board, along with our other partners,
RedTide Canopies and Coble Enterprises." (In part from CCM
Racing PR) (06-23-22)
- ARCA
announces new technology partner: The Automobile Racing
Club of America
(ARCA) and Creek Enterprise have reached an agreement that will
designate the Adrian, Michigan-based company an official technology
partner of the ARCA Menards Series. Creek Enterprise becomes
ARCA’s first IT services partner and a founding member of
organization’s new Tech Partner Platform. Creek Enterprise
will also have the ability to create partnerships with the entire
portfolio of ARCA partners. The company offers a wide variety of
technical services ranging from Infrastructure, Network, Applications
Management, Cloud, Fiber, Voice, Technical Protection, Security,
Surveillance and Access Control Services. "There are a lot of
motorsports fans at Creek Enterprise, and we are very much looking
forward to kicking off our partnership with the ARCA Menards
Series,” said Jason Derby, president of Creek Enterprise.
“We were led to a partnership with ARCA through a previous
partnership in the NASCAR series. We’ve already learned a
lot, including the incredible knack ARCA has for creating solid
business-to-business partnerships. ARCA has a long history with a
sizeable and dedicated fan base, but we still feel like this
opportunity is one of the best kept secrets in racing.” (In
part from ARCARacing.com)
(06-23-22)
- Sammy Smith
wins at Berlin Raceway: With 10 laps left, it appeared as
though Sammy Smith would have to settle for second during the Zinsser
SmartCoat 200 Saturday at Berlin Raceway. Then, in the blink of an eye,
everything changed. Race-long leader Daniel Dye suddenly slowed with a
mechanical problem with seven laps left, allowing Smith to chase down
and pass him to take the lead. Smith would lead the final half dozen
laps aboard the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to earn his first
ARCA Menards Series victory in his sixth series start.
Saturday’s race was also apart of the Sioux Chief Showdown.
“That sucks for them. They deserved to win that one. We got
lucky today,” Smith said. “Some days it’s
better to be lucky than good.” Smith had raced inside the
top-five throughout the evening, but admitted that he had nothing for
the dominant Dye until the No. 43 GMS Racing Chevrolet suddenly slowed
in the final laps. “We weren’t the best car today
and I feel like we need to get better,” Smith said.
“We’ll continue to work hard and move on to
Elko.” Full
Results (In part from ARCARacing.com)
(06-19-22)
- Ryan Unzicker
& Hendren Motorsports returning for dirt races: [Ryan]
Unzicker and team owner Bill Hendren have indicated to ARCA Menards
Series officials they will once again return to the one-mile dirt ovals
at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds to
chase not only the victory trophies, but the Performance Seed Dirt
Double $50,000 bonus, as well. For the first time in series history, if
a driver can win both races on the two one-mile dirt tracks, they will
earn a $50,000 bonus. The last time a driver swept both dirt races in
the same season was 2009, when Parker Kligerman won them both. (In part
from ARCARacing.com)
(06-17-22)
- Illinois
State Fairgrounds signs title race sponsor: Atlas Roofing
Corporation has signed on as the title sponsor of the ARCA Menards
Series race on the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
The Atlas 100 is set for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT on Sunday, August 21 and
will be televised live on MAVTV. It marks the first involvement for
Atlas with the series. Based in Atlanta, Atlas Roofing Corporation
manufactures roof shingles, polyiso insulation, molded polystyrene, and
paper and coated facers for new construction, remodels, and
renovations. "We always look forward to the summer months because
that’s prime roofing season," said Stanley Bastek, sales and
marketing vice president for the Shingles and Underlayments division at
Atlas. "It’s exciting for all of us to see the Atlas name as
the entitlement sponsor for an ARCA Menards Series race, and even
better for us to be associated with one of the most unique and
traditional races on the schedule." (In part from ARCARacing.com)
(06-15-22)
- Brandon Jones
wins at Iowa Speedway: Brandon Jones had to wait out a
three-hour weather delay and battle through a handful of challenges
from the likes of Sammy Smith and Jesse Love. But ultimately, nothing
was going to stop the 25-year-old from winning Saturday
night’s Calypso Lemonade 150 at Iowa Speedway. Jones, the
NASCAR Xfinity Series regular, used a long run at the end of the
150-lap race to overtake Smith and cruise to the victory. Jones, now
has a pair of wins in his two ARCA starts in 2022. "Charlotte kind of
went the same way," Jones explained after taking the checkered flag in
the sixth race of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season. "Long run toward
the end there. Kind of came to life at the end. I had to work for it,
though. These guys were really tough on me today. Jesse Love, obviously
Sammy Smith was really quick. Those dudes were really hard to race. But
all in all, we had a better Toyota Camry there in the long haul, I
think." Full
Results (In part from ARCARacing.com)
(06-12-22)
- ARCA
announces Performance Seed Dirt Double for Springfield &
DuQuoin: Tradition is important to the ARCA Menards
Series, and there are few races more laden with tradition and
connection to the sport’s roots than the two races on the
one-mile dirt tracks at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin
State Fairgrounds. Both of those races date back to before
ARCA’s founding in 1953, and both have been a staple of the
schedule since 1983. For 2022, a new twist has been added with the
Performance Seed Dirt Double, which will offer a $50,000 prize to any
driver who can drive to victory in both events. Should that bonus go
unclaimed, the driver with the best combined average finish at
Springfield and DuQuoin will claim a $5,000 bonus. “The two
races at Springfield and DuQuoin are the direct connection to the
foundation of the sport,” said ARCA president Ron Drager.
