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May 19, 2019

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May 31, 2019

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ARCA Menards Series News and Rumors

  • Cole Glasson and Win-Tron competing at Pocono instead of Charlotte: There has been a change of plans for Cole Glasson and Win-Tron Racing. Glasson was scheduled to take part in the ARCA open test last Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but things didn’t go as planned. Following a storm at the 1.5-mile track, a driver shaking down the car for Glasson hit the wall, damaging the No. 32 Chevrolet that Glasson was scheduled to drive. After lengthy repairs by the Win-Tron crew, Glasson still managed to turn the 11th fastest lap of the test. However, after the team got the car back to the Win-Tron Racing shop it was discovered that the test car was more damaged than they thought. Instead of thrashing to repair the car, collectively it was decided to move Glasson’s 2019 ARCA debut to the following week at Pocono Raceway. "The test at Charlotte was certainly frustrating, but that happens in racing," said Glasson. "We talked it over with Kevin Cywinski at Win-Tron and decided rather than rush and try to get the car fixed for Charlotte, it would be better for us to focus on another race so we can do things right." (In part from McCallister Precision Marketing) (05-15-19)
  • Christian Eckes wins at Nashville: Christian Eckes (No. 15 JBL Audio Toyota) rebounded from two disastrous weeks to win Sunday’s rain-delayed General Tire Music City 200 at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. Eckes took the lead on a restart at lap 81 and led the final 120 laps to earn his first series victory of the season and the fourth of his career. "It’s been a really rough couple of weeks," Eckes said. "That was about the longest 80 laps of my life. We pitted early and I figured there would be a caution and there would be one guy with four tires in the pits. But that never happened. We still need to be a little better but we took some strides in the right direction for when we go to Toledo for our next short track race." Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (05-06-19)
  • Todd Gilliland wins the General Tire 200 at Talladega: Todd Gilliland  (No. 4 Frontline Enterprises Toyota) earned his second career ARCA Menards Series victory in Friday’s General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway. Gilliland, who is a full-time driver in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series for Kyle Busch Motorsports, took the lead after the first caution period of the race on lap 43 and led to the checkered. "It’s been a long time coming," Gilliland said. "We won in our first start at Toledo in 2015 and it seems like we’ve been so close every time we’ve raced in ARCA since then but something would jump up and keep us out of victory lane. We were finally able to get the weight off our shoulders here today. It’s a huge relief and I think it’s exactly what I needed to get my confidence up over on the Truck side too." Gilliland held off a last lap charge from second-place finisher Riley Herbst (No. 18 Monster Energy/ORCA Coolers/Terrible Herbst/Advance Auto Parts Toyota) and third-place finisher Brandon Lynn (No. 20 Carolina Excavation & Grading Toyota). Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (04-27-19)
  • Cole Glasson competing at Charlotte for Win-Tron Racing: After sitting out the first portion of the season to focus on his education, Cole Glasson is ready to get back in a race car. The 18-year-old, who has maintained a 4.0 GPA at Liberty University, will make his second ARCA Menards Series start on May 23 at Charlotte Motor Speedway driving for Win-Tron Racing. His race car will carry support from Sparrow Ranch on the Island and AM Technical Solutions. "I’ve been busy focusing on my education, but I’m excited to get back in a race car to compete at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May," said Glasson. "With summer coming up I knew I wanted to get back to racing, so I can’t thank Kevin Cywinski and Win-Tron Racing enough for having me back for another race." Between now and his second ARCA start Glasson is going to remain busy. He still has a few weeks left of school before summer vacation starts. Once he’s out of school for the summer he’ll rejoin Lee Faulk Racing and Development, the same team that he has raced Late Models for in years past, for a test before he competes at Hickory Motor Speedway on May 11. (In part from McCallister Precision Marketing) (04-24-19)
