SALEM, Ind: The penultimate ARCA Menards Series race of the season is on deck for rookie Amber Balcaen and her Rette Jones Racing team and they plan to leave their mark in Saturday afternoon’s Herr’s Snacks 200 at the historic Salem (Ind.) Speedway.

After a brutal stretch of misfortune for Balcaen and her Mooresville, N.C.-based team the last several months, there appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel when she returned to her impressive top-10 form at Kansas Speedway earlier this month.

Unfortunately, an aggressive move by a part-time driver ended any hopes of back-to-back top-10 finishes for Balcaen and her No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion team in the series’ most recent race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

The tough finish has angered the driver and team who are determined to bounce back and fight for the respect they deserve on the track not only this weekend at Salem but in next Saturday afternoon’s season finale at Toledo Speedway.

“As I mentioned at Bristol, I’m sick of us being taken out because people think they can just run us over or take us out for whatever they feel their reason is,” said Balcaen. “I have worked hard to get to the ARCA Menards Series. My team busts their behinds to bring me fast No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusions each race and our sponsor doesn’t deserve us not seeing the checkered flag.

“I have no problem with racing people clean and I’ll race them with respect as long as they show me respect, but we don’t need any more races to end with us in the garage and we’re going to stand our ground even at a tough and demanding short track like Salem Speedway.”

Balcaen has never been to the Southern Indiana race track, but she has had many conversations with her crew chief and co-car owner Mark Rette who has enjoyed prior success at the half-mile short track in the past.

She hopes his leadership will lead to her fifth top-10 finish of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season.

“I don’t know much about Salem Speedway but from the looks of it, it has similar characteristics to Bristol (Motor Speedway),” said Balcaen. “Being a short track with high banks, however, I know the line is much different than Bristol so should be an interesting track!”

Of course, Balcaen has been advised by Rette that the fastest way around Salem is hugging the top lane in Turns 3 and 4. And if you survive Salem without claiming the famed “Salem Stripe,” you might not be circling the track fast enough.

“I’m prepared to earn my Salem Stripe this weekend,” Balcaen expressed. “I will ease up into that high lane with coaching from Mark (Rette) and my spotter. I don’t want to do anything that is going to hurt us from making laps in practice and qualifying, but I’m sure the racing will be aggressive on Saturday and the stripe will be well earned.”

With just two races on deck, including the season-finale at Toledo Speedway on October 8, Balcaen looks to end her freshman season on the tour with some confidence on her side.

Despite the bad luck that has seemed to shadow her and the team for much of the year, the team has been able to compensate with talent and speed which allowed Balcaen to embrace new tracks with strong practice and qualifying efforts even if the box score doesn’t show favorable results.

“It is very encouraging that we have shown speed over the last couple of months, but I really want to get some good finishes over the next couple of weeks,” added Balcaen. “We’ve endured enough bad luck throughout the year, it’s time for good luck to fall our way and carry some momentum into the offseason.”

With top-10 finishes at both ARCA races at Kansas, Iowa Speedway and a career-high seventh place result at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May, Balcaen is hopeful for her fifth top-10 finish.

“I really want to get us back in the top-10 this weekend,” she said. “That is the goal for the next two races, finish inside the top-10 and collect as many points as possible.

“I’d love to get ourselves back inside the top-five in the championship standings, but we will just have to wait and see if that’s even achievable.

“One thing is for sure though; our team doesn’t quit and we refuse to quit even if there are just two weeks left in the season.”

For Rette, he continues to be proud of the resilience of his young driver and believes the stretch drive to the end of the season will be the team’s strength.

“Amber is staying incredibly resilient, especially after the highs and lows of the last couple of weeks,” explained Rette. “We have just two races left on the schedule and they are very demanding short tracks, but I think Amber will adapt to them well, including Salem and contend for a solid finish.

“Salem is no piece of cake, but neither was Bristol and Amber was able to quickly get up to speed and keep that pace until she was blatantly taken out. If we can avoid the chaos and carnage that some of the short track races have showcased this season, we should be in great shape for a strong finish with our No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.”

