Category: ARCA

Driver of Mobil 1 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing Earns Second Straight Top-Five

Date: Saturday, May 6
Event: Dawn 150
Series: ARCA Menards Series
Location: Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (1.5-mile oval)
Length: 100 laps (150 miles)
Start/Finish: 2nd / 4th (Running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Race Winner: Jesse Love of Venturini Motorsports (Toyota)

Overview:

Connor Mosack kept the momentum going in his second ARCA Menards Series start of 2023. The 24-year-old racer from Charlotte, North Carolina, finished fourth in the Dawn 150 Saturday at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City after securing a second-place starting spot in the 100-lap race around the 1.5-mile oval. It marked another strong qualifying and race performance for Mosack as he took the pole in the ARCA season opener on Feb. 18 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway before finishing second. The Dawn 150 was Mosack’s 15th career ARCA start, but only his second with Joe Gibbs Racing, the powerhouse organization that won back-to-back ARCA owners’ titles in 2021 and 2022. Mosack’s Kansas performance bodes well for his next ARCA start May 26 at another intermediate-style oval – the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway. In his one and only start at Charlotte last May, Mosack started fifth and finished fourth.

Connor Mosack driver of the No. 18 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

“I felt like we were really good on long runs, especially the first half of the race. We started running ‘em back down – we just lost so much ground to them on the starts, and I think I could’ve done a better job managing that and driving through it a little better. We tried to tighten up the car a little bit to help with that, but it ended up hurting us too much on the long runs. We still lost some ground on the initial restarts and we couldn’t get it back after that. That’s a little frustrating because I think we had a better car than that. If we had been on the pole and gotten out front, we would’ve had clean air and been in better shape to hold our position. But I definitely learned a lot and am looking forward to getting back with these guys at Charlotte.”

Notes:

● Since making his first ARCA Menards Series start at Kansas with an 11th-place drive on Oct. 23, 2021, Mosack has improved his finishing position each time he has returned to 1.5-mile oval. He finished fifth last May and bettered it in the Dawn 150 with a fourth-place result.

● Mosack’s fourth-place finish marked his 11th top-10 in 15 career ARCA starts.

● This was the second of six ARCA races where Mosack will drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023. Joe Gibbs Racing won the ARCA owners’ title in 2021 with Ty Gibbs and again last year with Drew Dollar and Sammy Smith splitting driving duties.

Next Up:

Mosack will be in a Super Late Model May 16 at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway and again May 25 at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. He returns to the ARCA Menards Series May 26 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway with Joe Gibbs Racing and races for a third straight day on May 27 when he competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte with Sam Hunt Racing.

DOVER, Del. (April 29, 2023) – Jake Finch missed his high school prom to race at Dover Motor Speedway on Saturday.

As a reward for that sacrifice, he’s bringing a new friend back to his Florida home – a Monster Trophy.

Finch survived a thrilling green-white-checkered finish to clinch his first ARCA Menards Series East victory in the General Tire 125 at the Monster Mile.

“It was awesome,” Finch said. “I can’t believe it. There’s going to be a party in Panama City tonight.”

Finch, 17, driving the No. 20 Toyota for Venturini Motorsports, outdueled Landen Lewis over the final two laps.

“It really means a lot to me,” said Finch. “It’s great to be in Victory Lane, especially at Dover.”

While Finch finished sixth in this race last year, Lewis was making his Monster Mile debut.

“We were so close,” Lewis said. “We were right there at the end.”

Lewis finished second, Luke Fenhaus placed third, with William Sawalich in fourth and Lavar Scott in fifth.

Dover’s NASCAR tripleheader weekend concludes Sunday with the Würth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race (1 p.m., FS1, PRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio).

For tickets, call 800-441-RACE to discuss your options with an account representative or visit DoverMotorSpeedway.com.

Tickets for kids 12 and under (with a paying adult) start at just $10 on Sunday.

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Pinnacle Racing Group (PRG) | ARCA Menards Series East
Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway | General Tire 125

Fast Facts
No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Team:
Driver: Luke Fenhaus
Primary Partner(s): Chevrolet
Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Crew Chief: Shane Huffman
Spotter: Lorin Ranier
Chassis Intel: PRG Chassis No. 501
Engine: Ilmor Engineering
Driver Championship Point Standings: Second (-7)
Team Championship Point Standings: Second (-7)

Notes of Interest:

Inaugural Journey: Pinnacle Racing Group (PRG), a new Motorsports team continues its inaugural journey with this weekend’s General Tire 125 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.

