AVONDALE, Ariz.: The past three weeks have been a blur for Greg Van Alst.

But all for a very good reason.

The ARCA Menards Series winner of the BRANDT 200 Supporting Florida FFA at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway has been embracing what seems like a never-ending list of media requests, a busy cell phone with non-stop calls, a loaded inbox full of emails and a race car sitting in his Anderson, Ind. shop waiting to be built for Friday night’s General Tire 150 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

Positively but diligently, Van Alst has manned the requests, answered every call, put a time stamp on the emails and buttoned up the loose ends of his No. 35 Greg Van Alst Motorsports Ford Fusion – all with the determination to keep his points lead intact exiting Phoenix.

But, no matter what the ARCA Menards Series – ARCA Menards Series West combination event offers, nothing can steal the limelight of what Daytona delivered on February 18.

“Life has been great, busy but great,” said Van Alst. “Honestly, it doesn’t seem like I’ve had time to breathe, but I don’t mind. I’ll take that any day if we continue to put ourselves in contention to win races.

“Daytona was so good for our Greg Van Alst Motorsports team. We did it and we did it well. It wasn’t just about me though – it’s about every single person on this team from start to bottom who helped make the Daytona magic come to life.

“While I hate to put Daytona in the rear-view mirror, we have to shift our concentration forward as we prepare ourselves for a championship assault this season. Phoenix is on deck and we have a lot to be desired with our return trip to the desert.”

Last spring, Van Alst saw his chances of a top-10 finish evaporate after an early-race collision with another driver. And while the disappointing results were a setback for the team last season, the Anderson, Ind. native said he learned a lot himself from that situation that can put him in a much better position on Friday night.

“I feel like our race was over last March before it really even started,” Van Alst recalled. “I really enjoyed Phoenix as a veteran short track racer – and although we were not able to finish the race, I feel like the track time and situational awareness puts me in a good position for this weekend.

“We cannot afford to take any chances. It’s going to be another race with a big field of cars and some drivers I have never competed against, so I’ve really taken the last couple of days to think about what we need to do to survive Phoenix and look ahead to Talladega in April.”

Van Alst is poised to take a thoughtful approach to the 150 laps on Friday night and when the checkered flag waves – he hopes the momentum his team earned at Daytona will continue to flicker for the 26-hour journey home.

“We need to come out of Phoenix with a top-10, I feel like,” Van Alst explained. “I know that goal won’t come easy but with the dedication of my team and crew chief Jim Long, I really feel like we can take one spot at a time – mind our matters with our competition and see what 150 laps bring our way.”

For the second ARCA Menards Series race of the season, Van Alst does not have a primary partner on his No. 35 Ford Fusion. However, for Phoenix, he will promote SponsorTeam35.com, a website dedicated to offering potential marketing partners opportunities to pledge their support to the family-owned team during the course of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season.

“SponsorTeam35.com is a concept that I thought of before Daytona,” explained Van Alst. “After our success of pulling together nearly 20 companies to make our win happen there – I felt like launching this site early in the season was extremely important.

“The site is very simple and I believe easy to use and very self-explanatory. We had a lot of help for Daytona and we’ll have more help throughout the season – but there are plenty of races that are unsold and I’m hoping this platform will allow us to fill that space.”

Along with CB Fabricating, SponsorTeam35.com, did, however, attract some associate partners for Phoenix including Creative Solutions, Vern’s Concrete, Johnson Family Plumbing, Kamikaze Games YouTube Channel, Martin Exotics, Norton’s Transport, Riggins Renovation, Rhino Trucking, r/NASCAR and SLS.

Since 2002, Van Alst has 32 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit with a career-best finish of first (win) at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (Feb. 2023). Overall, he has earned three top-five and 15 top-10 finishes and holds an average series finish of 13.4. He finished a career-high fifth in the championship standings in 2022.

For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).

The General Tire 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the second of 20 races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Fri., Mar. 10 with a fifty-minute session from 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Group qualifying is set to follow at 4:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 6:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (MT).