Amber Balcaen 05.09.22a.jpg

ICON Direct will continue to adorn the primary positions on Balcaen’s race car in their 19th of 20 races this season.

ICON Direct is a manufacturer of high-quality plastic component parts for the RV industry, located in Manitoba, Canada. ICON aftermarket replacement parts are available through RV Dealers and Distributors across North America and directly through their website IconDirect.com.

The Winnipeger’s new endeavor at Rette Jones Racing will also be supported by Glenn McLeod and Sons – cementing a full Canadian roster of partners for her ARCA Menards Series rookie season.

Longtime RJR partners Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Jones Group Demolition and Abatement and JRi Shocks will continue their relationship with the team in 2022 and serve as associate partners on Balcaen’s No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones.

Entering Salem, Balcaen sits seventh in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 64 points out of fourth and 189 markers in the arrears to championship leader Nick Sanchez.

“Mark (Rette) and the entire RJR team have worked their butts off this year,” sounded Balcaen. “It hasn’t been easy with the schedule but they have kept plugging away to put good cars together to bring to the track for me week in and week out.

“I have learned a lot as a driver from Mark, he’s really helped improve my knowledge and skills. I get so much support from all the guys on my crew and feel they really believe in me which is super important for a team to have belief in their driver. I am very grateful for all of them.

“I want to still put together some top 10s and maybe even sneak a top-five by the end of the season. I know we have it in us. I hope we are able to recover from Bristol and I am focusing on the positives of the speed and progression we have shown to aid in both my Salem and Toledo debuts.”

For more on Amber Balcaen, please visit amberbalcaenracing.com, like her on Facebook (AmberBalcaenRacing) and follow her on Instagram (@amberbalcaen10) and Twitter (@amberbalcaen10).

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 Herr’s Snacks 200 (200 laps |100 miles) is the 19th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, October 1, 2022, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 2:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and FloRacing beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

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 plan to field a full-time entry in 2022 in the ARCA Menards Series, while also planning to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series East and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) respectively.

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

BRISTOL, Tenn. (September 15, 2022) – Camry driver Sammy Smith won two ARCA Menards Series titles with a win at Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday evening. Smith claimed his second consecutive ARCA East title, while also walking away with his first Sioux Chief Showdown championship as well.

The 18-year-old has delivered consistent race results across all ARCA Menards Series racing action this season. In ARCA East competition, Smith won five of the seven events, with top-five finishes in the balance. In the 10-race Sioux Chief Showdown title chase, the Toyota development driver has scored top-five finishes in every start, with victories at Berlin Raceway and Elko Speedway in June, the Milwaukee Mile in August and Bristol Motor Speedway this evening.

“Sammy has consistently run up front since first competing in ARCA competition just one season ago,” said Paul Doleshal, Group Manager, Motorsports and Assets, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). “We are happy to help him celebrate these accomplishments and look forward watching him continue to grow as part of the Toyota Racing driver development program.”

Along with his ARCA success this season, Smith also made his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as the Iowa-native has run several events for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). He recently earned his first stage win and top-five finish at Watkins Glen International in August.

Smith drives a Toyota Camry for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in ARCA competition. This is the first two ARCA championships for KBM. Smith is the sixth Toyota driver to win the ARCA East title, and second to win two consecutive championships. He joins a list that includes Ryan Truex (2009 and 2010), Max Gresham (2011), Kyle Larson (2012), Harrison Burton (2017) and Tyler Ankrum (2018).

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 43 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Winningest Female Racer in Hickory Motor Speedway History Will Make ARCA Debut
Oct. 14 at Las Vegas Bullring Before Competing Again Nov. 4 in Season Finale at Phoenix Raceway

DRYDEN, Mich. (Sept. 15, 2022) – At just 15 years old, Katie Hettinger’s racing resume is already filled with some trail-blazing accomplishments:

● Won the 2020 Champion Racing Association (CRA) Junior Late Model Series title to become the first and only female champion in the CRA’s 25-year history.