  • Ed Pompa back at Talladega; carrying Clemson colors: Ed Pompa will be returning to competition at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26. He will (again) be piloting a Clemson Tigers tribute car, in honor of the 2018 National Football Champions. Flashback to 2017, when Ed raced a Clemson Tigers tribute car at both Daytona and Talladega, after Clemson won the 2016 National Football Championship. “My son is a 2012 Clemson graduate, so I decided to do a tribute car. In 2017, the Clemson car received amazing response from the fans. Alabama fans at Talladega weren’t quite as supportive, as would be expected, but we definitely got their attention! This January, when Clemson defeated Alabama to win the National Football Championship, I knew I had to do this again. No doubt about it. I texted Andy (Hillenburg) the day after the game and let him know my plan. Andy already had 3 drivers lined up for Daytona this year, so I decided to wait until Talladega to debut the ‘Clemson car’, and have tried to keep it under wraps until now, working out all the details. Frontline Designs has done a phenomenal job with the design. When I contacted Rick from Frontline about doing a Clemson tribute car, he jumped at the opportunity. He’s a Clemson fan also. Rick’s first design was absolutely incredible. IMGCL, which handles collegiate licensing rights for Clemson, said due to licensing and copyright rules we couldn’t use it, so Rick went back to work and came up with the current design. IMGCL has granted me a licensing agreement to use the design, and Lionel has already contacted me about the possibility of doing die-casts.” (In part from Fast Track Racing PR) (04-24-19)
  • Thomas Praytor making ARCA season debut at Talladega: After making 105 consecutive ARCA starts over 6 seasons Thomas “Moose” Praytor is just days away from returning to competition at Talladega Superspeedway after a year-long sabbatical. “The word got out a few weeks ago we were coming back at Talladega and the response has been incredible,” said Praytor. “Supporters have been calling, texting and messaging me about Talladega, it’s a great feeling.” Sponsors already signed on for Talladega- Golden Flake, Wade Distributors, Rettigs Auto Body, APS-Automotive Painters Supply, Dueitt’s Battery Supply, Airgas, Judy’s Place, Ainsworth Racing, Greer’s Food Market and American Legion Post 88. As has become a tradition for Praytor at Talladega, the Alabama Institute of the Deaf and Blind (AIDB) will be on the hood for the General Tire 200 with the Mobile, Alabama Team hosting students on race day. “We really look forward to having the kids from AIDB at the track, their enthusiasm and energy is incredible. AIDB is an incredible place and we are really proud to be a part of their team.” (In part from Max Force Racing PR) (04-24-19)
  • DGR-Crosley fielding two cars at Talladega: DGR-Crosley will field two entries in the upcoming General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26th. The team will welcome back Natalie Decker, who will be behind the wheel of the No. 54 Toyota. Additionally, Todd Gilliland will return driving the No. 4 Toyota. Decker and Gilliland both competed in the season opening Daytona race for the team, where they finished 6th and 2nd respectively. (04-17-19)
  • Christian Eckes not competing at Salem due to illness; Burton in STATEMENT: After falling ill driver Christian Eckes will be sidelined for today’s ARCA Racing event at Salem Speedway. Harrison Burton will race in relief driving the No. 15 JBLaudio Camry. Further details regarding Eckes’ condition will be provided at a later time. (In part from Venturini Motorsports Twitter) (04-14-19)
    TEAM STATEMENT: Christian Eckes, eighteen-year old driver for Venturini Motorsports, remains hospitalized after being forced to withdrawal from yesterday's ARCA Menards Series event at Salem Speedway because of a small esophageal tear in his trachea as a result of complications due to food poisoning. Eckes became ill following Saturday's on-track activities and was admitted to the hospital where he continues to receive treatment for a bacterial infection. Expected to make a full recovery, Eckes in in good spirits and will resume full time racing duties as soon as being released from doctors' care later in the week. (Venturini Motorsports Twitter) (04-15-19)
