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

March 2018

  • Joe Graf Jr. to make ARCA debut at Nashville for Chad Bryant Racing:  Joe Graf Jr. has been looking forward to the running of the Music City 200 at the famed Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway since he first buckled into a Bandolero 10 years ago in Medina, Minn. The New Jersey resident will be making his first of six planned 2018 ARCA Racing Series starts [Nashville, Salem, Madison, Lucas Oil Raceway, Gateway and Iowa] for Chad Bryant Racing (CBR) April 7 at Nashville. The former Legends Car and SK Lite Modified standout is anxious to buckle into his Big Tine No. 77. "I've worked hard to get to this point and to be able to drive for Chad Bryant Racing with Paul Andrews as my crew chief is almost surreal," said Graf. "I have always wanted to race in ARCA and I believe that this is the next logical step in my career." Graf Jr. will be a freshman at NYU in the fall and is working with the prestigious New York City-based university to balance his academics with his racing career. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-30-18)
  • Rick Clifton returns to Fast Track Racing for Nashville: Rick Clifton likes to stay busy. That's why he likes Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. "There's always something to do (at Nashville)," said Clifton. "There's never a dull moment in the car. No long straightaways to catch your breath... you're always busy. I like the close racing too." It's also why the 63-year-old Circleville, Ohio farmer is entered for the third straight season at Nashville. "It's a fun track. Been there twice." Nashville also fits well into Clifton's busy schedule. "I have a hard time getting to a lot of the races due to my work schedule. I'm not real busy right at the moment so this one (Nashville) fits." That said, farming season is going to be ratcheting up soon. Clifton will have to carefully pick and choose his racing events. "I'd like to do two or three (races) this year…hopefully, maybe Charlotte. MIS is still an option. I like to take 'em one and a time... make sure we don't tear a bunch of stuff up. We just race to have fun…nothing more to it. My plan is to be at Nashville. Unless the wheels fall off, we'll be there." Clifton is entered in the No. 10 Ohio Ag Equipment-Clifton Trucking Toyota for car owner Andy Hillenburg of Fast Track Racing. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-22-18)
  • Menards to sponsor Toledo Speedway race: Officials from the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) and Menards Inc. announced today that the Wisconsin-based home improvement retailer will again serve as the title sponsor of the ARCA Racing Series race at Toledo Speedway in 2018. "Menards continues to be a great corporate partner for ARCA and a great, long-term, marketing partner for Toledo Speedway," said Mark Gundrum, ARCA’s vice president for business development and corporate partnerships. The Menards 200 will feature ARCA Racing Series practice and General Tire Pole Qualifying Saturday, May 19, along with an ARCA Late Model Sportsman feature event race. The Menards 200 will start at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon May 20, and is scheduled for live broadcast on MAVTV. "We appreciate the opportunity to once again sponsor the ARCA Racing Series and look forward to another highly competitive Menards 200 race at Toledo Speedway," said Jeff Abbott, Menards promotions manager and spokesperson. "We’ll be selling discount tickets for this race in our stores and hope to see another full house at the track." (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-22-18)
  • Tyler Dippel to join Chad Bryant Racing for Nashville: NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver Tyler Dippel is set to join Chad Bryant Racing for the upcoming race at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville on Saturday, April 7th. Dippel made three starts last year for Win-Tron Racing, scoring his career best finish at Springfield last August. Chad Bryant Racing was formerly known as Cunningham Motorsports, which won the ARCA championship in 2016 with Chase Briscoe. The team plans to field two entries in the Music City 200 event. (03-21-18)
  • Chad Finley reducing schedule; Austin Hill to drive part time: Chad Finley, who won the Music City 200 last year, will not return to Nashville to defend his win. The Michigan driver is scaling back his ARCA schedule to two (2) races after competing in six (6) last season. Finley will only race at Michigan and Chicagoland after having one of his most successful years to date. While the 26 year-old driver may not be racing as often, his team is expected to run approximately the same number of events. Austin Hill will compete for Chad Finley Racing in three to four races this season. (03-21-18)
  • Thomas "Moose" Praytor gives a fan a surprise: With a weekend off from the ARCA schedule, Thomas "Moose" Praytor was able to surprise one of his biggest fans, Reese McGahagin, with the duo turning a few laps with the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience. Reese is an avid race fan and was part of Praytor’s team a couple of years ago at Talladega. "We had a great time with Reese and his Dad at Talladega. It was their dream to be at Talladega and it is always fun to help other people realize their dreams." After Talladega, Praytor kept going in circles while McGahagin was running his own races, taking home medals in Special Olympics competition. The pair kept up with each other’s exploits and with the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience coming to Mobile, the wheels started turning. Reese’s Dad got Reese approved to take part in the ride-a-long and the Moose jumped in to give Reese a surprise driver, while Fox 10 agreed to get it all on tape. "It was another great experience for me to be part of Reese’s special day. I think Reese had fun, he was screaming all the way around the track! I appreciate Rusty Wallace Driving Experience and Fox 10 for being part of helping us make it happen. Hopefully we can get Reese back to Talladega in April." Praytor and his Max Force Team return to action April 7th at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville for the Music City 200, live on MAVTV. (In part from Max Force Racing PR) (03-21-18)
