archives

Scroll down to view past ARCA Racing Series news and rumors.

July 2017

  • Justin Haley wins ModSpace 150 at Pocono: Three days before the race, Justin Haley had no idea he'd be racing in the ARCA Racing Series at Pocono Raceway. As it turned out, he's glad he did, especially after winning the rain-delayed ModSpace 150 Friday afternoon. Haley had to work hard for it with Joe Gibbs Racing's Riley Herbst in his rearview mirror over the last two laps. "We knew he was coming," Haley said. "My spotter Kevin Hamlin did a great job keeping my moral boosted but I spent a lot of time looking in the mirror those last few laps." Full Results (07-31-17)
  • 33 cars entered for Pocono: Thirty-three cars are entered for Friday's ModSpace 150. Entries include #07 Brian Kaltreider, #3 Steve Fox, #5 Bobby Gerhart, #7 Codie Rohrbaugh, #10 Ed Pompa, #15 Noah Gragson, #20 Tom Berte, #25 Natalie Decker, #28 Sheldon Creed, #31 Mike Senica, #41 Kaz Grala, #43 Sean Corr, #46 John Ferrier, #57 Bryan Dauzat, #69 Nick Higdon, and #96 Kevin Kromer. Full Entry List (07-27-17)
  • Codie Rohrbaugh returns for the ModSpace 150: Codie Rohrbaugh [is] anxious for his return to Pocono Raceway for Friday's ModSpace 150. Last month, Rohrbaugh and his Grant County Mulch Racing team seemed poised to win their first career series pole, but a technicality axed time trials and left them fourth on the starting grid based on their practice results. Hoping to contend for the win, an ill-handling car during the General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 left them instead with a respectable 12th place finish. Looking back and focusing ahead, Rohrbaugh says every race has been a positive experience for his team. "We have a lot to be thankful for," sounded Rohrbaugh. "Not only do we get to drive race cars on the weekend, but we're learning from every race we run. Sometimes good things happen, sometimes something else happens. It's just the nature of the beast. I would love to be out there every week, but that takes a lot of funding. We're working on that though." (In part from Grant County Mulch Racing PR) (07-27-17)
  • Zane Smith and Venturini team tour Knouse Foods Inc: On Wednesday prior to arriving in the Pocono Mountains, Smith and his Venturini Motorsports team visited Knouse Foods Inc., the grower owned producer, marketer and distributor of Musselman's, one of the country’s leading brands of apple sauce. Located two hours south of Pocono Raceway in Peach Glen, Pennsylvania, Smith took the opportunity to meet with a group of enthusiastic employees while visiting several of the company’s area manufacturing plants. "It was a huge honor and really cool experience to spend the afternoon touring Musselman's corporate offices and manufacturing plants," said Smith. "The tour of the manufacturing plant was super dope! After eating my share of it this season it's really cool to see how it's produced." (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (07-27-17)
  • Sheldon Creed fined again after Lucas Oil Raceway: ARCA Racing Series driver Sheldon Creed has been fined $500 for his 2nd violation of ARCA Rulebook Page 13, Section 4, #15, and the Official Event Entry Blank, which collectively reference proper display of designated required sponsor logos on driver uniform. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-25-17)
  • Kaz Grala to drive for MDM Motorsports at Pocono: 18 year-old NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor Kaz Grala will return to the ARCA Racing Series for the ModSpace 150 at Pocono Raceway on July 28th. Grala will team with MDM Motorsports for the event and will drive the No. 41 entry. Since the ARCA event is a day before NASCAR's truck race, Grala will receive valuable experience as he chases his second career win in truck competition. (07-22-17)
  • Dalton Sargeant wins the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 at Lucas Oil: #77 Dalton Sargeant won the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 after taking fresh tires and passing #28 Michael Self after a late race restart. Self finished second, while #51 Chad Finley, #52 Austin Theriault, and #12 Sheldon Creed rounded out the top five. Polesitter #99 Austin Cindric dominated the early stages of the race, but mechanical problems and an accident ultimately led to a 23rd place finish. Full Results (07-21-17)