PRG has built a solid foundation to compete in the ARCA Menards Series East in its first season of competition. The team has named Luke Fenhaus as the driver and veteran crew chief Shane Huffman to lead the No. 28 Chevrolet team.

The team will compete for the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East championship, as well as compete in select premier ARCA Menards Series events throughout the year.

Meet Luke: With a long line of racing history, it’s no surprise he found success at a young age. Now, at 18, Fenhaus’ name is among the elite young, up-and-coming talents on the short tracks of America with eyes set solely on success both on the track and off.

Fenhaus, a Chevrolet development driver and under the tutelage of respected Motorsports scout Lorin Ranier has quickly gained notoriety for his on-track performance which includes the 2021 ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year, pole sitter and winner of the 2021 historic Supply Zone Slinger Nationals at Slinger (Wisc.) Speedway and the 2021 Kulwicki Driver Development Program champion.

And his success doesn’t stop there.

Fenhaus¸18, received a “Golden Ticket” to compete in the nationally-televised Superstar Racing Experience (SRX Series) after his triumph at Slinger Speedway. He capitalized on the opportunity, finishing second behind IndyCar winner Marco Andretti but finished ahead of Motorsports icons Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Greg Biffle, Bill Elliott, Helio Castroneves, Paul Tracy and Michael Waltrip.

The PRG Brand: Headquartered in Mooresville, N.C., Pinnacle Racing Group (PRG) is a professional multifaceted Motorsports team specializing in providing productive and fulfilling careers for team members, while also being a leader in on-track performance and driver development primarily in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series (NAAPWS) and the ARCA Menards Series (AMS).

Super Debut: The ARCA Menards Series East returns to competition for the first time since their season-opener at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway on March 25.

In the Pensacola 200, Fenhaus in his ARCA platform debut showcased the team’s ability by qualifying his No. 28 Chevrolet | Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet third and utilized the 200 laps to challenge for the win but ultimately settling for second behind race winner William Sawalich.

To The Point(s): Entering Dover, Fenhaus sits second in the championship standings.

Just seven points separate him from first in the championship standings currently held by William Sawalich with seven races remaining this season.

Pinnacle Racing Group’s No. 28 team also secures second in the ARCA Menards Series East owner standings.

PRG Minute: In addition to their full-time ARCA Menards Series program, PRG is also fielding an entry in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway for teenager Landon S. Huffman.

Huffman, a rookie in the Late Model division and the PRG team will seek their second win of the season on April 29.

In just his second race of the season, Huffman stormed to Victory Lane on March 11, 2023.

Sponsor Intel: Chevrolet will serve as the primary marketing partner on Fenhaus’s No. 28 Chevrolet this weekend at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020.

Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heartbeat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value.

More information on Chevrolet models can be found at chevrolet.com.

ARCA East at Dover Motor Speedway: After a month break, the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East season resumes Friday afternoon with a trip to Dover Motor Speedway for the running of the General Tire 125.

Friday’s 125-lap event at the one-mile concrete oval marks the 33rd time the ARCA Menards Series East has visited Dover Motor Speedway. The inaugural East Series event at the track was held in 1987 and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin.

Additional East Series events at Dover have been won by a number of notable names, including Michael Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Harry Gant, Jimmy Spencer, Andy Santerre, Aric Almirola, Brett Moffitt, Bubba Wallace, Corey LaJoie, Austin Hill, Harrison Burton and Ty Gibbs.

Taylor Gray is the most recent winner in the ARCA Menards Series East competition at Dover Motor Speedway during the 2022 season.

Calling The Shots: Guiding Fenhaus as crew chief of the No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet is veteran Shane Huffman.

Huffman joined Pinnacle Racing Group at the end of the 2022 racing season after an instrumental tenure at Bret Holmes Racing.

With over 98 combined starts as crew chief in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Xfinity Series, Huffman has two wins, 24 top-five and 44 top-10 finishes, including a third-place finish most recently at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway with Bret Holmes in October 2022.

In addition to NASCAR, Huffman is the 2020 premier ARCA Menards Series championship crew chief.