  • Michael Self wins rain-shortened Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200: Michael Self (No. 25 Sinclair Lubricants Toyota) scored his second consecutive ARCA Menards Series victory in Sunday’s rain-shortened Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 at Salem Speedway. Self started fourth, took the lead at lap 27 and from there he dominated until Mother Nature intervened at lap 98. "I owe all of this to my Venturini Motorsports guys," Self said in a makeshift victory celebration. "We knew yesterday we were going to have a good racecar. We didn’t have a lot of qualifying speed but we knew once the race started, especially if it was cool and cloudy, that we’d be good." Self led handily over the rest of the field and with a long green flag run to open the race, he had lapped up to the third position. The first caution of the day waved at lap 89 when Ty Gibbs (No. 18 Monster Energy/Terrible Herbst/ORCA Coolers/Advance Auto Parts Toyota) spun in turn two. With potential weather off in the distance, there was a decision to be made whether or not to hit pit road. "There was no way we weren’t coming at that point," Self said. "We had lapped up to third so we knew even if no one else came we would be third at worst. Tires make such a big deal here that even if we had just a few laps under green we knew we’d get back to the front pretty quickly." Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (04-14-19)
  • Carson Hocevar wins Salem Speedway pole: Carson Hocevar (No. 28 Chevrolet) sped to the General Tire Pole for Sunday’s ARCA Menards Series Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA 200 at Salem Speedway. Hocevar turned a fast lap of 17.073 seconds around the high-banked 0.555 mile oval located in the hills of southern Indiana, about half an hour north of Louisville. Hocevar, from Portage, Michigan, was recently signed to the Driver’s Edge Development program, spearheaded by Lorin Ranier for GMS Racing and JR Motorsports. He also earned the General Tire Pole Award last season at his home track, Berlin Raceway, in Marne, Michigan. "It’s great to finally get to qualify and get a pole," he said. "Last year we got the pole at Berlin but that race was rained out and we set the fast lap in practice so we got the pole. It’s awesome to get the pole in qualifying. My KBR Development guys gave me a great car. There’s a big difference in two laps and 200." Full Lineup (In part from ARCARacing.com) (04-13-19)
  • Our Motorsports expanding; to compete at Talladega: If you’ve kept up with the journey of Our Motorsports, Chris Our, and Andy Seuss you’ve seen the growth. You’ve seen the success. You’ve seen the sacrifice, but most importantly, you’ve seen the hard work. Though the 2019 race season has begun, it is far from over. Our Motorsports has big plans for the rest of the year, as well as leading up to 2020. "It’s exciting that Chris is expanding and investing in the team. To have his trust and faith to grow, adding cars and equipment is something that gives me confidence we are going on the right direction" says Seuss. This February we saw the expansion in the ARCA [Menards] Series, with the team fielding two cars at Daytona International Speedway, where both the 02 and 09 teams topped speed charts throughout Speedweeks. Seuss added “every time we race we get better, so to have two teams out there to help grow and share information shows Chris’s commitment to get better. I know it already helped Our Motorsports and me as a driver to have someone to share experiences and information with. We hope to add more races to the Our Motorsports schedule, which would be a great opportunity for any racer looking to prove their skill to the world and climb the racing ladder.” With the addition of more equipment, comes available seats, and available races. The team is looking to add drivers to compete in the 2019 season. Next up for Our Motorsports will be two car effort to take on Talladega Superspeedway. (In part from Our Motorsports PR) (04-09-19)
  • Madison International Speedway secures race sponsorship: Southeastern Mills, Madison International Speedway and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) announced that Shore Lunch will sponsor the ARCA Menards Series annual stop at Wisconsin’s Fastest Half-Mile Oval – Madison International Speedway early this summer. The ARCA Menards Series Shore Lunch 200 is scheduled for Friday night, June 14 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. "When we first learned that ARCA and Menards were going to bring Shore Lunch to Madison International Speedway to be the ARCA race event sponsor, we were quite excited,” commented Gregg McKarns, who along with his wife Angie own and promote the high-banked paper-clip shaped oval in Oregon, Wisconsin, just south of the state’s capitol city of Madison. “A lot of our fans are outdoors people and sportsman. People who go fishing. And trust me, they know what Shore Lunch is!” (In part from ARCARacing.com) (04-09-19)