Christian Rose ARCA Menards Series Phoenix Raceway General Tire 150 Race Preview

AM Racing | ARCA Menards Series

Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | General Tire 150

Fast Facts

No. 32 AM Racing Team:

Driver: Christian Rose

Primary Partner(s): West Virginia Tourism | Secure Testing Services

Manufacturer: Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London

Spotter: Tony Raines

Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. A-230

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Driver Championship Point Standings: 12th

Driver Rookie of the Year Standings: Sixth

Team Championship Point Standings: 12th

Notes of Interest:

Welcome Aboard: AM Racing returned to the ARCA Menards Series full-time in 2023 with Automobile Racing of America (ARCA) Rookie of the Year candidate Christian Rose behind the wheel of the team’s No. 32 Ford Mustang.

The 2023 ARCA Menards Series will mark the first time that AM Racing has competed full-time in the NASCAR-owned development series since Gus Dean drove for the organization during the 2018 season.

Meet Christian Rose: 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 has set achievable goals for his first full season of stock car competition aboard the team’s flagship No. 32 Ford Mustang.

Rose joins the Statesville, N.C.-based team on the heels of a limited ARCA schedule in 2022 competing in a series of races on ARCA’s platform with Cook Racing Technologies which was highlighted by a career-best seventh-place finish at Kansas Speedway last October.

Additionally, Rose earned two additional top-10 finishes at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway and Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway respectively.

Glad To Have You: To help steer Christian Rose and the AM Racing team towards a championship in 2023, the organization has recruited Ryan “Pickle” London to serve as crew chief of the No. 32 Ford Mustang this season.

London, a long-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series crew chief returns to AM Racing after spending the 2020 season with the team’s Truck Series program as the truck chief.

London has plenty of experience as a leader in the ARCA Menards Series, including guiding drivers Tom Hessert and Frank Kimmel to poles and leading Grant Enfinger to victories at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway and DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds in 2014.

In addition to the two wins as crew chief, the winning NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series crew chief has numerous ARCA top-fives and top-10 efforts to his credit.

Partner Support: The Department of West Virginia Tourism will serve as the primary marketing partner on Rose’s No. 32 Ford Mustang in Friday night’s General Tire 150.

The West Virginia Department of Tourism promotes West Virginia as a leading four-season travel destination and top state to live, work and retire.

Known as the Mountain State, West Virginia is one of the most scenic states in the United States and home to thousands of acres of parks and public lands, including America’s newest national park and 45 state parks and forests.

In addition to its majestic mountains and rolling hills, West Virginia is full of rich historic sites, enchanting art galleries, charming towns and an immense sense of belonging found only in its heaven-like landscapes.

Secured Partnership: In addition to the Department of West Virginia Tourism, Secure Testing Services (STS) will serve as a major associate marketing partner for the second of 20 races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series tour.

Secure Testing Services LLC. is a nationwide leader in on-site drug testing located in Richmond, Virginia.

Quite simply, STS provides customized assistance to your organization’s Human Resources and Safety teams in achieving their compliance goals.

Up-Close View: For the second ARCA Menards Series race of the 2023 season, Christian Rose and AM Racing thanks to partner Secure Testing Services will hoist an in-car camera for the General Tire 150.

Rose and Secure Testing Services will share the in-car camera with race partner General Tire for the 150-mile race.

The event from Avondale, Ariz. will mark the first time that Rose has carried an onboard camera in series competition.

Thanks For Your Support: With the start of the 2023 season underway, AM Racing and Christian Rose would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AIRBOX Air Purifier, Big Draft Brewing, Black Draft Farm & Distillery, Disability Opportunity Fund, Extreme Family Fitness, Flying Circle, Lopez Team, Mountaineer Rub, Mobil 1 and Whitetail Smokeless.

Helping The Cause: Through Rose’s partnership with partner Disability Opportunity Fund (DOF), the No. 32 AM Racing team will show support for IncrediBullStella and Stella’s Rescue Rehab for Friday night’s 150-lap race.