Dover will officially mark Huffman’s eighth career race under the ARCA East banner.

Follow on Social Media: For more on Luke Fenhaus, please visit lukefenhausracing.com, like him on Facebook (LukeFenhausRacing) and follow him on Instagram (@superluke04) and Twitter (@luke_fenhaus).

For more on Pinnacle Racing Group, please like them on Facebook (Pinnacle Racing Group) and follow them on Instagram (@RacePRG) and Twitter (@RacePRG).

Luke Fenhaus Quoteboard:

On Dover Motor Speedway: “It seems like forever since I’ve been behind the wheel of the No. 28 Chevrolet | Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet. We had such a strong debut at Five Flags Speedway and I am hoping we can continue that momentum at Dover Motor Speedway this weekend.

“They do not call Dover “The Monster Mile” for nothing, so I’ve been adequately preparing myself on how to tackle the race track. I know it’s a very fast race track with little room for error, but I believe that with Shane’s (Huffman, crew chief) leadership and Lorin (Ranier, spotter) guidance, we are going to have a satisfying race.

“Our goal is to hopefully leave Dover as close to the points lead as possible and have a strong result that will put us in a good place for the Nashville Fairgrounds in a few weeks.”

On 2023 Season Outlook: “There has been so much effort put into the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East season and honestly, I am so excited about it. I cannot thank everyone on the Pinnacle Racing Group team enough for the opportunity and for taking a chance on me to lead them in the inaugural year.

“I believe we will exceed everyone’s expectations and not only will we challenge for race wins, but we will achieve them and contend for the 2023 ARCA East championship too.”

Race Information:

The General Tire 125 (125 laps | 125 miles) is the second of eight races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East schedule. Practice begins for the one-day show on Friday, April 28th from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ARCA Menards Series East General Tire pole qualifying will begin at 2:10 p.m. The event will take the green flag just after 5:30 p.m. with live streaming coverage on FloRacing and taped delay coverage on CNBC on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. ET. All event times are local (ET).

The 2022 General Tire Spirit Award will be presented to long-time ARCA Menards Series West team owner and West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame member Bob Bruncati during the series’ first of two scheduled visits to Irwindale Speedway on April 1. Bruncati will receive a unique commemorative General Tire helmet, a check for $2,500, and a second check for $2,500 will be given to The City of Hope Medical Center, a charity chosen by the Bruncati family.

“At General Tire, we’ve been fortunate enough to play a small role in two of the four of Sunrise Ford Racing’s ARCA Menards Series West championships,” said Adam Keiser, content specialist for General Tire. “Bob Bruncati’s dedication to the series, and his knack for finding and supporting young drivers are just a few of the reasons we crowned him this year’s General Tire Spirit Award winner. Bob truly exemplifies why we created this award, and we wish him all the best in retirement.”

Bruncati started his career in motorsports owning a super late model which competed regularly at Irwindale. From there, the team expanded into the West Series in 2006, accumulating 346 starts and 40 wins among 12 different drivers.

Bruncati’s Sunrise Ford Racing team – named for the automotive dealerships he and his wife Maureen owned – earned four West championships, the first with Jason Bowles in 2009, then two with Derek Thorn in 2013 and 2018, and the final title in his final season as a West owner in 2022 with Jake Drew at the wheel.

Bowles led the way for Bruncati with nine wins, followed by Thorn with seven, Ryan Partridge with five, Drew with four, Blaine Perkins with three, James Bickford, Dylan Lupton, Michael Self, Trevor Huddleston, and Tanner Reif with two each, and Luis Martinez and Jagger Jones both with a single victory apiece.

Bruncati will continue in the sport with his Junior Late Model initiative, advancing opportunities for youth racers throughout southern California.

The General Tire Spirit Award is presented annually to a recipient who displays dedication to and support of ARCA, is uplifting by example, and by such actions earns the respect of the community, displays perseverance in the face of adversity, and maintains a supportive, helpful, and positive attitude even under duress.

