Category: ARCA

The ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series doubleheader at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is already one of the most anticipated race events of the summer, and it’s just gotten sweeter for fans who will be attending as Reese’s has been announced as the entitlement partner of the ARCA portion of the unique twin bill.

Reese’s made a huge splash in the ARCA Menards Series in 2021, with entitlement sponsorship of the championship finale at Kansas Speedway in addition to the “Reese’s Sweet Move of the Race” award that was given out by a vote of the fan at each event within the ARCA Menards Series platform. Award winners throughout the season were then grouped into brackets and fans once again voted for the “Reese’s Sweet Move of the Year”, which was won by 2020 and 2021 ARCA Menards Series West champion Jesse Love.

“Any time a sponsor activates in a way that involves the fans it’s a win for everyone, and Reese’s did that very well in 2021,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “The entire sport has heard our fans over the years, and they’ve been very vocal about a return of big-time stock car racing to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and we’re happy to be a part of it. We’re very much looking forward to having Reese’s on board for what promises to be a great day of racing.”

“Reese’s is excited to continue supporting the ARCA Menards Series in 2022,” said Ian Norton, Senior Director of the Reese’s Team. “After a great year in 2021, we look forward to another “sweet” partnership with Menards, including the return of the ‘Reese’s Sweet Move of the Year’”.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Reese’s join us on such an exciting night that is highlighted by the return of the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 29th,” said Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park General Manager Kasey Coler. “The combination of great racing and Reese’s on the same night, makes this a “must attend” event.”

ARCA’s history at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park includes 16 previous races that date back to Ramo Stott’s win in 1971, Ralph Latham in 1972 and Bruce Gould in 1974, Marvin Smith in 1983 and Bob Schacht in 1984, and Davey Allison in a combination race with what is now known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 1985. The series returned after a 26-year absence in 2011 with Ty Dillon scoring the win en route to the series championship. Other winners include Frank Kimmel in 2012, Brandon Jones in 2014, Travis Braden in his first career series start in 2015, Chase Briscoe in 2016 on his way to the series championship, Dalton Sargeant in 2017, Christian Eckes in 2018, and Chandler Smith in 2019 and 2020.

For event schedules and ticket information, please visit ARCARacing.com and RaceIRP.com.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., and is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has approximately 17,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 90 brands around the world that drive more than $8.1 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat®, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop, and Pirate’s Booty.

For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed.

To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com

About ARCA: The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization is scheduled to administer more than 100 events in multiple racing series in 2022, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).

About Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is a multipurpose motorsports facility which hosts a wide variety of events – from the World’s Biggest Drag Race to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Home to the Dodge//SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals since 1961, IRP features more than 130 days of on-track action through the year across events on the drag strip and the 0.686-mile oval. For more information about Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, please visit www.RaceIRP.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at the handle @RaceIRP.

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Heise LED Lighting Chevrolet SS

START: 12TH
FINISH: 17TH
POINTS: 2ND

Quote: “We had such a great GMS Racing Chevy today at Talladega. We were able to put the Heise LED, One Daytona car at the front of the field and battled at the front basically all day long. Obviously, the finish is a huge disappointment but I learned quite a bit again being just my second ever superspeedway race, and feel confident about my and the team’s ability to run with the best in the field every week. Really looking forward to learning at the mile and a half tracks coming up on our schedule.”

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.

For the second consecutive year, the ARCA Menards Series will pay visit to the unique Berlin Raceway, located just west of Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the Zinsser SmartCoat 200. The 2022 rendition of the event is slated for Saturday, June 18. Last year’s event, the 31^st time the ARCA Menards Series raced at Berlin, was won by 17-year-old rookie sensation Daniel Dye.

“It had been a couple of years since the ARCA Menards Series had been to Berlin and last year’s race was a terrific way to return,” said Jeff Striegle, Berlin Raceway president and general manager. “We have a very engaged fan base in western Michigan that follows the ARCA Menards Series very closely. It was great to see our fans in the stands cheering on some of the best young stock car drivers in the country. We’re already looking forward to having the stars of tomorrow back at Berlin on June 18.”

The Zinsser SmartCoat 200 is the second of three consecutive Saturday night short track races, all which will be televised live on MAVTV, that will kick off the summer stretch of races for the ARCA Menards Series.