  • Christian Eckes extends partnership with Venturini through 2018: Venturini Motorsports and sixteen year-old driver Christian Eckes are proud to announce they have come to terms to extend their partnership through the 2018 ARCA Racing Series season. Eckes, a native of Middletown, NY, will continue his career development over the course of 15-races during the 2018 season. Specific race details will be announced once the official ARCA schedule is released later in the year. “I’m excited to share this news today. I’ve found a good home here in the ARCA Series with a great team,” says Christian Eckes. “The level of competition in series the last couple of years has been awesome. It’s a good fit for me at this stage in my career – I really feel I’m at the right place at the right time.” (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (07-20-17)
  • Austin Cindric back with Cunningham Motorsports for Lucas Oil: Austin Cindric will return to Cunningham Motorsports this weekend for the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway. The 18-year-old will return to the ARCA Racing Series for the first time in 2017, driving the No. 99 PIRTEK Ford this Friday night. “When I looked at the ARCA schedule and looked at some races we might want to do if it worked with our schedule, I circled LOR (Lucas Oil Raceway) right away,” said Cindric. “I think we’re right on par with the other cars and I’d expect us to be fighting up front with the leaders and fighting to win. Last year we had really strong runs in the ARCA races we ran and hopefully we can come out this year and get the No. 99 PIRTEK Ford Fusion into victory lane.” (In part from Cunningham Motorsports PR) (07-20-17)
  • Sheldon Creed fined after Iowa: ARCA Racing Series driver Sheldon Creed has been fined $250 for violation of ARCA Rulebook Page 13, Section 4, #15, and the Iowa Speedway Official Event Entry Blank, which collectively reference proper display of designated required sponsor logos on driver uniform. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-18-17)
  • Natalie Decker adds Pocono encore and Kansas to schedule: Nineteen-year old Natalie Decker announced today the addition of next week’s event at Pocono Raceway along with the series’ season finale at Kansas Speedway to her remaining 2017 ARCA Racing Series schedule. Decker, a popular Midwest late model driver, jumped onto the ARCA scene in May finishing 11th in her series debut at Toledo Speedway. Followed by solid performances at Elko Speedway and Pocono Raceway, Decker will return to action with Venturini Motorsports driving the No. 25 N29 Capital Partners Toyota in next Friday ARCA’s ModSpace 150 at Pocono’s Tricky Triangle. Decker, also on the entry list for the next month’s ARCA road course event at Road America, is excited for the opportunity to return to the series. (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (07-18-17)
  • EJ Prescott Partners with Ken Schrader Racing for Lucas Oil: EJ Prescott, Inc. (EJP) of Gardiner, Maine, has partnered with Ken Schrader Racing, Inc. and its driver Austin Theriault for the upcoming ARCA Racing Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Indiana. The company, a distributor of products for the water, waste water, and storm water industries, was founded as Everett J. Prescott, Inc. in 1955 and has been expanding its product line ever since. EJP now has 28 locations in nine states and serves all of the Northeast and Midwest. “We have known Austin for several years and watched his career develop over these years,” Steve Prescott, president of EJP said. “We worked with Austin when he put together his MAINE tourism car which he ran at Kentucky Motor Speedway. He has been our guest at a few trade shows, but we have not worked directly sponsoring a car until now." (In part from Ken Schrader Racing PR) (07-17-17)
  • Mike Senica returning at Lucas Oil with Hixson: Pennsylvania driver Mike Senica will return to ARCA competition at Lucas Oil Raceway on Friday, July 21st with Hixson Motorsports. Senica, who initially planned to race full time, left the Hixson organization in late April to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The 51 year-old is expected to drive the No. 3 Bell Plantation Chevrolet in the event. (07-14-17)