  • Kaden Honeycutt to run four more ARCA races; NASCAR truck race: Kaden Honeycutt, the 15 year-old protege of NASCAR Cup series driver Chris Buescher, will compete in four more ARCA races this season for his family owned team. Honeycutt will enter events at Nashville, Toledo, Gateway, and Iowa. The Willow Park, Texas driver last raced at Pensacola in March, finishing 9th after leading several laps late in the race. Pending NASCAR approval, Honeycutt also plans to make his debut in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series with the intention of running more truck events in 2020. (04-04-19)
  • Gavin Harlien to make jump to ARCA with Venturini Motorsports: Venturini Motorsports and off-road racing specialist, Gavin Harlien, 19, announced today the signing of a three-race deal to compete in the ARCA Menards Series. Harlien, out of Phoenix, Arizona, will make his stock car driving debut in the ARCA series behind the wheel of VMS’ No. 55 Toyota Camry at Gateway Motorsports Park on June 22. The former X-Games competitor will also make series’ starts at Iowa Speedway (July 19) and Salem Speedway (September 14). Sponsorship details for Harlien’s VMS prepared Toyota is forthcoming. "I have been looking for an opportunity like this for a long time," said Harlien. "Taking this next step in my career and moving up into ARCA with a top-notch team like Venturini Motorsports is a dream come true. Now I’m just eager to start the journey and learn as much as I can in my first few races." (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (03-26-19)
  • Gateway Motorsports Park secures sponsorship for June race: Day to Day Coffee, Track Enterprises and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) announced that the Day to Day Coffee Company will sponsor ARCA’s return to Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois this June. Madison is just across the Mississippi River from the Gateway Arch in downtown St. Louis. "We are very excited about our ongoing partnership with the ARCA Racing Series and Menards." Chris Papanicholas, president of Day to Day Coffee Company. "It gives us a chance to capture and connect with our own consumers in real way. It’s going to provide exciting in-store sales building opportunities at Menards as well." The "Day to Day Coffee 150" will also mark the return of the ARCA Menards Series to the 1.25-mile Gateway track for a second consecutive year. ARCA has raced at Gateway six times between 1997 and 2007, but then took an eleven-year hiatus from the metro St. Louis-area oval. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-26-19)
  • Ty Majeski joins Chad Bryant Racing for partial schedule: Chad Bryant Racing announced today that Ford Performance driver Ty Majeski will compete in a limited ARCA Menards Series schedule beginning with Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. Majeski, a Midwest short track standout will compete in five of the remaining 18 ARCA races driving the team’s No. 22 Ford Fusion. In addition to Charlotte, Majeski will also race at Pocono Raceway in June followed by Michigan International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and the season-finale at Kansas Speedway in October. "This is a great opportunity from Chad Bryant Racing," offered Majeski. "They are certainly sticking their neck out for me and I appreciate it and I’m more than ready for Charlotte." Veteran ARCA and former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief Paul Andrews will lead Majeski’s efforts. Sponsorship for Majeski’s effort will be announced at a later date. (In part from ChadBryantRacing.com) (03-22-19)
  • Hailie Deegan secures sponsorship from iK9: Hailie Deegan has landed iK9 as a supporter for her six scheduled starts in the ARCA Menards Series this season. Deegan will make her series debut at Toledo Speedway on May 19. The canine security services and training company will be a primary sponsor of Deegan in the May 31 race at Pocono Raceway and an associate sponsor in the remaining five races. After Toledo and Pocono, Deegan will compete at Madison International Speedway (June 14), Elko Speedway in New Market, Minnesota (July 13), Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Indiana (Oct. 5) and Kansas Speedway (Oct. 18). iK9 will make its debut with Deegan ahead of the ARCA races as her primary sponsor in the April 6 K&N Pro Series East race at Bristol Motor Speedway. "I'm grateful for this opportunity to build my NASCAR career and I’m extremely proud to represent iK9 along with Toyota, TRD, Monster Energy and Craftsman," Deegan said in a press release. “Partnerships are key to earning these kinds of opportunities, and iK9’s mission appeals to who I want to be as a racer and also as a person." (In part from NBCSports.com) (03-21-19)
