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

February 2022

  • ARCA official Earl Bonner passes away: Earl Bonner, whose wide-ranging motorsports career spanned across six decades, featuring lengthy leadership officiating roles with the ARCA Menards Series and at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways, passed away Thursday, Feb. 24, following a critically severe stroke in late December at his long-time home in Lincoln Park, Michigan. He was 81. An Alabama native, Bonner’s 50-year-plus career in the sport began when he was in his 20s, as an engine builder then car owner. Prior to his full-time employment in racing, Earl Bonner was a CDL truck driver for Associated Truck Lines, where he delivered auto parts to Detroit-area high performance companies, including General Kinetics, RJS Safety Equipment and Diamond Racing Products. During his successful tenure as a car owner, Bonner began his career race officiating, specializing in engine inspection. He was the lead technical inspector for 20 years at Toledo Speedway and oversaw inspection for the Midwest touring super late model Iceman Series. He became the chief engine tech inspector for ARCA in the 1980s, and for decades managed engine inspection for as many as 70 cars per race, earning him respect in both the ARCA and NASCAR garages. He also drove the series official transporter, and at race time worked the pit road “stop and go” position. A key figure in the logistical layout of the ARCA garage area at widely varying track venues where the series raced, he was known for his meticulous requirements for placement of race team and supplier haulers, inspection flow and coordinating race car traffic between the garage and the racetrack. He celebrated his 81st birthday working the 2021 ARCA Menards Series championship race weekend in October at Kansas Speedway. Bonner fell ill as he was preparing to travel to Daytona for the ARCA Menards Series season-opener, his 50th in ARCA. Earl Bonner is survived by his wife of 61 years, Treasure Bonner, and daughter Lisa Bonner. (In part from ARCARacing.com) (02-25-22)
  • Corey Heim wins Lucas Oil 200 Daytona pole: #20 Corey Heim won the pole for Saturday's Lucas Oil 200 after group qualifying. #55 Gus Dean, #15 Parker Chase, #44 Mason Diaz, and #29 Sean Corr completed the top-five. The season opening race is scheduled to begin at 1:30 PM ET and will be televised live on FOX Sports 1. MRN will provide radio coverage and live timing and scoring will be available on ARCA's official website. Full Starting Lineup (02-18-22)
  • Greg Van Alst plans to attempt full ARCA schedule: On the heels of turning the fastest lap in ARCA Menards Series preseason testing at Daytona last month, driver Greg Van Alst has confirmed his team’s intention to attempt a full ARCA Menards Series schedule in 2022. While additional partners are welcomed to help solidify the team’s commitment to running the full 20-race schedule beginning this weekend at Daytona, Van Alst and his current marketing partner CB Fabricating have committed to each other to attempt to pursue a championship in hopes of making it to the checkered flag of the season at Toledo Speedway in October. “This is a huge step for our team,” said Van Alst who returned to the ARCA Menards Series scene last February at Daytona after a 19-year absence. “We have all intentions of doing our best to start the year at Daytona and end the year at Toledo Speedway. We have purchased several race cars during the offseason and made some additional enhancements within our program since Kansas Speedway in October in hopes to be in a position to chase a championship.” (In part from Greg Van Alst Motorsports PR) (02-18-22)
  • Bret Holmes Racing returns to ARCA for partial schedule; signs Connor Mosack: Bret Holmes Racing announced today they will field a part-time entry in the ARCA Menards Series with drivers Bret Holmes and Connor Mosack. The Mooresville, N.C., -based team will continue to run the No. 23 Chevrolet SS in the ARCA Menards Series. Shane Huffman will return as crew chief for both Holmes and Mosack this season. “I’m looking forward to what this season holds,” said Huffman. “This team has worked hard over the off season to prepare for the upcoming year. We’re excited to run more (NASCAR Camping World) Truck Series races this year with Bret (Holmes). We grew a lot as a team last year, and we’re going to build on that this season. We’re happy to welcome Connor (Mosack) on board for this year. It’s going to be fun to work with him in the ARCA (Menards) Series.” Holmes is slated to compete in three ARCA Menards Series events this season with BHR. A tentative schedule includes Talladega Superspeedway, Nashville Fairgrounds and Michigan International Speedway. Mosack is slated to compete in 10 ARCA Menards Series events this season, beginning with Phoenix Raceway next month. (In part from Bret Holmes Racing PR) (02-16-22)