Stella’s Rescue Rehab (also known as IncredibullStella to their over 100k followers on social media) is a nonprofit 501c3 national advocacy organization that is focused on the pit bull dog breed.

Although its founder passed away of cancer in 2020, they continue to spread awareness for these loving and smart dogs in her memory, as well as fostering one dog at a time.

The Disability Opportunity Fund has generously made a significant financial contribution to Stella’s Rescue Rehab to assist with their operating costs this year.

Christian Rose ARCA Phoenix Raceway Stats: Friday night’s General Tire 150 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway will mark Rose’s third start at the 1.0-mile race track.

In his previous two efforts, the Martinsburg, WV native has maneuvered a track best of 21st achieved in November 2022.

Christian Rose ARCA National Series Stats: In nine career ARCA National Series starts, Rose has earned one top-10 finish (seventh at Kansas Speedway | October 2022), while also showcasing four top-20 finishes overall.

Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway | BRANDT 200 Supporting Florida FFA Race Recap: In the most recent ARCA Menards Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Rose and the AM Racing team came out of the box with a strong performance.

After qualifying his No. 32 Department of West Virginia Tourism | Secure Testing Services Ford Mustang 13th, Rose quickly drafted to the front and led his first laps of competition.

A late-race caution set up for a chaotic finish that saw Rose cleverly pick up several positions that earned the driver a 12th-place result at the checkered flag.

Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing) or follow them on Instagram and Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.

For more on Christian Rose, please like him on Facebook (Christian Rose Racing) or follow him on Instagram (@christianroseracing) and Twitter (@CRoseRacing).

Christian Rose Quoteboard:

On Phoenix Raceway: “After our solid showing at Daytona International Speedway, I am very optimistic about Friday night’s race at Phoenix Raceway. Without a doubt, I am hoping that the experience of two prior races at Phoenix will be beneficial on Friday night and we can collect a top-10 finish with our No. 32 Department of West Virginia Tourism | Secure Testing Services Ford Mustang.

“We just need another or lap or two and I thought we would have definitely had a top-10 finish, so we will try to finish what we started at Daytona with a strong result on Friday night.

“Pickle (Ryan London, crew chief) and the team have worked hard on this Phoenix car since Daytona and I can’t wait to climb in. I’m thankful to everyone, including my teammate Brett Moffitt for the continued support.”

On 2023 Season Outlook: “There’s a lot of hype and the AM Racing team has been extremely focused to make sure we are putting ourselves in a position to not only be competitive but also challenge for race wins and hopefully the championship too.

“I want to win a race this season. That’s a huge goal for me and I know with the great support of our partners, my team and myself – we are going to accomplish that goal.”

Race Information:

The General Tire 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the second of 20 races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Fri., Mar. 10 with a fifty-minute session from 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Group qualifying is set to follow at 4:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 6:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (MT).

ABOUT AM RACING:

AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.

Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.

The family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series in its seventh year of competition.

The team has named Brett Moffitt and Christian Rose as their primary drivers for the 2023 Xfinity and ARCA Menards Series seasons.

AVONDALE, Ariz.: After an impressive 11th-place performance in his ARCA Menards Series debut last month at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, global television, film star and professional motorsports athlete Frankie Muniz and his Rette Jones Racing (RJR) trek to Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway eyeing a top-10 finish in Friday night’s General Tire 150.

And while Daytona certainly brought a lot of attention to Muniz, Phoenix is bound to produce similar interest as the outskirts of the Avondale, Ariz. race track is considered home for the former Malcolm in the Middle television actor.

“It hasn’t been that long since I’ve been in a race car but it feels like an eternity,” said Muniz with a chuckle. “I had an absolute blast at Daytona with Mark (Rette, crew chief and co-owner) bringing me a very fast No. 30 HairClub Ford to contend with.

“We just missed a top-10 finish and while that was a huge bummer. An 11th-place finish to start my rookie season in ARCA Menards Series competition isn’t bad at all.”