Zinsser, a Rust-Oleum brand of primers, sealers, and coatings, was reintroduced to the ARCA Menards Series in 2020 when the company served as the entitlement sponsor at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and then again in 2021 with the race at Berlin Raceway. Zinsser also served as a team sponsor in the late 1990s, sponsoring ARCA legend Jack Bowsher’s team with driver Bob Strait.

“Our history with the ARCA Menards Series stretches back to the 1990s and it’s been great to be back,” said Don Muench, Senior Vice President of Sales at Rust-Oleum. “It was great to partner with Jeff Striegle and everyone at Berlin Raceway, and to see a great crowd of fans in the stands. We’re happy to be a part of the ARCA Menards Series and we look forward to seeing a great race on June 18.”

Ticket information will be available at BerlinRaceway.com. Complete event information, including event schedule and series information, is available at ARCARacing.com.

About ARCA: The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization is scheduled to administer more than 100 events in multiple racing series in 2022, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.  For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).

About Menards: A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states.  Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building.  You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more.  To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro! 

Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture.  Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries.  And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more. 

Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too!  For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.

About Rust-Oleum

For nearly a century, Rust-Oleum has been the global leader in manufacturing innovative coatings that empower do-it-yourselfers and professionals alike across categories including small project paints, cleaners, primers, automotive, industrial, high performance coatings and wood care. Its wide breadth of brands and products include such trusted names as Rust-Oleum, Stops Rust®, Painter’s Touch®, Universal®, EpoxyShield®, Varathane®, Zinsser®, Watco®, MultiSpec®, X-I-M®, Krud Kutter®, RockSolid®, Wipe New®, Testors®, Seal-Krete®, Modern Masters®, Moldex®, Whink®, Miracle Sealants®, Roto-Rooter®, Mean Green®, and Gator® Finishing Products. Visit rustoleum.com for more information. Follow Rust-Oleum on LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Daniel Dye, No. 43 Heise LED Lighting, One Daytona GMS Racing Chevrolet
Talladega Stats

- Daniel Dye has no prior starts at Talladega Superspeedway

2022 ARCA Menards Series Stats

• Starts: 2
• Top 5’s: 2
• Top 10’s: 2
• Poles: 0
• Avg Finish: 2.5

Notes:

• Daniel Dye will make his first career start at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, driving the GMS Racing No. 43 Heise LED Lighting, One Daytona, FOX Factory Chevrolet SS.
• Dye will drive the same Chevrolet chassis that he piloted to a third place finish in the season opening race at Daytona International Speedway in February.
• Daniel has 16 career ARCA Menards Series starts, earning one victory (Berlin Raceway, 2021), along with numerous top-five and top-ten finishes.
• Crew Chief Chad Bryant will call the shots from the pit box for Dye, and Derek Kneeland will spot the No. 43.
• Dye attends Father Lopez Catholic High School in Daytona Beach, Florida, and will graduate as a Senior this spring.
• The 76-lap, 202-mile ARCA Menards Series General Tire 200 event will air live nationally on FS1 beginning at 1:00 p.m. eastern, and also stream on the FOX Sports App. 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 on race day, @danieldye43.

Quote:

“Talladega is one of those places that everybody knows, whether you’re a race fan or not. Having the opportunity to go compete there for GMS Racing and represent Heise LED, One Daytona and all our partners is really cool. I have no doubt our Chevrolet will be fast and hopefully we can be up front and battle for a victory Saturday afternoon.”

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.

TALLADEGA, Ala.: Nestled in his new race shop a few feet from his home in central Indiana, Greg Van Alst and his Greg Van Alst Motorsports team have been readily preparing for Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

Amid dealing with the eccentric weather of spring showers and winter blizzards since competing in his most recent ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, Van Alst is ready to escape the wild weather of the Midwest and head to Alabama and focus on trying to earn his first career ARCA Menards Series in just his second start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

“I’m excited to get back into the speedway car this weekend,” said Van Alst. “We did not get a chance to show what we were really capable of at Daytona in February.”

And it’s not just Daytona where Van Alst wasn’t able to showcase what his family-owned team was capable of.

Last April at the Southern Alabama race track, Van Alst felt like he was in a prime position to make a move for the lead but was spun by another competitor that abruptly ended his chances of a superspeedway upset.