  • Darrell Basham returning at Nashville?: ARCA veteran Darrell Basham is tentatively planning to compete in the Music City 200 at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville on Saturday, April 7th. Basham, who vowed a comeback after being diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2016, is expected to drive his own No. 34 entry. The team had faced an uncertain future in the offseason, as it had considered moving to NASCAR and potentially selling its owner points. Patriot Motorsports Group and Jesse Iwuji carried the number at Daytona, where they recorded a 36th place finish. Future plans for the Basham team after Nashville are unknown. (03-20-18)
  • Mike Wallace joins MAVTV broadcast team: Officials from MAVTV announced today that NASCAR/ARCA veteran driver Mike Wallace will join the broadcast team to help call the action for the ARCA Racing Series on MAVTV in 2018. Coverage begins Saturday night, April 7 from Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tenn. Wallace will serve as the telecast's pit-road reporter, joining booth announcers Bob Dillner and Jim Tretow. Wallace, who won on some of NASCAR's biggest stages, has also done his share of TV time over the years with racing broadcast stints on NBC, TNN, the NASCAR Hot Pass show on DirecTV and more. "When the call came in for this opportunity, I got right on it," said Wallace. "I'm very excited to be ARCA's pit road reporter. The series is incredible. I'm excited to work with Bob (Dillner) and Jim (Tretow). I'm very committed to making great, compelling TV. There are so many great stories in the ARCA Series and I'm excited to cover them, from the back of the field to the front." (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-20-18)
  • Con Nicolopoulos intending to run full ARCA schedule for Peterson: Con Nicolopoulos is feeling pretty good about the 2018 racing season. And why not, the Columbus, Michigan driver finished 18th at Daytona. Not bad for an under-budgeted team with no full-time employees. "We didn't put a scratch on the car," said Nicolopoulos. "We were very fortunate. Looking forward to taking the same composite car to Talladega. But, right now, it's the only composite car we've got. Hopefully, the team can put another one together before the year's out." For the last two consecutive years,  Nicolopoulos, who drives for Wayne Peterson, has indeed been a significant part of the series, finishing just outside the top-10 ARCA national championship driver standings, 11th in 2016 and again in '17. But the racing gig is only a hobby. The father of three works full-time as a mechanical/electrical engineer for Chrysler near Detroit, Michigan. His goal is to again run the full ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards tour. "That's our intention. It really depends on what Wayne (Peterson) wants to do. I think we're trying to run at least through MIS, and take it from there; but I absolutely want to run the full season. It depends on sponsors. Daytona was so much fun... the car ran good. I screwed up in the beginning... lost the draft. We fell back to 27th, got lucky with cautions, kept ourselves out of trouble and was able to draft with some guys and get up to 18th." Nicolopoulos, in the No. 0 Dodge, is one of two entries received from Peterson Motorsports for the Music City 200 at Nashville April 7. Mark Meunier, of Louisville, Ky., is also entered in the No. 06 Peterson Motorsports Ford. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-20-18)
  • Thad Moffitt; Empire Racing Group files Nashville entry: Thad Moffitt, the grandson of "The King" Richard Petty, is the first driver to file an entry for the next ARCA event, the Music City 200 at Fairgrounds Nashville Speedway coming Saturday, April 7. The Trinity, N.C. fourth-generation driver made his ARCA Racing Series debut last year at Nashville, finishing 16th in the 32-car field. Moffitt made two other ARCA starts in 2017, finishing a career-best 11th at Lucas Oil Raceway. Moffitt also participated in ARCA's open test at Daytona Int'l Speedway in January, 2018. Moffitt, 17, is entered at Nashville in the Empire Racing-prepared No. 46 Performance Plus Chevrolet. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-11-18)
  • Jim Tretow and Bob Dillner to call MAVTV races: Officials from MAVTV announced that veteran motorsports broadcasters Bob Dillner and Jim Tretow will call the action for  the ARCA Racing Series on MAVTV in 2018. Coverage begins Saturday night, April 7 from Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tenn. MAVTV and ARCA jointly announced a multi-year broadcast rights agreement under which ARCA Racing Series events will be televised on MAVTV through the 2019 racing season. MAVTV aired 10 ARCA race events in 2017, and will increase that number to 12 in 2018. Eleven of the 12 events will air live on MAVTV, including the networks first ever superspeedway telecast from Michigan International Speedway June 8. Dillner is a 21-year veteran broadcaster who has covered all forms of motorsports from NASCAR and Indy Car to NHRA and Monster Jam. Tretow's involvement in ARCA goes back to 1993 when he and Ray Dunlap shared broadcast duties for ARCA races on the PASS and Prime Networks. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (03-11-18)
  • Toni Breidinger joins Venturini Motorsports for three races: 18-year California native, Toni Breidinger, has joined Venturini Motorsports and will make three driving appearances during the 2018 ARCA Racing Series season. Breidinger, USAC's all-time winningest female driver with 14 pavement victories, will make her ARCA debut at Madison International Speedway on June 15. Joining an already dynamic team driver lineup, Breidinger's will race in three consecutive ARCA events including Gateway Motorsports Park (June 22) and Chicagoland Speedway (June 28). With her sights set on becoming a successful driver at NASCAR's highest level, Breidinger began her career behind the wheel of a go-kart at the age of 9. Progressing with age and moving up the ranks, Breidinger began racing midget cars in USAC. In 2014 and 2015 she placed 2nd overall in USAC's Speed 2 Western U.S. Pavement Midget Series driver standings. After a breakout year she went on to claim the 2016 Speed 2 Western U.S. Pavement Midget Series Championship. "I'm definitely expecting to learn a lot. It's going to be a huge learning experience, but I'm very excited and more than ready to take on the challenge racing in the ARCA series this season," said Breidinger. (In part from Venturini Motorsports PR) (03-02-18)