  • Toledo Speedway secures race entitlement sponsor: The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) and Sioux Chief Manufacturing have jointly announced that the rough plumbing components manufacturer will become the race entitlement sponsor of the May 19 ARCA Menards Series event at Toledo Speedway in Northwest Ohio. The Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 will take the green flag at 2 pm ET Sunday, May 19, and is scheduled for live flag-to-flag coverage on MAVTV. Sioux Chief Manufacturing first partnered with ARCA and then the series’ presenting sponsor, Menards, in 2015. The business-to-business relationship between Menards, the country’s third-largest home improvement retail chain, and Sioux Chief, a leading rough plumbing manufacturer and supplier of cutting-edge products for plumbing and mechanical contractors, brings opportunities for Sioux Chief to promote its products to the Menards contractor and customer base. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-19-19)
  • RFMS Racing crew member passes away: Jason (Red) Morris, who served as a crew member for RFMS Racing and Travis Braden, passed away last Friday night after being involved in a tragic automobile accident. RFMS Racing has described Morris as "an amazing friend, teammate, father, and husband" and "one of the most passionate and fiery crewmen in the pits." A GoFundMe page has been created to support his family. (In part from RFMS Racing Facebook) (03-18-19)
  • Brandon Lynn to drive for Venturini at Talladega: Brandon Lynn will return to the seat driving for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series during the upcoming General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday, April 26. Lynn, 24, who made his ARCA Series debut in 2015, returns to the series after most recently competing in a pair of races last year with VMS earning top-10 finishes in both starts at Talladega Superspeedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. Lynn will make his only scheduled series start of the season driving VMS’ No. 20 Toyota Camry (sponsorship to be announced) with Billy Venturini serving as crew chief. Hoping to make the most of his opportunity, last year’s seventh-place finisher is amped up and ready to get after it again. “Excited to have another shot at Talladega,” Lynn said. “This will be my third shot at this track – the first two didn’t go our way but I’m hoping to capitalize this year with my Venturini Motorsports team. Last year we had an amazing car and I’m glad to be back in that same ride. It’s a fast car for sure. Definitely a lot more pressure this time as Harrison (Burton) got it done in the same car at Daytona. I’m ready to help pull off the superspeedway sweep for VMS with our number twenty Toyota Camry." (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (03-18-19)
  • Thad Moffitt to run superspeedway and speedway tracks: 18 year-old Thad Moffitt, the grandson of seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty, plans to race at superspeedway and speedway tracks this season. Moffitt's next race will be at Talladega Superspeedway in April, where he will drive the No. 46 Ford for Empire Racing Group. The exact number of speedway tracks that Moffitt will attempt will be determined by sponsorship. However, the North Carolina driver has secured Performance Plus Motor Oil for select races this year. (03-17-19)
  • Michael Self; Venturini Motorsports penalized after Pensacola win: Based on ARCA Menards Series post-race technical inspection following the March 9 ARCA Pensacola 200 presented by Inspectra Thermal Solutions, the Venturini Motorsports No. 25 team has been determined to be in violation of the 2019 ARCA Rulebook, page 45, I. Spoiler, Composite v which references rear spoiler height. Due to the infraction, crew chief Shannon Rursch has been fined $750 and team owner Cathy Venturini and driver Michael Self have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship points (Owner, Driver, and Short Track Challenge) and any applicable special award points. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-14-19)