Returning to Talladega a year later, Van Alst feels his superspeedway program is even better than it was in 2021 and is eager to continue to showcase that in the third ARCA Menards Series race of the year.
“I think we will be even better,” explained Van Alst of his superspeedway equipment. “We keep getting wrecked and every time we do, we repair it to be better than it was before. Without qualifying and the field set by owner points, we are likely forced to start mid-pack.

“No matter what though, I think we will have our work cut out for us. But, if we can find a good drafting partner we will make our way to the front and be in contention for the win.”

No matter where the Anderson, Ind. native starts on Saturday afternoon, should the veteran pull off his first career ARCA win in his 14th career start, the hard work over the past year and a half will have come full circle.

“It would mean everything to win,” sounded Van Alst. “It would prove that we deserve to be at this level and that we can compete against the best in the business from our own backyard shop. Winning is the reason we are here.

“We were one position away from doing it last summer at Winchester and Talladega provides another opportunity for us to try again.”

With finishes of 22nd and 36th respectively in the opening two races of the ARCA season, Van Alst is also looking to Talladega to pull his team from a disappointing start where circumstances outside of the driver’s control have dictated less than ideal finishes.

A win would undeniably turn the team’s world upside down for the right reasons, but if a win isn’t in the cards this weekend, a top-10 would be more than welcomed as the team hopes to run the full 20-race schedule in 2022.

“We are just plugging along the best we can,” Van Alst offered. “Both years I won championships in Late Models started out in a similar fashion. We are not going to give up.

“All we can do is continue to prep for each race the best that we know-how and continue to try to bring the fastest pieces that we can and hope that our luck will turn around.”

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 Chevrolet.

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.

“Chris enjoys competing at tracks like Daytona and Talladega just as much as I do – if not more,” Van Alst sounded. “Talladega is a pinnacle race for our small team and I’m thankful 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 14th career ARCA start.

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 General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

TALLADEGA, Ala.: Gus Dean is hunting in Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

The Bluffton, S.C. native is trophy hunting that is as the Venturini Motorsports driver returns to the 2.66-mile superspeedway for the first time in ARCA competition in two years looking to rekindle the magic he showcased in 2016 when he scored his first career ARCA Menards Series victory in an upset victory in just his second series start.

A lot has transpired for Dean since that defining moment in his career nearly six years ago, but the feelings and the emotions of his Talladega triumph feel as if the win was yesterday.

“I’m super excited to get back to Talladega Superspeedway,” said Dean. “It’s one of my favorite race tracks on this earth. It’s very special to me and my family and I’d like nothing more than to do that again with Venturini Motorsports on Saturday.”

The third ARCA Menards Series race of the season will mark Dean’s second race with the potent Venturini Motorsports and with a top-five finish in their debut together two months ago at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Dean is looking to build on that momentum in his sixth trip to the famed-Alabama facility.

“I can’t thank Venturini Motorsports enough for everything they are doing,” explained Dean. “As we mentioned before Daytona, we have been trying to work together for a couple of years and I’m glad that the stars finally aligned.

“Daytona was good. It was nice to finish my first ever race there. The Venturini Motorsports team brought me a race-winning No. 55 Dean Custom Air Toyota Camry, but we were run over by another car under the yellow and it caused some damage and we had to pit and rally from the back.

“We were able to fight back to inside the top-five on the last lap, but just ran out of laps. Hopefully, we can have a mistake-free day on Saturday and return to Victory Lane.”

Talladega has proven to be one of Dean’s best race tracks in ARCA competition. In five starts, he has one win, three top-10s and five top-16 finishes. With an average finish of 8.8, the Late Model standout is eager to approve that statistic in his second ARCA start of the season.

“I’ve always run well at Talladega and I hope that trend continues this weekend,” added Dean. “I had a really good car the last time I competed in 2020 but unfortunately had an electrical issue and it doomed our chances of a victory.

“We’re bringing the same No. 55 Dean Custom Air Toyota Camry that we raced at Daytona and I know what that car is capable of and I just look forward to a fun 76 laps of working with my teammates and getting my first win of the season.”

With just practice on deck and his starting position set by 2021 owner points, Dean knows he does not have the best starting position, but he also knows he’ll have a car capable of getting him to the front.