● In the span of two weeks in September 2021, Hettinger became the youngest female race winner at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway when she won the 50-lap Limited Late Model feature Sept. 4 as part of the Bobby Isaac Memorial event. She then became Hickory’s youngest female Late Model race winner on Sept. 18 when she won the track’s 75-lap feature, further burnishing Hickory’s moniker as the Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars.

● Hettinger has won four more Late Model races at Hickory in 2022 to become the winningest female racer in the track’s 72-year history.

With those accomplishments firmly in hand, despite a Michigan driver’s license remaining out of reach until the Dryden native turns 16, Hettinger is preparing for her next step on the racing ladder. On Oct. 14 at the Las Vegas Bullring, Hettinger will make her debut in the ARCA Menards Series West. In fact, it will be the first of two ARCA races for the high school sophomore, as Hettinger will also compete in the West Series finale Nov. 4 at Phoenix Raceway.

“Anytime I get in a racecar, my goal is to win, but ARCA is a step up with strong teams and talented drivers, so the more realistic expectation is to finish Las Vegas among the top-five and, ideally, the top-three,” Hettinger said. “Phoenix is a bigger track – the biggest one I’ll have ever been on – so that will be a little more challenging. A top-10 at Phoenix would be great.”

Hettinger will compete in both races with Young’s Motorsports, driving the No. 02 Chevrolet with support from Wheeler Trucking, a leader in automotive transportation services, and bradCM Incorporated, a privately owned and operated general contracting firm.

The .375-mile Las Vegas Bullring is akin to many of the short tracks Hettinger has experienced in Late Models. Phoenix, however, is a fast and flat, 1-mile oval that hosts the championship finales for NASCAR’s top-three series – Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck.

“Every time I get into a new car, I just drive it like I normally would,” said Hettinger, who has made over a hundred starts in Late Model and Limited Late Model competition. “I don’t usually struggle with switching classes or cars or anything like that.”

Nonetheless, Hettinger is aware that ARCA represents a new style of racing, and she is already putting in the time to adapt to the 3,400-pound ARCA car.

“I want to make sure I’m successful when I get to the Las Vegas Bullring and when we race at Phoenix, so we’re testing with the ARCA car and I’m doing a lot of sim training before and after those tests,” Hettinger said.

“The main thing that I’ve found to be different with the ARCA car is you have to back up your entry into the corners. With the Late Model, you can drive it deep into the corner, which is what I like. With the ARCA car, you have to be a little more patient. You have to wait a little bit longer to get back to the gas.”

Hettinger is a third-generation racer who attended her first race at only four weeks old. Her grandfather, Jim Hettinger, raced open-wheel Midgets and Sprint Cars and won two Midget championships in 1984 and 1990, accolades that earned him a spot in the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame. Her father, Chris Hettinger, was also a winning open-wheel racer, primarily in Midgets. It wasn’t long before Katie’s name began appearing on entry lists and at the top of race results.

By age five, she was racing Quarter Midgets. At first, it was only locally, but soon Hettinger was racing regionally and then nationally, collecting more than 40 wins.

At nine, she moved up to Junior Sprints and 600cc Micro Sprints, competing on dirt from 2016 through 2018. But pavement beckoned. An 11-year-old Hettinger transitioned to full-bodied stock cars in the CRA Junior Late Model Series and she proved to be a quick study.

After finishing fourth in the 2019 championship and earning the Sportsman of the Year award, Hettinger upped her game in 2020. She took two wins and earned three fast-time awards, one of which set a new track record at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway, and ended the season as the 2020 CRA Junior Late Model Series champion.

Since turning 14 in June 2021 and getting her NASCAR license, Hettinger scrapped the “Junior” tag from her Late Model. She regularly competes at the highest level of local stock car racing, commuting from Michigan to race in the southeastern hotbed of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, with the .363-mile Hickory oval being one of Hettinger’s more frequented tracks.

“I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish at Hickory, but I didn’t go there to become the winningest female racer. I went there to win races, just like all the other guys there,” Hettinger said. “I’m the same as everybody else. I’m just there to win races.”