  • Eric Caudell planning expanded partial schedule: Oklahoma's Eric Caudell is planning to compete in an expanded partial schedule this season after running five races last year. Caudell, who now is competing under the CCM Racing team name, is targeting 10 events at tracks such as Nashville, Gateway, Chicagoland, Iowa, and Kansas. The 52 year-old driver is continuing to purchase better equipment and is making strides to improve his program, in hopes of running a second car for funded drivers later this year. Jeremy Petty is serving as Caudell's crew chief. The team's cars are being prepared in Oklahoma and Kansas. (03-12-19)
  • Vizion Motorsports potentially not racing at Pensacola; in financial trouble? MORE: After announcing a full time entry for Brenden Queen, Vizion Motorsports may not compete in this weekend's ARCA Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway. The organization is not currently on the entry list and was "on the fence about going due to the weather" late Tuesday night. Rumors continue to circulate that the team is in financial trouble, as crew members reported that they haven't been paid and the team's digital media properties were "hacked" with this message. Vizion Motorsports fielded two entries at Daytona for both Queen and Paul Williamson, finishing 29th and 30th respectively. (03-08-19)
    UPDATE: Vizion Motorsports did not compete in last Saturday's race at Pensacola with Brenden Queen as originally planned. Teddy Brown, who owns the team with his wife Jennifer, has stated that it just elected not to go. More information is supposed to be revealed in about two weeks as to why this decision was made.
    NON-PAYMENT: Reports continue that members of the team are not being paid. J.D. Cole, who controlled the Vizion Motorsports social media accounts along with Jennifer Brown, has reported that he has only received $800. Cole has been with the team since October 2018 and is allegedly owed more. The team's social media accounts were not "hacked" as Teddy Brown once claimed. Instead, Cole states that he posted the messages indicating non-payment in attempt to collect what he is owed. Teddy Brown has denied the claims that J.D. Cole has made. Brown has stated that J.D. Cole posted the messages in retaliation. Fans have made complaints about spelling and grammar issues on the team's social media accounts, and Teddy and Jennifer Brown allegedly confronted Cole about this. Teddy Brown has stated that Cole "took it personal instead of trying to improve" and retaliated by posting about non-payment.
    NEXTGEN MOTORSPORTS: Matt Lowinski-loh has also come forward publicly indicating that he or John Lowinski Jr haven’t received payment from the team. Teddy Brown has blamed these non-payment issues on Carlos Crespo, who originally owned NextGen Motorsports. Brown states that NextGen Motorsports owes him $70,000 and that his lawyer is sending Crespo papers for payment. Brown summarizes the issue with Crespo as a "legal mess." (03-11-19)
  • Michael Self wins the ARCA Pensacola 200: Michael Self (No. 25 Sinclair Oil Toyota) held off a late race charge from teammates Christian Eckes and Chandler Smith to pick up his fourth career ARCA Menards Series victory in Saturday night’s Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway. Self’s victory marks the team’s second victory of the season and its 54th all-time in ARCA competition. VMS’ Harrison Burton drove to victory lane last month in the series’ season opener at Daytona International Speedway. “This is a big deal for me,” Self said. “A short track win in ARCA has eluded me. Even though I don’t think I am a great short track racer, I have had some success in the K&N Series on short tracks. For some reason is just hasn’t translated over here. Maybe this will kick start it." Full Results (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (03-11-19)
  • Tanner Gray joins DGR-Crosley for Five Flags: DGR-Crosley will head to Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. this weekend for the second race of the ARCA Menards Series season. Nineteen year old, Tanner Gray will make his ARCA debut driving the team's No. 54 Gray Motorsports/Valvoline Toyota Camry. Gray joins DGR-Crosley this season after coming off a successful stint in the NHRA drag racing scene where was crowned the 2018 NHRA Pro Stock World Champion. Gray and his No. 54 DGR-Crosley team recently participated in a test session at Five Flags Speedway where he was able to get some experience running laps at the half-mile track. Although Gray will be sporting Rookie stripes on the track, he will be surrounded by a wealth of experience through his team. Crew chief Seth Smith, who has a K&N Pro Series East Championship title and NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series experience, will call the shots atop the pit box for Gray, while Paul Griffin will be on the spotter stand. (In part from DGR-Crosley PR) (03-08-19)