“Patience is going to be super important on Saturday, especially at the start of the race,” Dean explained. “There are some really good cars starting mid-pack or towards the rear of the field and it’s going to take some patience and just using our heads to negotiate the traffic and then setting yourself up after the modified pit stop.

“Our Venturini Motorsports cars ran well together at Daytona in February and I’d know we can do it again, so I’ll try to get to the front as quickly and safely as possible and hope that we can settle it amongst ourselves for the win. We will just see what happens.”

In addition to Talladega, Dean will return to ARCA competition with Venturini Motorsports at Michigan International Speedway in August.

The 27-year-old South Carolinian is poised to have a busy 2022 season between ARCA, Late Models, Mud Truck Racing and a hopeful sporadic appearance or two in one of NASCAR’s National Series.

“With no championship on the line for me this season, it’s about having fun,” sounded Dean. “Whether that’s competing with Venturini Motorsports in ARCA, DLP Motorsports in Late Model competition or the other racing endeavors we have planned for this season. Of course, the urge to still compete full-time is there, but it takes marketing partners and a lot of financial commitment to make it happen.

“Until we can hopefully put ourselves back into that position again, we’ll take the path that has been laid out before me and make the most of it.”

In addition to Dean Custom Air, Folds of Honor, IMPACT, Kick Industries, TOSOT and WileyX will serve
as associate marketing partners for Dean’s 57th career ARCA start.

For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com, like him on Facebook (Gus Dean Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@GusDean) and Twitter (@GusDean).

The General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

TALLADEGA, Ala.: On the heels of earning a quiet top-10 finish in the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February, Ryan Huff invades Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway determined to earn back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time in his young ARCA career in Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200.

The third ARCA event of the season will mark Huff’s fifth-career superspeedway start after competing in every superspeedway race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Talladega, respectively since the drop of the 2020 ARCA Menards Series season.

Two years later, the amount of experience and knowledge that Huff has digested has been priceless and armed with the same No. 36 H&H Excavation | Southeastern Services Ford Fusion he wheeled at the “World Center of Racing,” Huff hopes to inch closer to his first career top-five finish.

“Daytona feels like forever ago, so I’m just glad Talladega is finally here,” said Huff. “After our solid start to our ARCA season at Daytona, I’ve been eager to get to Talladega and see if we can get keep the momentum on our side.

“It’s not easy being a small family-owned team out here competing with some of the best of the best in the series, but I think we’ve surprised a few people with our effort and dedication and I believe as a team we are now more than ready to turn our top-10 finishes into top-five efforts.”

With just practice on deck for the teams and competitors on Friday afternoon, the lineup will be set per last year’s ARCA Menards Series owner points and with just two races under their belt because of the Coronavirus pandemic, Huff will start Saturday’s race from deep in the field.

Still, with time trials axed, Huff plans to utilize the one-hour practice session on Friday to make sure his No. 36 H&H Excavation | Southeastern Services Ford Fusion is dialed in to his liking.

“It’s important to make sure we still have the speed in our car from Daytona,” added Huff. “We’ve worked on this car a bunch since Daytona all with the intentions of making it better for this weekend. You just don’t know if all that hard work will pay off though until you get on the track and feel it out for yourself.

“Starting towards the back, I think our main focus on practice is just to make sure the car drafts well and we are able to suck up to that next car in a timely manner. I don’t expect us to run many laps in practice, just enough to make sure the car is OK and then we’ll cover her up until the race.”

As for the race goes, Huff admits their game plan is subject to change but they know in order to finish first, you must first finish.

“We’ll planning to take a conservative approach to the race on Saturday,” added Huff. “It’s important for us to get a good finish and look ahead at the rest of our 2022 season. I’ve learned a lot about how to drive at Talladega over the past two years, but I also learned that having the right drafting partners is part of having a successful race.

“Our goal is to make it to the first segment, see where we are at and then hopefully press the attack button from there.”

This weekend, Huff is excited to continue his relationship with Chris Monez – a veteran spotter in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity and Truck Series. Monez came highly recommended by a member of his team in 2021.

“Chris has really been instrumental to my success lately in the ARCA Menards Series,” added Huff. “He has been very critical of me, but his guidance and advice is what has evaluated me as a driver and overall just made us a better team.