“There are thousands of race fans in the heartland of the
country who attend those races, and many have been coming to them for
decades. Having dirt races has kept us connected to the grassroots of
the sport and it has meant a driver who can win the ARCA Menards Series
championship has to succeed on a wide variety of racetracks." (In part
from ARCARacing.com)
(06-11-22)
- 23 cars
entered for Iowa Speedway: Twenty-six cars are entered
for Saturday night's Calypso Lemonade 150 at Iowa Speedway. The race is
the first ARCA premier and ARCA East combination event of the season.
Notable entries include #10 Tanner Allen, #11 Bryce Haugeberg, #15
Conner Jones, #17 Taylor Gray, #18 Sammy Smith, #20 Jesse Love, #23
Connor Mosack, #27 Tim Richmond, #44 Ron Vandermeir Jr, #55 Jonathan
Shafer, and #81 Brandon Jones. Full
Entry List (06-09-22)
- Rev Racing
& Rajah Caruth add new partner for Iowa, Berlin, and Elko:
Rev Racing announced the addition of a new partnership in conjunction
with Rajah Caruth. The team will partner with the St. Vincent and the
Grenadines Tourism Authority through the month of June, in celebration
of National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This sponsorship
initiative hopes to bring attention to the archipelago nation of St.
Vincent and the Grenadines, as it positions itself as The Caribbean
You’re Looking For in vacation destinations. Caruth, a second
generation Caribbean-American driver, will run the St. Vincent and
Grenadines brand on the hood and rear of his No. 6 Chevrolet. This
partnership will expand over the next three races of the ARCA Menards
Series schedule at Iowa Speedway, Berlin Raceway and Elko Speedway,
respectively. “The fact that I can not only go out and race,
but represent where I’m from is really meaningful,”
said Caruth. “It means a lot to be a representative of the
Caribbean Island, and I can’t wait to make them
proud.” (In part from RevRacing.net)
(06-09-22)
- Tim Richmond
unable to race at Charlotte due to mechanical issues: Tim
Richmond was unable to race at Charlotte Motor Speedway due to
mechanical issues with a new racecar. Darrell Phillips, the crew chief
of the No. 27 entry, posted an explanation of what happened on his
personal Facebook page.
Phillips:
"Got thru tech with no issues, got ready for
practice/qualifying, and as we started to roll out for practice, the
kill switch on the steering wheel decided to take a s*** and not let
the
car run. We tore the dash open and started trying to figure
out why it shut off, and once we figured out it was the kill switch, we
messed with the wires enough to get it to start again and headed for
the track. Sadly, we made about 3/4 of a lap and the rear end side of
the panhard bar mount ripped itself in half, causing the chassis to
swing over and the driveshaft to rip a hole in the oil tank. That ended
our day and put us out of the race, and really not even knowing if we
had the car to be fast or not." (In part from Facebook.com)
(05-31-22)
- Brandon Jones
wins the General Tire 150 at Charlotte: Friday’s
General Tire 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway came down to survival for
Brandon Jones. Several top contenders encountered issues during the
first half of the 100-lap race, but Jones avoided the chaos and managed
to pull away from Corey Heim to pick up his sixth career victory in the
ARCA Menards Series. Although he remains busy with his NASCAR Xfinity
Series commitments, Jones said that any opportunity to compete in the
ARCA Menards Series only benefits him when it comes to building
confidence and gaining precious on-track experience. "We’re
trying to progress to the next level and get to the Cup Series," Jones
said. "I always have fun coming back down to the ARCA Menards Series. I
have a great relationship with Menards and it’s fun to have a
race like we did [on Friday] so I could get them back in Victory Lane."