While Muniz has yet to turn a professional lap on Phoenix’s one-mile oval, the local native has certainly spent several hours at the facility studying the track from an up close and personal perspective, while also studying film, photos and making laps on the simulator.

Muniz is hoping all the focus will pay dividends in his second career ARCA Menards Series start under the lights on March 10.

“When you race in your own backyard, you certainly want to put on a show,” added Muniz. “We have a lot of local support, not to mention some local marketing partners who jumped on board for this race, plus the nonstop support from the grandstands too.

“We are taking that same sturdy approach that we did at Daytona where we took our time, made the most of every lap turned and hope when the checkered flag waves on Friday night, we’re in a good spot.”

The Hot Chick, one of Phoenix’s premier restaurants will serve as the primary marketing partner on Friday night.

Nothing warms our heart like a little nostalgia. Groovy vibes, throwback jams, and a lineup of old-school video arcade games set the mood. Entertainment abounds with all of your favorite games, 30+ flat-screen TVs, a giant LED wall, a state-of-the-art audio-video system and the best local DJs.

They aim to bring together the best people in the Valley under one roof by offering an adult playground and unique escape in Old Town Scottsdale. Their food camper serves up fast-casual comfort food with an emphasis on fried chicken.

Juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, paired with house-made biscuits or sandwiched between a brioche bun – it’s a real winner-winner chicken dinner, especially when paired with an ice-cold beer or one of our specialty craft cocktails.

Let the good times roll!

“I really appreciate The Hot Chick and Republic Bank of Arizona for stepping up and supporting our race at Phoenix,” added Muniz. “The Hot Chick is one of the best eating establishments in town and with their relaxing upbeat atmosphere, I know we’re going to have a bunch more people rooting for us on Friday night.”

For former ARCA championship-winning crew chief Rette, he was extremely impressed with Muniz’s performance at Daytona and looks forward to seeing his attentiveness continue at Phoenix.

“Phoenix is a lot different than Daytona, but Frankie has been working hard for weeks trying to adequately prepare himself for Friday night. With the race being a combination race with the ARCA Menards Series West, there are going to be some new players that Frankie will have to battle with.

“But through the unknowns of Phoenix, I think Frankie will continue to showcase his ability as a race car driver and we can have another solid performance to kick off our 2023 season.”

For the 2023 ARCA season, Rette Jones Racing will continue its longtime partnership with Ford Performance but has upgraded its fleet to include the Ford Mustang continuing this weekend at Phoenix.

For more information, or to request an interview with Muniz, contact Athelo Group at adelara@athelogroup.com.

For more on Frankie Muniz please visit munizracing.com, like him on Facebook (FrankieMuniz4) and follow him on Instagram (@frankiemuniz4) and Twitter (@frankiemuniz).

For more on Rette Jones Racing, please visit RetteJonesRacing.com, like them on Facebook (Rette Jones Racing) or follow them on Instagram (@RetteJones30) and Twitter (@RetteJones30).

The General Tire 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the second of 20 races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Fri., Mar. 10 with a fifty-minute session from 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Group qualifying is set to follow at 4:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 6:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (MT).

About Rette Jones Racing:

Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, Rette Jones Racing (RJR) was founded in 2015 with the intent of building a successful racing operation built around the fundamentals of hard work and a never-give-up attitude.

Owned by racers Terry Jones and Mark Rette, RJR plans to field a full-time entry in 2023 in the ARCA Menards Series, while also planning to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series East respectively.

The winning ARCA team also offers technical and setup intel as part of its technical alliance partnership program.

PHOENIX, Ariz.: Young’s Motorsports confirmed today that Leland Honeyman Jr., will return to the organization and compete in Friday night’s ARCA Menards Series General Tire 150 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

Honeyman, a native of Phoenix, Ariz. returns to the Mooresville, N.C.-based team on the heels of finishing third in the 2022 ARCA Menards Series East standings, a seven-race series highlighted by a runner-up finish at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway after earning the General Tire pole award and leading 27 laps.