“With his continued direction, I feel I can only improve my craft on the superspeedways.”

The remainder of Huff’s 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule is still being pieced together, but the Williamsburg, Va. native hopes to have a larger presence in the series.

“We’re still ironing out the details, but we’re hoping to make Kansas our next race following Talladega,” Huff explained. “If everything goes good at Kansas, we’ll take on Charlotte, Pocono and other races during the season.

“We are working hard to be at the track as much as possible this summer and fall, but it’s an expensive sport and we are doing the best we can with the support we have.”

H&H Excavation, a company owned by Huff will serve as the primary partner this weekend at Talladega. In addition, Southeastern Services, Outback Steakhouse and Hawkeye Graphics will serve as associate marketing partners for Huff’s third ARCA start at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

Since 2020, Huff has 10 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit with a career-best finish of eighth at Kansas Speedway in July 2020. He earned his first career top-10 finish at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June 2020. Huff has started a career-best 11th three times. Despite competing in just seven races in 2020, Huff finished 14th in the championship standings.

For more on Ryan Huff, follow him on Twitter (@driverRyanHuff) and like him on Facebook (@driverRyanHuff).

The General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

TALLADEGA, Ala.: ARCA Menards Series East winner Max Gutiérrez will continue to enhance his racing resume as he returns to the premier ARCA Menards Series tour for Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

The former NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series champion returns to the premier ARCA Menards Series tour determined to finish what his team started in the 2022 season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.

Fresh off a third-place finish in the ARCA Menards East opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway on that Tuesday, Gutiérrez and his Rette Jones Racing team in an alliance with AM Racing trekked 12 miles north where he successfully qualified 19th aboard his No. 32 TOUGHBUILT | Rette Jones Racing car at the “World Center of Racing.”

While running competitively in the draft and inching close to the top-10, Gutiérrez’s race car developed an electrical issue which thwarted their opportunity to contend for the win and instead left the 19-year-old embracing laps around the 2.5-mile superspeedway in the draft to prepare him for this weekend’s battle at Talladega’s breathtaking 2.66-mile superspeedway.

With the team confident that the electrical issue is fixed for Talladega, Gutiérrez heads to the famed Alabama race track ready to contend for a strong finish.

“I am so thankful for this opportunity at Talladega,” offered Gutiérrez. “Daytona was certainly disappointing, but you will have days like that in racing. Even though we were out of contention for the win, I never stopped learning from the drop of the green flag to the checkered flag.

“I am hoping that all of that experience will be a benefit for Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.”
The third ARCA Menards Series race of the season will present a unique schedule for its teams and competitors. With a firm one-hour practice set to allow them to showcase the speed in their race cars, qualifying will not be held and the field will be set per the 2021 ARCA Menards Series owner standings.

The rules will put the Mexico City, Mexico native towards the back of the field for his seventh career ARCA Menards Series start, but the sophomore competitor is confident about his ability to work his way from the back to the front of the field at Talladega.

“Mark (Rette), Jamie (Jones) and everyone who works on this No. 32 TOUGHBUILT car have not left anything on the table. Together, we want redemption. We want to bounce back from Daytona and put ourselves in the running for a good finish.

“It’s going to take a lot of patience and being able to thread the needle and make sure I’m listening to my spotter constantly as he is my best eyes and ears to not only keep me out of trouble but to move forward at a competitive and good pace.”

Following Talladega, Gutiérrez and his Rette Jones Racing team are expected to return to Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway where together the organization will try and repeat their impressive top-five finish in ARCA East competition from 2021.

“This upcoming stretch of races is going to be a lot of fun, but I’m really pumped up for some of the races we have coming this season,” he said. “I just need to stay focused and be mindful. Both Talladega and Dover are on different ends of the spectrum as far as race tracks are concerned, but both races definitely present an opportunity to shine.”

In addition to TOUGHBUILT. TekNekk and Jimmy Morales Escuderia TELMEX | TELCEL, Distributed Ledger Inc. (DLI), GoGig, Ford Performance, Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems, Jones Group Demolition and Abatement and JRi Shocks join the Mooresville, N.C.-based team as partners on Saturday.

Rette is just as upbeat as his driver is about the impending race.