With four wins in her eight visits to Hickory this year, Hettinger has accomplished her goal. Making those triumphs even more impressive is that Hettinger has done it while juggling school in her home state of Michigan. Three of her wins this year came while she was a freshman at Almont High School – April 30, May 7 and May 21. Her most recent victory on July 23 was the only one to come while she was out of school on summer break.

“I juggle everything I do with sports and school and it can be hard sometimes, but a lot of people are very understanding and I’m able to stay on top of it,” said Hettinger, an avid outdoorswoman who also enjoys hunting and fishing. “I still get mostly A’s and some B’s, and I play a lot of school sports, so sometimes I miss a volleyball game or a basketball game but, overall, I’m able to manage it.”

Beyond the pit crew that helps her at the track, Hettinger has the full support of her family as she chases her NASCAR dream. This includes her 12-year-old sister Grace and 4-year-old brother Keith.

“My mom and dad are very supportive and understanding, and my sister is a competitive dancer and plays volleyball. My little brother loves racing and he always wants to go see Katie’s racecar. They’re all in this dream as much as I am.”

BRISTOL, Tenn: It’s been a tiring week for ARCA Menards Series driver Greg Van Alst and his Greg Van Alst Motorsports team.

After exiting Sunday’s rain-postponed Kansas Lottery 150 at Kansa Speedway with a wrecked No. 35 CB Fabricating Ford Fusion, Van Alst wasn’t sure if he would be able to keep his full season of competition intact but the team is thriving on the popular American English proverb “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” to compete in Thursday night’s Bush Bean’s 200.

“I still don’t know what happened,” said Van Alst referring to the Kansas Speedway accident.

“All I know is it definitely made a dent in what we are trying to accomplish, but we thoughtfully put together a plan that I think will work that will allow us to get to Bristol this week and then just hope for the best.”

Van Alst was hoping to take the Kansas Speedway car to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway but will instead repair the heavily-damaged Du Quoin car to prepare for 200 laps of battle Thursday night.

“This is our best option at this point,” admitted Van Alst. “We were waffling back and forth on whether we would try and convert our road course car to a short track car or just do our best to repair our Du Quoin car and it just made sense to go to Bristol with the car that had the right parts and pieces,” Van Alst explained.

“We don’t want to use the Daytona car either, so this is our best option and we’ll spend the time getting prepared the best we can and then go to Bristol and just see what happens.”

Bristol is a race that Van Alst has circled on his calendar since he announced in January the team’s intentions of running the full ARCA Menards Series schedule.

Now, Van Alst will head to one of his favorite race tracks at a disadvantage but is hoping for motivation, perseverance and a little luck helps deliver his 10th top-10 of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season.

“It doesn’t get better than Bristol,” explained Van Alst.

“I’ve been in love with Bristol ever since I’ve raced there in a Super Late Model and we almost won. I thought having the opportunity to come back in an ARCA car would be one of our best shots at winning in an ARCA race.

“Last year though we were plagued by brake issues and this year, we’re battling more gremlins. There is no quit in our team though. We will come, we will fight and leave nothing on the table.”

Following Bristol, Van Alst welcomes a small but much-needed break to allow his Anderson, Ind.-based team to focus on the two remaining short tracks this year.

“We’ll have a small break to regroup and prepare for the final two races of the 2022 ARCA season at Salem and Toledo.”

Chris Barkdull’s CB Fabricating, a longtime partner with Greg Van Alst Motorsports has boosted its commitment to the team and will continue its role as the primary marketing partner of Van Alst’s No. 35 Ford Fusion.

Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.

Their 26,000-square-foot facility allows them to service the needs of many different industries. Everything from the Automotive, agricultural, aquatic, medical, transportation, electrical enclosures, and much more.

“Through the trials and tribulations of our 2022 ARCA Menards Series season, we’ve tried to approach each race with a positive attitude and with extreme grace because of the support of CB Fabricating and Chris (Barkdull),” Van Alst mentioned.