The 18-year-old driver is utilizing the 150-lap race which is a combination event for the premier ARCA Menards Series and the season-opening ARCA Menards Series West race as additional seat time ahead of his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the Avondale, Ariz. race track on Mar. 11 driving the No. 45 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing.

Klean Freak will join Honeyman as the primary partner of his No. 02 Chevrolet SS for his weekend of double-duty status.

Klean Freak offers body wipes that are perfect for when you are camping, hanging out in the great outdoors or just relaxing around the house. Klean Freak is the best of the best body wipes designed by cutting edge scientists.

“I am excited to be back with Young’s Motorsports this weekend at Phoenix Raceway,” said Honeyman Jr. “I had a great time being a part of the Young’s Motorsports family last year and look forward to the opportunity to capitalize on our strong performances from 2022.”

Honeyman began honing his racing skills at the tender age of two racing Quads. By four years old, he moved into Trophy Karts and then subsequently collected three series championships in off-road racing Trophy Karts.

After an instrumental tenure in Go Karts, he moved into Bandolero competition in 2015 and two years later was crowned a Bandolero National Champion. From there, he moved into Limited Late Models before graduating to the Carolina Pro Late Model Series division in 2021.

Before graduating to the ARCA Menards Series East last year, he exited the Carolina Pro Late Model Series scene after earning championship-runner-up honors and picked up an astounding victory in the annual Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway Fall Brawl.

This year, Honeyman, who also made his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut last fall with Young’s Motorsports at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway will run a partial Xfinity schedule for Alpha Prime.

“I’ve never been to Phoenix, but I cannot wait to get there,” added Honeyman. “This is probably the biggest weekend of my racing career with my Xfinity Series debut on deck. But, before all the concentration is poured on the Xfinity program, there is work to do in the ARCA garage and that is to be fast and competitive with our No. 02 Klean Freak Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet on Friday night.”

For more on Leland Honeyman Jr., please visit LelandHoneymanRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Leland Honeyman Racing) and follow on Instagram (@lelandhoneymanjr) and Twitter (@lelandhoneyman3).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports) and follow on Instagram (youngsmotorsports) and Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

The General Tire 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the second of 20 races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Fri., Mar. 10 with a fifty-minute session from 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Group qualifying is set to follow at 4:00 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 6:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 2 (FS2) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (MT).

Concord, NC- Rev Racing is ready for the second race of the ARCA Menards Series (AMS) and season opener for ARCA Menards Series West at Phoenix Raceway for the General Tire 150 where they will field two drivers, Andres Perez de Lara behind the No. 2 and Jack Wood behind the No. 6. Perez and Wood will take to the 1 mile long track on March 10th, 2023, for 150 laps. This will be the fourth time AMS takes to Phoenix Raceway since 2020, and the 50th time AMS West returns to this host track. The team is looking to capitalize on their momentum from the 2022 season after securing the AMS championship with driver Nick Sanchez, driving the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet.

Rev Racing collectively garnered 3 wins, 17 top 5’s and 30 top 10’s throughout the 2022 AMS season. Last week in the Daytona 200, Rev driver Lavar Scott finished 4th while Jack Wood was able to secure an 8th place finish, up 28 spots from his start at the beginning of the race.

This is the start of the season for Perez who, unfortunately, did not meet age requirements in Daytona. While this is Perez’s debut race with Rev Racing, he is no newcomer to the AMS. Perez has formerly raced at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2022, securing a top 10, and competed twice in the AMS West garnering two top 10s. Perez was also a Series Champion of the 2020 NASCAR Mikel’s Truck Series and the 2022 season champion of the NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series making him the youngest winner in the Series.

“I’m extremely excited to finally start this year’s season at Phoenix.” Said Perez de Lara. “The whole team has been working hard together and I believe we are ready for Phoenix where we should see good results from start to finish.” Perez seems calm and confident about the upcoming weekend.