  • Thomas Praytor playing in softball game for Buddy Ball: Thomas "Moose" Praytor will team up with A.J. McCarron again along with former Cubs Major League pitcher Jon Lieber and host of others for a celebrity softball game at Hank Aaron Stadium on July 22nd to Benefit Buddy Ball. Buddy Ball is a League for special needs players from ages 5-21. Everyone gets to play and has a buddy on the field with them cheering them on. The League is designed for the players but the "Buddies" tend to be rewarded as much as the players. Next weekend will be a busy one for the Mobile, Alabama driver. Friday night Praytor will be in Indianapolis competing in the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 before racing back to Mobile for the Buddy Ball Benefit at the Hank. "We are going to have to hustle to get back from Indy for the Game but I'm really looking forward to it. Some of the kids will be there and it's all about the kids they really get you going," said Praytor. "I don't know if I'm playing with AJ (McCarron) or against him but I hope he pitches so I can take him deep. Now Lieber is another story, I hope we are on the same team!" (In part from Max Force Racing PR) (07-14-17)
  • James Hylton; team members unhurt after truck and trailer crash UPDATE: You expect close calls on the race track, but not necessarily on the way home. James Hylton, his son James Hylton, Jr. and chief mechanic Terry Strange are thankfully okay after their truck and trailer slid off Interstate 40 Sunday afternoon on their way home from Iowa Speedway. Some minor bumps and bruises, but they somehow crawled out unscathed. The problem now is what to do about the next event on tour -- the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 coming July 21 at Lucas Oil Raceway. Fortunately, there is one weekend off in between to salvage what they can and find another way to put themselves back on the road for ARCA's next stop in Indianapolis. "It's no one's fault but my own," said Hylton after the accident. "Not sure what to do from here, you just can't plan for this. I'm just real thankful that we're all okay and no one else got hurt." (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-10-17)
    UPDATE: The show must go on for Hylton Motorsports. The ARCA team expects to run the next race on the schedule despite a highway accident that damaged the race car driven by Brad Smith, the Shelby Township resident said Tuesday. One way or another, Smith said, he’ll be in the No. 48 Radon.com Ford for the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards event at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis on July 21. “Worst case scenario is that we round up and old (truck) and hook up to an open trailer and load up last year’s short track car,” Smith said in an email Tuesday. “Won’t be real competitive, but we will certainly be there.” (In part from MacombDaily.com) (07-11-17)
  • Dalton Sargeant wins at Iowa Speedway: It came down to a 40 mph drag race down pit road, and by a foot, Dalton Sargeant beat Austin Theriault to the line. Both knew it would be for the right to restart in the preferred outside line, and the best opportunity to go to Victory Lane. Straight from the script, Sargeant, from the top lane, edged ahead of Theriault on the final restart with nine laps remaining, and sailed away, winning the ARCA Racing Series Fans With Benefits 150 Saturday night at Iowa Speedway. "This was a really tough race overall," said Sargeant, driver of the No. 77 Performance Plus Ford. "The biggest thing was my Cunningham Motorsports crew, getting us in and out of pit road in great shape. The car was on the free side in the beginning but it tightened up later in the race. The lane moved up where I thought I was at my best." Full Results (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-09-17)
  • Ron Cox returns to ARCA competition at Iowa; driving for Hixson: Hixson Motorsports hits the track Saturday night at Iowa Speedway for a joint Verizon IndyCar and ARCA Racing Series weekend. Eric Caudell, the driver of the No. 2 HMS Chevy, will have a new teammate running with him in the team’s second ride. Coach Ron Cox, head football coach at Sale Creek High School, will pilot the No. 3 car Saturday night for the running of the ARCA Racing Series Fans With Benefits 150. Caudell won’t have to worry about protecting Coach Cox’s “Blind Side,” or give him tips on how to drive a professional race car. Cox drove for Hixson Motorsports starting in 1987. He was one of the full-time drivers for HMS from 1999 to 2003 and earned Rookie of the Year Honors. Then, while he was running part-time for his stepdad, team owner Wayne Hixson, Cox concentrated on his teaching career. He developed the Motorsports program at Sequoyah High School which taught students the business and technology behind the racing industry. Crystal Bates, of HMS, says that having Ron back in the seat with Eric will make for an exciting weekend that will be packed with action. (In part from EastRidgeNewsOnline.com) (07-07-17)