“With every race complete, even if it is not the finish we are hoping for, it’s a small victory for our team knowing the large mountain that is still left to climb to celebrate in Victory Lane eventually.

“Bristol can be somewhat of a wild card race, but I’m thankful and the team is extremely appreciative to have the support of Chris and CB Fabricating.”

In addition to CB Fabricating, Top Choice Fence, Norton Transport, KRJ Race Products and Lintz Creative will serve as associate marketing partners for Van Alst’s 29th career ARCA start.

Entering Bristol, Van Alst sits a career-high fourth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 108 markers in the arrears to championship leader Nick Sanchez.

“Unfortunately, the championship appears out of our reach, so our focus will shift for these remaining three races to stay tucked up inside the top-five,” sounded Van Alst. “It is going to be tough to keep Sammy (Smith) behind because of the pace of his team right now and Toni and Amber are having solid runs too.

“I’d love to think that we can fight to third by the end of the season, I just don’t think it is realistic at this point but wherever we land – we will make it a priority to finish higher in 2023.

“This is a tough series and we are still proud of where we are at.”

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).

For more on CB Fabricating, please visit CBFabricating.com and like them on Facebook (CB Fabricating).

The Bush’s Beans 200 (200 laps | 106.6 miles) is the 18th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. A timed General Tire pole session kicks off at 3:30 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire festivities. All times are local (ET).

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Champion Container GMS Racing Chevrolet

2022 ARCA Menards Series Stats

• Starts: 17
• Top 5’s: 11
• Top 10’s: 15
• Poles: 1
• Avg Finish: 6.0

Bristol Stats

- Daniel has one prior start at Bristol (Sept 2021). Started third, finished twelfth.

Notes

• Daniel Dye heads to Tennessee for round 18 of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season. Bristol Motor Speedway host’s the Bush’s Beans 200 on Thursday evening.
• Champion Container returns as the primary sponsor of the white GMS Racing No. 43 Chevrolet at Bristol, with Heise LED Lighting also onboard.
• Dye raced at Bristol last fall with GMS Racing, qualifying third and finishing 12th.
• Daniel currently sits second in ARCA points, 12 from the lead with three races remaining.
• The Bush’s Beans 200 Sioux Chief Showdown Championship is set for 6:30 pm ET on Thursday, September 15, and will be televised live on FS1. The race will also be broadcast on select affiliates of the Motor Racing Network nationwide and on Sirius XM Radio Channel 391.
• Behind-the-scenes updates and content will be posted to Daniel’s Twitter account (@danieldye43) on race day.

ABOUT GMS RACING

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operating the No. 23 and the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs, as well as the ARCA Menards Series with the No. 43 Chevrolet SS. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for Petty GMS, a two car full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021.

SOCIAL MEDIA

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Thursday, September 15th
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, 0.533-mile paved oval
Race: 18 of 20
Event: Bush’s Beans 200 (200 laps, 106.6 miles)

Schedule
Thursday, September 15th
Practice: 2:30 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 3:30 p.m. ET
Race: 6:30 p.m. ET (MAVTV/FloRacing)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Dead On Tools Mustang

• Taylor Gray makes his third career ARCA Menards Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway; his 12th ARCA National start this season.
• Last time out, the 17-year-old suffered engine woes on the dirt at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, forcing the No. 17 Ford Mustang to retire after just 39 laps.
• Gray and Crew Chief Chad Johnston have made one previous appearance together at the historic half-mile paved oval, bringing home a third-place finish in 2021.
• Gray will adorn the Dead On Tools colors this weekend, marking their first primary partnership in the ARCA Menards Series. The precision tool and work gear manufacturer will also appear on Gray’s No. 17 Ford F-150 as the Ford Performance driver performs double duty for the second year in a row at the famed “Last Great Coliseum.”