The No. 6 WB/Velocity Racing Chevrolet will be piloted by Jack Wood as he comes off of a top 10 finish in Daytona. This will be Wood’s second race, out of seven, with Rev Racing for the season and his second time at Phoenix Raceway in the AMS. “I’m looking forward to heading to Phoenix,” said Wood. “It’s probably the track where I have the most experience and I think it’s a good way to break up the gaps in the Truck Series for me.” Wood went on to mention ‘home’ stating “I look forward to being back at a track that’s somewhat close to home and I’m ready to put together a good weekend.”

The General Tire 150 will serve as the season opener for the ARCA Menards Series West, offering points for both AMS West and AMS. Raising the stakes even higher, the winner of the 150 mile race will be credited for a win in both series. Perez and Wood are set to take the track for a final practice at 5:00 pm EST before qualifying starts an hour later. Perez and Wood will start their engines just before 8:00 pm EST.

About Rev Racing: Rev Racing seeks to obtain the highest quality applicants representing diverse backgrounds and develop them into successful NASCAR drivers. Started by Max Siegel in 2009, Rev Racing manages the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. Rev Racing currently operates and manages drivers in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, and a youth racing initiative.

The General Tire 150 is the second round of the 2023 season for the ARCA Menards Series, and it will also serve as the season-opener for the ARCA Menards Series West. The race will offer points for both, and the winner will be credited with a win in both series.

The race will be the fourth ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix Raceway dating to 2020. Previous winners include Chandler Smith, Ty Gibbs, and Taylor Gray.

Greg Van Alst leads the ARCA Menards Series championship point standings with 47 points based on his win in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Jesse Love, a two-time ARCA Menards Series West champion, is the next highest driver in the standings entered at Phoenix in seventh, ten points behind.

Hollywood superstar and Scottsdale resident Frankie Muniz will make his second career ARCA Menards Series start and his first at his home track. Muniz finished eleventh in his series debut at Daytona International Speedway in February.

The General Tire 150 will also be the 50th ARCA Menards Series West race at Phoenix Raceway. Previous winners include Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty, Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison, Ron Eaton, Bill Schmitt, Rich Woodland, Jr., Mike Wallace, Kevin Richards, Ken Schrader, Austin Cameron, Scott Lynch, David Gilliland, Burney Lamar, Andrew Myers, Joey Logano, Mike David, Jason Bowles, Eric Holmes, Greg Pursley, Ryan Blaney, David Mayhew, Michael Self, Gray Gaulding, Cole Custer, Nick Drake, Todd Gilliland, Ty Gibbs, Taylor Gray, and Sammy Smith.

The ARCA Menards Series track qualifying record was set in 2022 by Sammy Smith, who turned a lap at 26.912 seconds/133.769 miles per hour.

Smith also holds the ARCA Menards Series West track qualifying record, set last November, with a lap of 26.570 seconds/135.491 miles per hour.

Trevor Huddleston makes his return to the ARCA Menards Series West after running a partial schedule last season. The two-time West series winner will be driving for his father Tim who purchased the assets of reigning series championship owner Bob Bruncati’s Sunrise Racing Team in the off season.

William Sawalich will make his ARCA Menards Series debut in the General Tire 150. Sawalich will be driving for Joe Gibbs Racing with veteran crew chief Mark McFarland calling the shots.

Three drivers entered have scored their best previous ARCA Menards Series finish at Phoenix Raceway: Takuma Koga finished 13th in 2020, Todd Souza finished 8th in 2021, and Trevor Huddleston finished 10th in 2021.

Two drivers entered scored their best previous ARCA Menards Series West finish at Pheonix Raceway: Tyler Reif finished 12th and Ryan Roulette finished 22nd in November 2022.

The General Tire 150 is set for 8 pm ET/6 pm MT on Friday, March 10. The race will be televised live on FS2 and streamed live on the Fox Sports app. The race can also be heard on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide and on MRN.com.