  • Max Gutiérrez competing at Daytona with Rette Jones Racing: [Max] Gutiérrez will make his ARCA Menards Series debut at the famed Daytona International Speedway driving the No. 32 TOUGHBUILT | Rette Jones Racing car. “There aren’t words to describe what the Daytona race will mean to me,” sounded Gutiérrez. “Daytona I feel like is every race car driver’s dream and mine is coming true. Our No. 32 TOUGHBUILT car was fast in preseason testing and I think we’ll be easily able to back up the speed throughout practice and qualifying. I can’t predict what will happen in the race, but I will do my best to execute a flawless race. While the tracks are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, you must be in a place to finish first. I cannot thank TOUGHBUILT, TekNekk, Distributed Ledger Inc. (DLI) and GoGig enough for their support of these two races.” (In part from Rette Jones Racing PR) (02-15-22)
  • Christian Rose joins Cook Racing Technologies for Daytona: Christian Rose is still a relatively new name on the ARCA Menards Series scene, but the driver of the No. 42 West Virginia Tourism Chevrolet for Cook Racing Technologies is focused on building himself into a household name throughout the 2022 season. Rose, a former Division 1 baseball player for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore has traded the glove and bat in for a steering wheel and helmet and sets his sight on making noise on the race track in a diverse 2022 schedule that will include competition in the premier ARCA Menards Series and the regional touring ARCA Menards Series East.“I’m really excited about 2022,” said Rose. “This is the year where I am focused on taking all my experience and applying it into results for West Virginia Tourism and Cook Racing Technologies. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that will allow me to race on a larger scale – but I must perform." Saturday afternoon’s Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire will be Rose’s inaugural debut in the premier ARCA Menards Series. In January, Rose boasted a time inside the top-five on the second day of preseason testing giving him the confidence that his superspeedway debut has the potential to be memorable. “Daytona is such a huge blessing, you really don’t understand,” he said. “Our preseason test went really well and Bruce (Cook) and the team went through our No. 42 West Virginia Tourism Chevrolet with a fine-tooth comb to make sure we can unload for practice on Thursday afternoon in a good place." (In part from Christian Rose Racing PR) (02-14-22)
  • Kyle Busch Motorsports fielding full time ARCA entry; Sammy Smith to drive: Kyle Busch Motorsports announced today that the organization will field a full-time ARCA Menards Series entry in 2022 with Sammy Smith as the driver for the majority of the events and TMC Transportation continuing their partnership with the 2021 ARCA Menards Series East champion as the primary partner on his No. 18 Toyota Camry. The 17-year-old Iowa native returns to KBM, where he raced the No. 51 Super Late Model in 2020. Smith captured the ARCA Menards Series East title last season after producing three wins, one pole, 396 laps led and seven top-five finishes resulting in an average finish of 4.3 across eight races. In ARCA Menards Series action, he produced two top-five finishes and an average finish of 8.3 across three starts, including a runner-up finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in September. KBM will be fielding an entry in the ARCA Menards Series for the first time in its history. The organization holds NASCAR Camping World Truck Series records for most career wins (90) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record seven Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers: Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017). “We’re looking forward to having an expanded role within the Toyota Racing Development program in 2022 and being reunited with Sammy,” Busch said. “He was able to win multiple races and a championship in the East Series last year, and we’re confident that he’ll be able to continue his winning ways this year.” (In part from ARCARacing.com) (02-10-22)