Andrés Pérez de Lara, No. 51 Empereon Constar Latam Mustang

• Andrés Pérez de Lara straps into the No. 51 Ford Mustang at Bristol Motor Speedway for his debut in the ARCA Menards Series.
• The Mexico City native heads to the states as the current points leader in the NASCAR FedEx Challenge, tallying three wins and five top-fives in 2022.
• Pérez de Lara is part of the 2022 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Class, boasting an impressive racing resume as one of the youngest winners in the FIA F4 championship. Securing his first victory at just 14 years old, he added Rookie of the Year honors and a third-place points finish in 2019 before shifting his focus to stock cars.
• Crew Chief Derek Smith will call the shots for the Empereon Constar Mustang. Smith is a veteran of the ARCA Menards Series, guiding his drivers to 10 top-fives and 22 top-tens in 31 series appearances.

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Race to Stop Suicide GMS Racing Chevrolet
Kansas Stats

- Daniel has one prior start at Kansas (May 2022). Started sixth, finished third.

2022 ARCA Menards Series Stats

• Starts: 16
• Top 5’s: 10
• Top 10’s: 14
• Poles: 1
• Avg Finish: 6.1

Notes

• Daniel Dye will make his second career start at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway on Saturday night, driving the GMS Racing No. 43 Race to Stop Suicide, Solar-Fit, Orlando Longwood Auto Auction Chevrolet SS.
• Dye’s first start at Kansas came earlier this season, qualifying sixth and finishing third.
• DD will pilot the white Race to Stop Suicide No. 43 Chevy, with the chassis last run at Michigan International Speedway, where Daniel finished third.
• The 18-year-old Deland, Florida driver is currently second in ARCA Menards Series points, ten from the lead.
• Crew Chief Chad Bryant will call the shots from the pit box for Dye, and Derek Kneeland will spot the No. 43 GMS Racing Chevy.
• The 100-lap, 150-mile ARCA Menards Series Dutch Boy 150 event will air live on MAVTV and FloRacing at 7:00 p.m. eastern. In addition, fans can hear coverage on MRN Radio and SiriusXM Satelite Radio.
• Behind-the-scenes updates and content will be posted to Daniel’s Twitter account (@danieldye43) on race day.

ABOUT GMS RACING

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operating the No. 23 and the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs, as well as the ARCA Menards Series with the No. 43 Chevrolet SS. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for Petty GMS, a two car full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021.

SOCIAL MEDIA

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

KANSAS CITY, Kan: Saturday night’s Kansas ARCA 150 at Kansas Speedway could be exactly what the doctor ordered for ARCA Menards Series rookie Amber Balcaen and her Rette Jones Racing team.

A dismal summer stretch has been flattened with respectable finishes over the past three races, but the final intermediate race of the 2022 season brings a sense of excitement and optimism for the Mooresville, N.C.-based team.

In May, Balcaen impressed with one of her most astounding performances of the season where she started 13th in her No. 30 ICON Direct Ford but hustled to an impressive ninth-place finish.

With the bigger mile-and-a-half tracks fitting into the popular driver’s niche, Balcaen returns to Kansas Speedway in hopes of capturing her fourth top-10 finish of the season.

“I am really excited to go back to Kansas Speedway because it will be the first time this season that I have had experience at a certain race track,” said Balcaen. “I think this will be a huge advantage for our team having already gone there this year knowing that I have developed some comfortably with the track.”

Like any rookie driver wanting to make their second appearance better than their first, Balcaen is determined to utilize what she learned during May’s Dutch Boy 150 that will give her an opportunity to better her season-high finish of seventh earned at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May.

“The first time at Kansas, I used both practice and the race to learn the line, get comfortable with the track, get into a rhythm, and improve speed,” she explained. “Now having already been there, I’m expecting us to be up to speed much quicker in practice so we can work on getting the car dialed in for the race so we can have a really strong run.”

With Kansas marking the first career top-10 in Balcaen’s young ARCA Menards Series career, she is hoping the return to the Midwest will offer the confidence she needs to not only challenge to better her season-high finish but even propel her Mark Rette-led team into the top-five for the first time this season.