Full
Results (In part from ARCARacing.com)
(05-27-22)
- D.L. Wilson
will not race at Charlotte after Texas tragedy: D.L.
Wilson announced on his personal Facebook page Wednesday afternoon that
he will not race at Charlotte Motor Speedway as originally planned.
Wilson, who is the police chief of the Riesel Independent School
District in Riesel, TX, has decided to stay in Texas after the tragic
Robb Elementary School shooting that occurred on Tuesday. Ed Thompson
Racing (ETR) and Fast Track Racing now have Tommy Vigh Jr. as the
listed driver of the No. 12 entry. Vigh raced full time for Fast Track
Racing in
2019 and won the Rookie of the Year
award.
D.L. Wilson:
"ETR will have another driver for the start of the
Charlotte race this weekend in our 12 car. My place is with my Riesel
ISD family as Police Chief. God bless Uvalde TX. Good luck for the rest
of my ARCA racing folks and we will see you soon." (In part from D.L.
Wilson Facebook) (05-27-22)
- Andy
Jankowiak secures Charlotte sponsorship: V1 Fiber
Communications, a North Carolina-based fiber engineering and
construction company, has teamed with Andy Jankowiak and the
Dak’s Racing Team for the General Tire 150 at Charlotte Motor
Speedway. The V1 Fiber No. 73 will feature a special patriotic paint
scheme that will honor Army Specialist Alan N. Dikcis during the
Memorial Day weekend event. The team’s car will also feature
a special hashtag in memory of the victims of the shooting that took
place in the team’s hometown of Buffalo, New York, two weeks
ago. Jankowiak, the owner and driver of the Dak’s Racing Team
No. 73, is in his second year on the ARCA Menards Series and looking to
break into the top five after a strong sixth-place run in the season
opener at Daytona International Speedway. "We have a lot of time into
our Charlotte car and I feel good about our chances this weekend," said
Jankowiak, 34, of Tonawanda, New York. "We have a great group of guys
working on this car and awesome sponsors behind our effort so we have
everything we need to go compete." (In part from ARCARacing.com)
(05-27-22)
- Daniel Dye's
misdemeanor trial dates set: Daniel Dye, who was arrested
on a battery charge in late April, has been notified of his pre-trial
and trial dates. Dye's pre-trial remote Zoom hearing is set for
Tuesday, June 7th at 1:30 PM. Additionally, Dye's trial date is
currently scheduled to be Monday, June 20th at 8:30 AM. These hearings
will be held before Judge David H Foxman. (In part from Volusia
County Clerk of Circuit Court) (05-26-22)
- Matt Wilson
to make ARCA premier debut for CCM Racing at Charlotte: After
finishing ninth in his first ever ARCA Menards Series East race a few
weeks ago at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Matt Wilson is once again
getting behind the wheel for CCM Racing. Wilson will be piloting the
No. 7 Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED) Toyota in the ARCA
Menards Series for this weekend’s General Tire 150 at
Charlotte Motor Speedway. CCM Racing is also excited to welcome CED
back onto the hood of the No. 7 car. One of the country’s
largest electrical distributors, CED’s first race with the
team was the fall race at Kansas Speedway last October. "Coming off of
a top-10 finish at Nashville, I’m really excited for our team
and the opportunity we have to build on that this week," said Wilson.
"Charlotte has always been one of my favorite tracks and it is one of
the most challenging places for a driver as well. I can’t
wait." (In part from CCM
Racing PR) (05-26-22)
- Brandon Jones
to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing at Charlotte; four other races: [Brandon]
Jones will compete in his first ARCA Menards Series race of 2022 this
Friday at Charlotte behind the wheel of the No. 81 Menards/Tide Toyota
Camry for JGR. Jones will run five ARCA Menards Series races this
season. The schedule includes: Charlotte (May 27), Iowa (June 11),
Pocono (July 22), Watkins Glen (Aug 19) and Bristol (Sept. 15). (In
part from SpeedwayDigest.com)
(05-25-22)
- Josh White
making first ARCA start since 2015: [Josh] White, 31,
will enter Friday night’s General Tire 150 for Clubb Racing
Inc. driving the No. 03 Ford. White is thrilled to be back and given
another opportunity. "I’m very excited to finally go back out
on track and race," White said. "Especially at Charlotte, which is in
NASCAR’s backyard. I’m excited to meet my crew as
well, and make new friends." During his time away, White has paid close
attention to the ongoing evolution in the ARCA Menards Series - from
drivers to cars, tracks and rules. "I’ve been following the
season for sure, and I have a good eyeball on who is going to be the
ones to beat," he said. "I’ve been prepping with iRacing,
which I know is not a real car, but it’s close enough.