CGS Imaging, one of America’s premier large format graphic printers and installers headquartered in Holland, Ohio, has extended its agreement with the ARCA Menards Series to serve as the entitlement sponsor of the CGS Imaging 4 Crown, a series within the overall series that celebrates ARCA’s diverse schedule.

The races that comprise the CGS Imaging 4 Crown in 2023 will include the April 22 race at Talladega Superspeedway, June 24 at Elko Speedway, July 7 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and August 20 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The tracks included represent the longest track on the schedule along with the shortest, a road course, and one of the two one-mile dirt ovals the series visits on an annual basis.

“We sincerely appreciate our partnership with CGS Imaging and the great products they deliver,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “From trackside banners and billboards to victory lane graphics and decals for the racecars, CGS Imaging delivers high-quality products and they deliver on time, every time.

“Chuck and Carol Stranc have been friends of ARCA for a long time. It’s terrific to renew our agreement and we look forward to working with them well into the future.”

“Our partnership with ARCA and the ARCA Menards Series has delivered for us on multiple levels,” Chuck Stranc, president and CEO of CGS Imaging, said. “We wanted to build our business in the motorsports world, both on a national and regional scale, and locally, and our relationship with ARCA has allowed us to do that.”

The CGS Imaging 4 Crown Championship dates to 1984 when future NASCAR Hall of Famer Davey Allison won the inaugural title. Since then, 26 other drivers have earned a 4 Crown championship, including series champions Lee Raymond, Tracy Leslie, Bob Keselowski, Bobby Bowsher, Bill Venturini, Tim Steele, Frank Kimmel, Bill Baird, Chris Buescher, Grant Enfinger, Chase Briscoe, Austin Theriault, Bret Holmes, and Ty Gibbs.

In 2022, overall series runner-up Daniel Dye earned the CGS Imaging 4 Crown title by just one point on the strength of a sixth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, fourth-place finish at Watkins Glen International, seventh at Springfield, and third in the finale at Salem Speedway.

For complete event information for all ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West races, including live timing & scoring throughout every on-track session, please visit ARCARacing.com. Follow ARCA on Twitter @ARCA_Racing for up-to-the-minute updates and news.

MOORESVILLE, N.C.: Pinnacle Racing Group (PRG), the newest organization to compete in the ARCA Menards Series East (AMSE) this season proudly announced today that the signing of reigning CARS Pro Late Model Tour champion and Rookie of the Year Luke Fenhaus to compete in the series’ full-time beginning with the season-opening race at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway on March 25th.

Fenhaus, a native of Wausau, Wisc. will drive the team’s No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet guided by team manager and crew chief Shane Huffman for the eight-race season that concludes on a national platform at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September alongside the premier ARCA Menards Series and an opener for the annual NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series fall event.

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 after winning the pole 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.

“I am extremely humbled by this opportunity to drive for Pinnacle Racing Group this season in the ARCA Menards Series East,” said Fenhaus. “Shane (Huffman) and the entire PRG team have spent the past several months building something special and I am the lucky driver that gets the opportunity to showcase that.

“I am extremely appreciative of Chevrolet for also giving me this opportunity to enhance my resume and compete in the ARCA Menards Series East. We have eight races. Eight opportunities to contend for the championship and eight chances to put our No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet in Victory Lane.”

Pinnacle Racing Group team spokesperson Mark Webb offered, “We are thrilled to welcome Luke to the PRG family. Over the past several years, he has strengthened his racing resume with numerous on-track achievements and championships.

“He is a perfect fit for our PRG foundation. We know he will not only represent us well on the track but off the track also. I look forward to the success Luke and Shane can showcase this season.”

Huffman, a respected crew chief across many NASCAR platforms and a championship-winning crew chief in the premier ARCA Menards Series is thrilled about the opportunity to work with Fenhaus and looks forward to the first chapter of Pinnacle Racing Group’s inaugural season being a successful one.