“I really enjoyed Kansas the first time, so I know I will enjoy it even more going back! It was also our first top 10 of the seasons that gives good confidence knowing we can back that up again,” Balcaen added. “I enjoy the bigger tracks so am looking to have a carrier best finish this Saturday night.”

After getting dumped in her most recent race at the Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds while running in the top-10, Balcaen knows the time is running out before the end of the season to become the first female competitor to win in the premier ARCA Menards Series – but while winning may not be at the top of their agenda, delivering as many top-10 finishes before the season-finale at Toledo Speedway next month is.

“I feel we have shown good speed most of the year, we just don’t have the finishes to back it up which is pretty frustrating but part of racing,” explained Balcaen. “At least knowing we have speed gives me some confidence that I can do this, and just need to keep pushing forward.

“Rette Jones Racing has given me fast cars good enough to run inside the top-10 and even the top-five this season. I’d love to win. That’s what we set our hearts to do every single time we hit the track.

“A win in the ARCA Menards Series though is never easy and if we can’t be in that position to win this weekend or for the four remaining races – then for sure we are going to attack and fight to put our No. 30

ICON Direct Ford Fusion inside the top-10.

“We have endured more than our fair share of bad luck this season. Too much in fact. But as a team, we rise above the negative and feed off the positives. I think Kansas can be that opportunity to put a huge smile on our faces.

“We have four races left to showcase some good finishes. As long as luck is on our side, we should be able to add some more top 10s to the season.”

For crew chief and co-team owner Mark Rette, he continues to be proud of the resilience of his young driver and believes the stretch drive to the end of the season will be the team’s strength.

“Yes, Du Quoin was a major bummer but the speed that Amber continues to showcase is the backbone of our race team,” offered Rette. “We have worked hard to make sure we come to the track each week and give her the best race car possible. Du Quoin was another race where she wasn’t respected on the track and we all paid the price with a less than satisfying finish.

“With all that said, we’re upbeat about returning to Kansas at a track she knows and feels good about it. I’m expecting big things from Amber on Saturday night to further showcase her ability but also keep our team and partners in the spotlight.”

Amber Balcaen 05.09.22a.jpg

ICON Direct will continue to adorn the primary positions on Balcaen’s race car in their 17th of 20 races this season.

ICON Direct is a manufacturer of high-quality plastic component parts for the RV industry, located in Manitoba, Canada. ICON aftermarket replacement parts are available through RV Dealers and Distributors across North America and directly through their website IconDirect.com.

The Winnipeger’s new endeavor at Rette Jones Racing will also be supported by Glenn McLeod and Sons – cementing a full Canadian roster of partners for her ARCA Menards Series rookie season.

Longtime RJR partners Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Jones Group Demolition and Abatement and JRi Shocks will continue their relationship with the team in 2022 and serve as associate partners on Balcaen’s No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion.

RJR is co-owned by Canadian entrepreneur and former race car driver Terry Jones.

Entering Kansas, Balcaen sits seventh in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 56 points out of fourth and 164 markers in the arrears to championship leader Nick Sanchez.

“Mark (Rette) and the entire RJR team have worked their butts off this year,” sounded Balcaen. “It hasn’t been easy with the schedule and the number of DNFs we’ve had but they have kept plugging away to put good cars together to bring to the track for me week in and week out.

“I have learned a lot as a driver from Mark, he’s really helped improve my knowledge and skills. I get so much support from all the guys on my crew and feel they really believe in me which is super important for a team to have belief in their driver. I am very grateful for all of them.

“I want to still put together some top 10s and hopefully even some top-fives by the end of the season. I know we have it in us. I think our bad luck streak must be over by now and I am focusing on the positives of the speed and progression we have shown.”

For more on Amber Balcaen, please visit amberbalcaenracing.com, like her on Facebook (AmberBalcaenRacing) and follow her on Instagram (@amberbalcaen10) and Twitter (@amberbalcaen10).

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 Kansas ARCA 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the 17th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, September 10, 2022, from 9:15 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. General Tire pole group qualifying kicks off at 10:00 a.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and FloRacing beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT | 7:00 p.m. ET. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

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 plan to field a full-time entry in 2022 in the ARCA Menards Series, while also planning to field vehicles in the ARCA Menards Series East and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) respectively.