I’m very familiar with the track and I’m very
confident that we can finish well if we can stay out of trouble." The
primary sponsor for White’s [No. 03 Ford] will be Kanawha
Ammunition, an ammunition plant in Kanawha County, West Virginia. His
associate sponsors will be Raysir Apparel, FishFin, BubnMuthas,
Military Java Group, Patriot Popcorn Company and You 1st Realty
Infinity. (In part from Josh
White Racing PR) (05-25-22)
- Steve Austin
no longer with CCM Racing; on parole after multiple felonies:
A spokesperson for CCM Racing has confirmed that Steve Austin, who
raced in two ARCA Menards Series East events this season, is no longer
a member of the team. CCM Racing states that it "[does] not anticipate
any further relationship or affiliation with [Austin]" in the future.
This follows a recent announcement that Austin will join Tom Crosby
Enterprises for the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East season. However,
Austin's eligibility to participate in ARCA competition is unclear
after his arrest history and parole status has surfaced.
Edward Brian
Hudson: Steve Austin, whose legal name is
Edward Brian Hudson, is a habitual felon that has been arrested and
convicted of crimes dating back to 1996. Crimes include obtaining
property with false coins/tokens, obtaining property by worthless
checks (over $2,000), obtaining property by false
pretenses/cheats/services, unauthorized use of a motor-propelled
conveyance (boats, airplanes, motor vehicles, etc.), extortion, and a
parole violation on April 27, 2021. Austin has remained on parole since
his most recent felony conviction in North Carolina. (In part from NC
DPS Offender Public Information and Mugshots.com)
(05-22-22)
- Rajah Caruth
to carry WSSU colors at Charlotte: Winston-Salem State
student and professional race car driver Rajah Caruth will have the
ride of a lifetime on May 27 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Caruth will
pilot a WSSU themed race car in the ARCA Menard’s series
General Tire 150 next weekend. This is a proud moment for the
University with Caruth being a member of the motorsports management
degree program. WSSU is the first and only HBCU to have a motorsports
management program, which began in 2007. "I learned the importance of
HBCUs at an early age. My father went to an HBCU and is currently
serving as a professor at Howard University, so I’ve been
exposed
to a culture and support system that is like no other. Being in
WSSU’s Motorsports Management allows me to learn while doing
what I love," said Caruth. The No. 6 WSSU car has the WSSU Rams mascot
and school letters boldly painted across the hood as well as the rear
quarter panels. The school colors are interwoven across the car with
the door panels highlighted in red. (In part from HBCUGameday.com)
(05-22-22)
- Nick Sanchez
wins the Dutch Boy 150 at Kansas Speedway: [Nick] Sanchez
took advantage of a late-race accident between Corey Heim and Drew
Dollar to score his second win in the Dutch Boy 150 at Kansas and the
third of his career. Sanchez wanted an opportunity to battle both Heim
and Dollar for the victory, but he was content on inheriting the lead
and managing his equipment while teammate Rajah Caruth tried to chase
him down in the final laps. "Honestly, we were trying to maintain and
not burn any of our stuff up in case there was a caution," Sanchez
said. "We lucked out with what happened between [Heim and Dollar], and
we possibly could have beaten both of them at the end on speed, but we
ended up winning, so I’m happy." Caruth managed to chase down
Sanchez twice inside of ten laps remaining but ultimately could not get
the run he needed to overtake his teammate and had to settle for
second; his best run in the main ARCA division to date. Daniel Dye, who
was reinstated by ARCA on Friday afternoon following a brief
suspension, brought home a third-place finish. Rounding out the Top 5
were veteran Gus Dean and Connor Mosack. Full
Results (In part from ARCARacing.com)
(05-14-22)
- Daniel Dye
reinstated by ARCA; will race at Kansas: The ARCA Menards
Series has reinstated Daniel Dye after suspending him on
April 27th. Dye was arrested on a felony battery charge the previous
day.