Previous winners of the General Tire Spirit Award include Darrell Basham, Jack Bowsher, Andy Hillenburg, Kerry Scherer, Bill Kimmel, Brad Smith, and in 2021, Sarah Burgess. Burgess, along with her husband Adam and their family, relocated from Brisbane, Australia, to compete in a variety of motorsports in the United States, including the ARCA Menards

Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway

No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota Camry News and Notes:

SAWALICH AT FIVE FLAGS: William Sawalich will be making first ARCA Menards Series East (AMSE) start at Five Flags Speedway this weekend. The Toyota development driver is well-acquainted with the short track having three wins on his resume – a pro late model win in both 2021 and 2022 and a super late model win in 2022. This Saturday’s race will kick off the AMSE season as Sawalich competes for the 2023 AMSE championship.

LAST TIME OUT: Sawalich had an impressive ARCA Menards Series (AMS) debut at Phoenix Raceway on March 10. The 16-year-old qualified on the pole for his first race on the track and led a race-high 94 laps. On lap 55, the No. 18 spun, but did not receive any damage. Sawalich quickly charged back through the field and regained the lead. The caution flag flew near the end of the race to force a green-white-checkered finish. Sawalich restarted first in the inside lane and was spun in the dog leg coming to the white flag, resulting in a 13th-place finish.

2023 ARCA SEASON: Sawalich will run 20 races in the No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota Camry. He will compete for the AMSE Championship and the AMS Owner’s Championship for the No. 18.

JGR AT FIVE FLAGS: Joe Gibbs Racing has one previous win at Five Flags Speedway. That win came in the 2021 AMSE race with Sammy Smith behind the wheel.

FOLLOW ALONG: Follow along for updates and a behind-the-scenes look at Sawalich’s 2023 season.
Twitter: @WilliamSawalich I Facebook: William Sawalich I Instagram: @williamsawalich

RACE INFO: The AMSE Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway is scheduled for 9:00 PM EST on Saturday, March 25. The race will be broadcast live on FloRacing.

From the Driver’s Seat:

William Sawalich: “I’m excited to go race at Five Flags Speedway this weekend. It’s a track I feel comfortable at and think we have a good chance at a win. The No. 18 was fast at Phoenix and I know that the guys will bring a good car to Pensacola too. This weekend will be a good weekend to get ARCA East points and get started on the right foot to go chase a championship the rest of the year.”

Sawalich’s 2023 ARCA Menards Series Stats:

Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	Poles	Laps Led	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
1	0	0	0	1	94	1.0	13.0

About Starkey:

Starkey is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Founded by Bill Austin in 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development, and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey is the only American-owned provider of hearing technologies. The company has more than 5,000 employees, operates 29 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide. Learn more at starkey.com.

About SoundGear:
Founded in 2010, SoundGear represents the latest advancements in hearing protection. SoundGear hearing protection and enhancement products are ideal for hunting, competitive shooting, law enforcement, construction, heavy industry, concerts and events, garages, motorsports, and much more. SoundGear engineers products that provide 100% digital sound enhancement to deliver superior environmental awareness, while still protecting your hearing. SoundGear products are manufactured by Starkey, a global leader in hearing technology and premier provider in hearing health care headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

About Joe Gibbs Racing:

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR with four NASCAR Cup Series teams, three NASCAR Xfinity Series teams, and a driver development program. JGR is based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Joe Gibbs, who also earned his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was named as one of the NFL’s top 10 coaches of all-time with a winning career that included three Super Bowl Championships as head coach of the Washington franchise. JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning five Cup Series championships and six Xfinity Series owner’s championships, along with more than 350 NASCAR races, including four Brickyard 400s and four Daytona 500s.

SPEEDWAY, IN (March 21, 2023) – Indiana Owned, an organization dedicated to supporting Indiana businesses to create healthy, thriving local communities will be represented for the full season in the ARCA Menards Series East as a supporter for Zachary Tinkle as he races in the #11 car for Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing team.

Zachary Tinkle Racing has been a proud member of Indiana Owned ever since learning about the organization a few years ago. When Tinkle thought he wasn’t going to race again due to a family misfortune in 2021, Mel McMahon Stone, Co-Founder of Indiana Owned, was one of the first to step up to keep Zachary in a race car by rallying the local communities.

In talking about his relationship with Indiana Owned, Tinkle reflected, “I’ve always believed in the mission and vision of Indiana Owned and appreciate how they support local. I appreciate Mel and am honored to promote all of the hard-working members of Indiana Owned that are the backbone of local Indiana economies.”