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

KANSAS CITY, Kan: The hard work paid off.

Using a conservative approach to his most recent ARCA Menards Series race at The Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile, rookie Christian Rose impressed with a solid and hard-fought top-15 finish in the combined ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East Sprecher 150 last month.

Having the past two weeks to reflect on the effort of his Cook Racing Technologies (CRT) team in the heart of Wisconsin, Rose returns to the ARCA Menards Series tour eyeing a top-10 finish in Saturday night’s Kansas ARCA 150.

Sticking by the motivational slogan of “Never Give Up” – Rose was able to find some light at the end of the tunnel where a frustrating rookie season that has showcased speed and finesse has been compounded with a pile of bad luck and priceless learning experience.

Returning to the high banks of an intermediate race track, Rose looks to repeat the speed he showcased at the larger tracks earlier this year at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway where Rose muscled his No. 42 West Virginia Tourism race car into the top-10 on both occasions before falling victim to mechanical woes.

This weekend, Rose is hoping for another quiet and conservative weekend and to build on his career-best premier ARCA Menards Series finish achieved at The Milwaukee Mile.

“I was confident that our bad luck string was coming to an end and we would have a solid performance where our notebook would expand and make us stronger for our remaining races this season,” said Rose.

“I can’t thank everyone enough on our Cook Racing Technologies team for their endless efforts to work on our No. 42 West Virginia Tourism Toyota not only at Milwaukee but for Kansas this weekend and the rest of our remaining races in the ARCA homestretch.

“We wanted to be better at Milwaukee, but as a team, I believe we know what we need to do to improve our performance on the flatter tracks and we’ll take all of those notes into consideration as we continue to build for the future.”

Having the opportunity to reflect and cling to the positives of Milwaukee, Rose is starting to shift his attention to Kansas where he hopes to impress and build even more confidence even though the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season is winding down.

“I’m upbeat about Kansas Speedway this weekend,” sounded Rose. “I think our Cook Racing Technologies has showcased throughout the season to have a lot of speed on the bigger tracks and I don’t expect Kansas to be any different.

“I know that Kansas has similar characteristics to Charlotte, but no two tracks are exactly the same. For me, it’s just about making strides with our No. 42 West Virginia Tourism Toyota. Bettering our lap times from practice to qualifying and doing what we can to stay on the lead lap and contend for a top-10 finish at the end of Saturday night.

“If we can do that, the weekend will be a huge success and give us, even more, welcomed confidence heading into our handful of races remaining this season.”

This season, Rose who will compete in all three of ARCA’s national platforms, the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East and the ARCA Menards Series West will continue to strengthen a relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism.

The West Virginia Department of Tourism promotes West Virginia as a leading four-season travel destination and a 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.

In West Virginia, let country roads lead you far away from everything. And a little closer to heaven.

“My relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism is everything to me,” added Rose.

“Without them, I would not be able to race at Kansas Speedway. It is my goal throughout the year to spread the mission of everything the West Virginia Department of Tourism means.

“It goes without saying that we have had a lot of speed with our West Virginia Department of Tourism race cars this year and I’m hopeful we can climb that ladder of consistency during the end of this summer stretch and into the fall.

“We are seeing a great amount of response from the fans about their experience in West Virginia and that’s part of why we are building this program. On the heels of some appearances in West Virginia over the last couple of weeks, it’s been wonderful to receive all the positive feedback about our West Virginia Department of Tourism Racing program.

“We are just getting started.”

Following Kansas Speedway, Rose and CRT plan to compete in the ARCA Menards Series Bush’s Beans 200 | Sioux Chief Showdown at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Thurs., Sept. 15.

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

The Kansas ARCA 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the 17th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, September 10, 2022, from 9:15 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. General Tire pole group qualifying kicks off at 10:00 a.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and FloRacing beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT | 7:00 p.m. ET. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

About The West Virginia Department of Tourism:

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.