  • Ken Schrader Racing to miss Pensacola: Ken Schrader Racing will not compete in the ARCA Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway this Saturday. The team, which fielded an entry Tyler Dippel at Daytona, scaled back to a partial schedule last year after Brandon Grosso left in May. A return date is unknown, but the organization has been actively seeking drivers and marketing partners for the 2019 ARCA Menards Series season. (03-05-19) 
  • Connor Okrzesik files entry for the ARCA Pensacola 200: Mobile, Alabama's Connor Okrzesik has filed an entry for his first ARCA Menards Series race on March 9th at Pensacola. While many of the ARCA competitors have "some" experience at Pensacola's 5 Flags Speedway, none have turned the laps Okrzesik has over the last three years. "Really a great opportunity to make my first ARCA start at a track I have so much experience at. I've got thousands of laps at Pensacola which should give me an advantage," said Okrzesik. Okrzesik has been a regular competitor at the heralded Speedway in the Pro-Late Model and Super Late Model Divisions over the last three seasons posting 3rd and 4th place finishes in the 2018 Snowflake/Snowball Derby respectively. Okrzesik has already tested his ARCA equipment at 5 Flags once with another scheduled before the race and he will race in Montgomery this weekend in the Alabama 200. "There is a huge difference between the ARCA car and our late model. Even though we have a lot of experience at 5 flags we are planning on testing again before the race, we're not leaving anything to chance," added Okrzesik. After his first ARCA start, the Alabama high school student is expected to have a healthy mix of Late Model racing and five or six ARCA races in 2019 while working towards a full time ARCA schedule in 2020. (In part from Praytor Management Group PR) (03-03-19)
  • Tim Richmond to drive for Peterson Motorsports at Pensacola: 20 year-old Tim Richmond will drive for Peterson Motorsports in the ARCA Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway on Saturday March 9th. Richmond, who resides in Illinois, is also expected to compete in additional short track events for the team this season. The Wayne Peterson owned organization will only field one car at Five Flags, but Con Nicolopoulos is expected to return later this year after competing in the Daytona season opener. (In part from Twitter) (03-01-19)
  • Hailie Deegan joins Venturini Motorsports for partial schedule: Coming on the heels of earning her second career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory last night at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Toyota Racing Development (TRD) driver, Hailie Deegan announces seven race deal to drive for Venturini Motorsports. Deegan will make six ARCA Menards Series appearances and one NASCAR K&N Series start behind the wheel of VMS’ Toyota Camry in 2019. The 17-year old from Temecula, CA will make her highly anticipated ARCA debut at Toledo Speedway on May 19. She’ll also compete in series’ events at Pocono Raceway (5/31), Madison Int’l Speedway (6/14), Elko Speedway (7/13), Lucas Oil Raceway (10/5) and Kansas Speedway (10/18). Deegan and VMS will also pair for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 15. Throughout her upcoming ARCA schedule Deegan will feature continued support from long time marketing partner Monster Energy, Craftsman and newcomer iK9. (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (03-01-19)
  • Darrell Basham Racing not fielding an entry at Pensacola; future unknown: Darrell Basham Racing, which has competed in the ARCA Menards Series for decades, will not field an entry in the upcoming ARCA Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway on March 9th. The team participated in 16 races last year with Mike Basham, Jesse Iwuji, and Darrell Basham taking turns behind the wheel of the No. 34 Chevrolet. While the team's future remains unknown, it hopes to compete at the fall Salem race or potentially a dirt track event this season. (03-01-19)