Mel McMahon Stone, Co-Founder of Indiana Owned, noted, “Indiana Owned is proud to support our member Zachary Tinkle and is honored that he is representing us. He is a true professional in all aspects of racing with an extremely engaged fan base. His commitment to his dream is unwavering and we are so happy we can be a small part of helping his dream come true.”

Tinkle’s first race of the season will be on March 25, 2023 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida in the NASCAR® owned ARCA Menards series. More supporter announcements will be made at later dates.

About Indiana Owned
Indiana Owned is on a mission to help you identify and support local businesses faster and easier! Indiana Owned members are business owners who want you to know they live, work, and play here. They are the business owners donating food to shelters, sponsoring the little league teams and employing hundreds of thousands of people in our state. Every business on IndianaOwned.com falls into one of two categories. They are either an “Original,” meaning the company is Indiana-owned and operated, headquartered here and not part of an out-of-state chain, or they are a “Franchise Friend,” meaning the franchise is Indiana-owned and operated, the owner lives here in Indiana and is engaged in our community. Learn more at indianaowned.com.

About Zachary Tinkle
Zachary Tinkle is a professional race car driver in NASCAR®’s ARCA Menards series competing for the ARCA Menards East title in the #11 car for Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing. Tinkle’s accomplishments include two late model championships in 2019 at Anderson Speedway (along with Rookie of the Year) and in the CRA Series. His positive attitude has also won him Most Popular Driver and Sportsman of the Year honors. Through the Zachary Tinkle Foundation, he supports pets, vets, and other need that needs to be met.

Riverside, IL (March 14, 2023) – AmericanAssociation of Pet Parents is once again kicking in high gear to make the world a kinder, safer, more beautiful place for animals and the people who love them by extending its relationship with Zachary Tinkle and the Zachary Tinkle Foundation. Tinkle will be racing the 2023 season with Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing in the ARCA Menards East series.

AAPP and Tinkle partnered last year to support pet shelters and keep pets with their parents through their Lap 4 Love program and activations. One successful activation included making a stop with the Racing for Rescues trailer at Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter in Alabama prior to Tinkle’s race in Talladega.

CEO of AAPP, Tom Van Winkle noted, “We can’t thank Zachary, the Zachary Tinkle Foundation and the entire ZT team for their efforts in helping with our shared mission of helping animals in need. Pet’s touch the lives of people across generations, professions and hobbies, making Zachary’s dedication to keeping his fans informed about the important messages of his foundation and AAPP even more vital to making progress towards a society which values the wellbeing of all living creatures, human and non-human alike.”

In reflecting on the partnership with American Association of Pet Parents, Tinkle said, “AAPP was one of the first to support my vision with Racing for Rescues when we created the Zachary Tinkle Foundation. All of my pugs have been rescue dogs and brought so much joy and companionship to my family. I want to make sure all pets have a loving home and help support the people that adore and care for them. Economic status should not be a deterrent to families having a pet that is part of their family.”

Tinkle’s first race of the season will be held March 25, 2023, at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida in the NASCAR® owned ARCA Menards series. Prior to the race, Tinkle will be attending Global Pet Expo and is available with the American Association of Pet Parents Executives for meetings.

About Zachary Tinkle

Zachary Tinkle is a professional race car driver in NASCAR®’s ARCA Menards series competing for the ARCA Menards East title in the #11 car for Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing. Tinkle’s accomplishments include two late model championships in 2019 at Anderson Speedway (along with Rookie of the Year) and in the CRA Series. His positive attitude has also won him Most Popular Driver and Sportsman of the Year honors. Through the Zachary Tinkle Foundation, he supports pets, vets, and other need that needs to be met.

About AAPP

The American Association of Pet Parents™ (AAPP) is a national animal welfare nonprofit dedicated to keeping pets happy, healthy and at home – and out of animal shelters. AAPP relies on 4 Core Pillars: Feed the Hungry, Help the Sick, Fight Disease and Get Lost Pets Home.

Our mission is to keep pets happy, healthy, and in their loving homes, by providing expert, reliable resources and information that protect and celebrate the human-animal bond. The American Association of Pet Parents is a trusted source building a diverse, supportive community of pet parents to make the world a kinder, safer, more beautiful place for animals and the people who love them, keeping them out of the sheltering system.

To find out more about their lifesaving programs and how you can help, visit AAPP to learn more.