ARCA
Statement: "Daniel Dye’s
indefinite suspension has been lifted. He has been approved to return
to all ARCA racing activities effective Friday, May 13, 2022." (ARCARacing.com)
(05-13-22)
GMS Racing
Statement: "Today, ARCA Menards Series
officials announced that GMS Racing Daniel Dye was reinstated for
competition. Dye and the No. 43 Chevrolet team will compete in
Saturday's event at Kansas Speedway." (GMS
Racing PR) (05-13-22)
Daniel Dye
Statement: "The past few weeks have been
emotionally difficult for me and my family to say the least. You might
have heard that I was recently arrested by local police and
subsequently suspended by ARCA. I have been overwhelmed by the support
of fellow classmates, teachers, and others who have reached out to me
following an incident with a fellow student at my high school. I am
happy to report that ARCA has dropped its suspension after my lawyer
provided the State’s Attorney with sworn statements from eye
witnesses. Following review of this information and its own
investigation including review of medical records the State reduced the
charge to a misdemeanor. Before I get back to racing, I think it is
important to explain what happened that led local police officers to
take me into custody. The facts are that me and my classmates have been
engaged in a silly and admittedly immature game commonly played at the
school between boys and involves hitting each other in the groin area.
This has been going on since we were in the 9th grade. The other
student “got me” and then I got him back. I want to
be very clear that nobody was trying to seriously injure anyone in the
game and I am relieved to know that the other student has recovered."
(In part from Daniel
Dye Racing) (05-13-22)
- Zachary
Tinkle racing at Kansas after Peterson prepares superspeeway car: Zachary
Tinkle will race at Kansas! Yes, that’s been the plan for
most of the season, so why’s it a big deal now? Well
let’s recap the last 72 hours for Wayne Peterson Racing.
During Saturday’s practice at the Nashville Fairgrounds
Speedway, Nate Moeller spun his No. 06 Ford out and took a pretty solid
hit. For a small team like Wayne Peterson’s, this did not
just mean they were done for the weekend. This incident affects their
near future in the season, as this exact car was scheduled to be driven
at Kansas Speedway this upcoming weekend by Tinkle. "That was the same
car I was supposed to run at Kansas and even had the Kansas setup on
it," Tinkle explained to TobyChristie.com in a Twitter DM.
"Unfortunately, the car is pretty tore up, Front & rear clip is
believed to be bent along with body damage, rear end got shoved over as
well and both the A-arms on the left front got damaged so it will need
a large amount of repair and it’s not going to make Kansas."
Fixing the Nashville car in time for Kansas would likely be impossible,
so that was out of the equation. Willie Mullins and his team had
reached out as well just in case, but it was unlikely that the car
would get approved in time. So how is the former CRA Late Model
Sportsman Champion getting on the track this weekend at Kansas? The
entire WPR team worked all through the night to convert their Daytona
& Talladega Chevy into a car capable of racing on the 1.5 track
and are ready to go. “The car is better than we anticipated,
team worked through the night to get it ready and we are ready to hit
the road!” Tinkle said. “Pretty pumped for it so
I’m glad we can get the car back on the track this
weekend.” (In part from TobyChristie.com)
(05-12-22)
- Amber Balcaen
adds new associate sponsor for Kansas: Kansas will also
be the site of a new partner aboard [Amber Balcaen's] No. 30 Rette
Jones Racing Ford. 1st Phorm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri is a
high-performance supplement and nutrition that has been a long-time
partner of Balcaen’s, however, this weekend, 1st Phorm will
increase its commitment and serve as an associate marketing partner for
the 100-lap race. "1st Phorm and I have been partnered for the last
eight years but this is the first time they will be on my race car in a
larger way. Their brand and core values really align with mine, so
it’s the perfect fit. I am a big advocate for fitness and
health, so I am excited to have them on the car this weekend." (In part
from Rette
Jones Racing PR) (05-12-22)
- Gus Dean adds
Kansas Speedway to ARCA schedule: Gus Dean has added
Saturday afternoon’s Dutch Boy 150 race to his Venturini
Motorsports 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Dean, a native of
Bluffton, S.C. returned to the ARCA Menards Series in 2022 after a
two-year hiatus and has delivered two top-five finishes aboard the No.