“I am excited about the opportunity to race with Luke,” said Huffman. “Luke has been on the radar of many over the past couple of years and I have watched him behind the scenes explode with his race craft and take his talent from a local level to a regional level and now we plan to expand his ability on a national level.

“We are excited about our first season of competition at Pinnacle Racing Group. Between our Late Model program with Landon (Huffman) and our ARCA entry with Luke, I believe we have an excellent opportunity to exceed our expectations and build a solid program for the future.”

Fenhaus is counting down the days to his arrival in Pensacola, Fla. for the Pensacola 200.

“This is going to be my toughest year of competition to this point, but with the support of the Pinnacle Racing Group, I am ready for it,” added Fenhaus. “I’m excited about the opportunity to compete at new tracks too. With my support system, I plan to stay focused on what’s ahead and build toward the future.

Fenhaus is the second driver to be announced this weekend at Pinnacle Racing Group. Earlier this week, the organization announced that teenager Landon S. Huffman will compete for the team in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series at the famed Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

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).

The Pensacola 200 (200 laps | 100 miles) is the first of eight races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East schedule. Practice begins for the one-day show on Saturday, March 25th from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying will begin a short time later at 4:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag just after 7:00 p.m. (8:00 p.m. ET) with live television coverage on FloRacing and taped delay coverage on the CNBC Network on April 2, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. ET. All event times are local (CT).

Mullins finishes 20th, Laster 27th in Daytona ARCA 200

Mullins Racing drivers Willie Mullins and Brayton Laster both survived a chaotic qualifying run and all 80 laps in Saturday’s Daytona ARCA 200 to score a 20th and 27th place respectively.

The ARCA Menards Series utilized group qualifying at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway on Friday afternoon. Mullins and Laster both qualified in the same group, and were the only two cars to escape an incident, triggered by mechanical problems on two other cars.

“Qualifying was a catastrophic, epic failure, just because, once again, we got the short end of the stick,” Mullins, who owns the cars driven by himself and Laster, said. “We didn’t get torn up but we were part of everybody else’s mess which put us toward the back of the field. With only two cars in our group, and we only got two laps at speed, it completely shot our chances to have a top-10 qualifying effort. We didn’t have a chance to have a good qualifying lap.”

Mullins and Laster both tried to work their way up through the field, often drafting together, but often found themselves either in the wrong line, or their momentum would be stalled as a handful of drivers played pinball toward the front of the pack.

“You get in the wrong line and, instead of going forward, we were going backward because of wrong line and wrong choices,” Mullins stated. “The line would get choked up. It was frustrating the whole time because we never got through where we were trying to get to go forward.”

Laster’s race played out the same as Mullins’ run.

“It was definitely a weekend that didn’t go the way we expected,” Laster said. “The Mullins Racing team prepared an awesome hot rod for me to go out there and run up front, but it just seemed like the race never went our way. We’d hope in one lane and fall back or just get a really badly timed caution.”

Despite the misfortune, Laster was relieved to be running at the end of the 80-lap, 200-mile race.

“We’re just going to kind of keep our heads up and move on,” Laster explained. “I don’t think there was anything out there I could’ve done different. It’s always a good thing when you can load up a racecar with minor damage after a superspeedway race like this. We’ll just take our losses and learn.”

The Daytona ARCA 200 was won by Greg Van Alst, an independent driver who made a handful of starts in 2002 before having to walk away from the series the same year, returning nearly two decades later.

“It’s awesome, us small guys finally got one,” Mullins remarked. “That’s how I look at it. The guys who work at home in their garage day and night finally got one. We finally got one of these guys to win and we’re very proud of him and his team.”

Mullins Racing will return to action when the ARCA Menards Series East heads to Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, on March 25. The team will also compete in the ARCA Menards Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama on April 22 with Mullins and Laster both behind the wheel.

For more information about Mullins Racing, visit MullinsRacing.net, or follow Mullins Racing on Facebook, Twitter (@Mullins_Racing), and Instagram (@MullinsRacing).