  • Spencer Davis secures Iowa sponsorship from Pinty's: After several weeks away from the track eighteen-year old Spencer Davis will return to Venturini Motorsports’ driver lineup for tomorrow night’s ARCA Racing Series ‘Fans with Benefits 150’ at Iowa Speedway. Davis, set to make his fourth career series start since joining the team in May, will unveil his No.25 Pinty’s Toyota Camry this weekend when the team unloads at Iowa. (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (07-07-17) 
  • Dalton Sargeant & Cunningham announce Iowa sponsor: Dalton Sargeant and Cunningham Motorsports are proud to announce a new partnership with Performance Plus. This will begin with the branding of Sargeant's No. 77 Ford in the upcoming ARCA Racing Series event at Iowa Speedway. Performance Plus, the high quality motor oil brand of Kleen Performance Products, will also be featured in every vehicle at Cunningham Motorsports. "I'm very excited to have Performance Plus as a new partner and kick things off at Iowa Speedway," said Sargeant. "They have a huge presence and proven success in motorsports so it'll be special to have them on the car this weekend and see the benefit of their products in the performance of our race cars." (In part from Sargeant Motorsports PR) (07-05-17)
  • Sam Schram named crew chief for Bret Holmes Racing: Bret Holmes Racing announced today that Sam Schram is returning as crew chief for the No. 23 Southern States Bank/Holmes II Excavation team. He succeeds Bryan Berry, who the team last week announced had left to pursue other opportunities in racing. Schram, a New York native, previously worked with BHR during its limited ARCA schedule in 2016. In previous stints at Lira Motorsports and GMS Racing, Schram worked with some of the industry’s best, including current ARCA driver Kyle Weathermen and 2015 ARCA Racing Series Champion Grant Enfinger. Under Schram’s leadership in 2016, BHR managed three top-5 and six top-10 finishes in only seven starts as the team ran a limited schedule before going full-time in 2017. (In part from Bret Holmes Racing PR) (07-05-17)
  • Win-Tron Racing; Gus Dean fined and penalized after Michigan UPDATE: Based on post-race technical inspection following the June 16 Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan Int’l Speedway, the Win-Tron Racing #32 team has been penalized for violating 2017 ARCA Rulebook Page 51, #3 M. ii which states in part “hoses connected to NACA duct must be connected to blower or cooler and must exhaust outside driver compartment…connections must be point to point” and 2017 ARCA Rulebook Page 30, #3 i and page 44, #3 I. vii which reference, respectively, minimum roof height and minimum rear body height. Crew chief Todd Myers has been fined $1500 per violation, total $3000, and car owner Kevin Cywinski and driver Gus Dean have each been penalized with the loss of 25 points per violation, total 50 championship points, as a result of the violations. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (06-20-17)
    UPDATE: Based on the appeal of Win-Tron Racing, the ARCA Appeals Committee conducted a hearing on Monday July 3. The team’s penalties were issued based on post-race technical inspection following the June 16 Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan Int’l Speedway. The Appeals Committee upheld the monetary fine and championship points penalty for interior hose connections and exhaust, and upheld the monetary fine but rescinded the championship points penalty for minimum roof and rear body height citing unintended damage from an on-track incident. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-04-17)
  • Darrell Basham plans on Salem return after battling cancer: Sooner or later someone else other than Mike Basham is going to climb back inside ole number 34 and give it a ride. That someone else would be his 68-year-young father Darrell Basham. And if things stay on track, that day could come sooner, rather than later. "I have every intention of running Salem," said Darrell Basham. "If we don't run out of race cars, tear 'em up or unless something freakish happens, I'm totally cleared by the doctors to do anything. Doctor says I can do anything I want, just don't pick nothin' up." For more than two years, Basham has been fighting colon cancer, and all signs point toward he's licked it altogether. After several surgeries to remove the mass... patch, poke, prod and re-plum the fan-favorite from southern Indiana, Basham wants, more than anything, to do what he's been doing since the late 60s... drive that race car. He was diagnosed in January 2016, and hasn't driven since September of '15... coming up on two years. However, he has been going to all the ARCA races again. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (07-04-17)