55 Dean Custom Air Toyota Camry at Daytona and the series’
most recent race at Talladega. Despite missing the series’
second race of the year at Phoenix Raceway, he is seventh in the
championship standings. Dean will pilot the No. 15 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry
with Kevin Reed Sr. serving as crew chief. “I’m
very thankful to add this race with Venturini Motorsports,”
said Dean. “Everyone at Venturini Motorsports has certainly
been great to work with and we’ve enjoyed some strong runs in
our two races together. Our goal at Kansas though is to win. Anything
less than a win would be a disappointment.” The 27-year-old
South Carolinian is amid a busy 2022 season combining of ARCA, Late
Models, Mud Truck Racing and a hopeful sporadic appearance or two in
one of NASCAR’s National Series. “With no
championship on the line for me this season, it’s about
having fun,” sounded Dean. “Whether
that’s competing with Venturini Motorsports in ARCA, DLP
Motorsports in Late Model competition, or the other racing endeavors we
have planned for this season. We’re working hard behind the
scenes to get back to a full-time status hopefully in 2023.”
(In part from Gus
Dean Racing PR) (05-09-22)
- Thomas
Praytor diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis: After suffering
through several days of flu like symptoms, Thomas Praytor lost the use
of his left arm and left leg on lap 5 of the General Tire 200 at
Talladega Superspeedway. Driving with his right hand only Praytor
continued to compete until a red flag allowed for a driver change with
Sean Corr with 10 laps to go. The medical team removed the ailing
Praytor from his AIDB Chevy and began treatment in the infield care
center. A heavy dose of IV Fluids and oxygen patched up the Moose
enough to send him back home. Back in Mobile the doctors began a
regimen of testing producing a diagnosis of rare Rhabdomyolysis or
commonly called “Rhabdo” (Less than 26,000 cases in
US). Rhabdo normally happens during extreme exertion with endurance
runners, firefighters working in hot environments and members of the
military involved in heavy duty exercises in a hot environment.
“I really appreciate my doctors in Talladega and Mobile
working hard on getting this deal figured out. I’ve raced
with concussions, broken bones, flu, kidney stones, you name it but
nothing like this. I’m glad we know what it is and what we
have to do to get me back 100%,” said Praytor.
“Since I stopped competing full time and I’m not
the Ironman of the Series anymore, my Dad and I have had a lot of
conversations about some things I maybe shouldn’t have done
to stay in the race car. I think Dale (Earnhardt) Jr talking about his
issues with concussions and other stuff have made that conversation
possible. In hind sight I pushed it too far at Talladega but at the end
of the day was able to get out of the car knowing I had made the right
decision.” While rare, Rhabdo is treatable and can be kept in
check which will allow Praytor to completely recover and compete again.
(In part from Max
Force Racing PR) (05-09-22)
- Will Kimmel
to race at Kansas in place of Scott Melton: Will Kimmel
announced in a recent Kimmel Racing Facebook video that he will race at
Kansas Speedway on May 14th in place of Scott Melton. Scott Melton was
injured in an accident during the General Tire 200 at Talladega
Superspeedway. Kimmel stated that Melton told him "just keep digging"
and "just switch" drivers. (In part from Kimmel
Racing Facebook) (05-06-22)
- Dead On Tools
to partner with Taylor Gray & David Gilliland Racing:
David Gilliland Racing has announced that Dead On Tools will partner
with drivers Tanner and Taylor Gray during the 2022 NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series seasons. In addition to
their sponsorship efforts with the eldest Gray, Dead On Tools will
serve as Taylor Gray’s primary partner for the
Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway with the ARCA
Menards Series. “It’s really neat to represent the
Dead On Tools brand as they expand their presence in our
sport,” [said] Taylor Gray. “I’m excited
to be the one who gets to drive the Dead On Tools Mustang in the ARCA
Menards Series and also have them on my truck the same day.”
(In part from David
Gilliland Racing PR) (05-05-22)
- Bobby Gerhart
Racing seeking funded drivers: Bobby Gerhart Racing has
posted the following classified on RacingJunk.com in search of funded
drivers for its driver development program: "Bobby Gerhart Racing is
offering funded driver development opportunities at a variety of
levels. From an 18 race entry level program in the Super Cup series; to
single or multiple races in the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series. Previous
customers include Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and
dozens of racers who have driven winning equipment. BGR has over 100
development starts with wins and many top five finishes and a very
strong super speedway program. Start your drivers road to victory lane
today." (In part from RacingJunk.com)
(05-05-22)