“Even though the results don’t show it from Daytona, Max is plenty capable of contending for a top-five finish if not the win on Saturday,” the former ARCA championship crew chief said. “While not running a full ARCA schedule this season, Max is incredibly focused and determined to treat every race as if it was his last.

“We showcased that the car was plenty capable of the draft, now we just need to have a little luck and Max should be able to take care of the rest.”

The General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).

For more on Max Gutiérrez, please visit maxgutierrez.com, like him on Facebook (Max Gutierrez Racing) or follow him on Instagram (@maxgutierrezmx).

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).

About TOUGHBUILT Industries Inc.:

TOUGHBUILT is an advanced product design, manufacturer and distributor with emphasis on innovative products. Currently focused on tools and other accessories for the professional and do-it-yourself construction industries.

We market and distribute various home improvement and construction product lines for both the do-it-yourself and professional markets under the TOUGHBUILT brand name, within the global multibillion-dollar-per-year tool market industry. All of our products are designed by our in-house design team.

Since launching product sales in 2013, we have experienced significant annual sales growth.

Our current product line includes three major categories, with several additional categories in various stages of development, consisting of Soft Goods & Kneepads and Sawhorses & Work Products.

Our mission is to provide products to the building and home improvement communities that are innovative, of superior quality, derived in part from enlightened creativity for our end users while enhancing performance, improving well-being and building high brand loyalty.

Additional information about the company is available at: toughbuilt.com.

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.

TALLADEGA, Ala.: After more than a month’s sabbatical, Amber Balcaen and Rette Jones Racing’s quest for the 2022 ARCA Menards Series championship leads to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for Saturday afternoon’s General Tire 200.

Balcaen in her first full season of driving duties aboard the No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion invades the final superspeedway race of the 2022 season looking to utilize the experience of her Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway debut in February and deliver her first top-10 finish of the season.

“I am super excited to race at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend,” said Balcaen.

“This break between Phoenix and Talladega has seemed long, so I’m more than ready to be back in the No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion with the Rette Jones Racing crew.

“I am especially excited for Talladega because after having a race under my belt from Daytona, I now know what to expect for a superspeedway race. I also love the fundamentals of superspeedway racing. I love the rush of going fast and being in the draft.”

Knowing that the same basics apply between Daytona and Talladega, Balcaen believes the experience that she amassed during the 80-lap season-opener earlier this year at Daytona will improve her craft on Saturday.

“After competing at Daytona, I know what it feels like to be in the draft,” she explained. “I learned how to manage the air and speed in the cars whether I was in a small draft of cars or huge draft of cars. I’m planning to showcase and apply everything I learned at Daytona to Talladega, which makes me very optimistic for the race.”

After an early exit in the most recent ARCA Menards Series race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway last month, the Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada native is still taking solace knowing she’s moved inside the top-10 in the ARCA championship standings and hopes the third race of the year will help her continue her climb forward.

“I have taken this month’s break to really prepare for this upcoming season,” Balcaen said. “I have been spending a lot of time in the gym, on iRacing and on my mental game. I feel very optimistic about the busy upcoming stretch of races as well as the rest of the ARCA season.”

As far as Talladega is concerned, Balcaen believes her Rette Jones Racing No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion is plenty capable of a top-10 finish.

“I would like a top 10 finish at Talladega which I think is a very manageable goal,” she said. “I want to have fun like I did in Daytona and keep progressing forward as a driver.”

For crew chief and co-team owner Rette, he is confident that his rookie driver will adapt and find her groove and continue a solid pace in her ARCA Menards Series quest.

“Amber really did a good job at Daytona,” added Rette. “She learned a lot, kept our No. 30 ICON Direct Ford Fusion out of trouble and delivered a solid finish. She is more than capable of improving on Daytona at Talladega on Saturday.

“With no qualifying before the race, we’ll have to make sure we get her comfortable in the draft because she’ll be likely starting in the eye of the storm and it’s going to be important to get her in a position where she can quickly and decisively move forward and ride a lot of the race until she’s in a position to make a move at the end of the race.

“She’d like a top-10 on Saturday and that would be a good boost for our Rette Jones Racing team and give us some great momentum for Kansas Speedway next month.”

ICON Direct will continue to adorn the primary positions on Balcaen’s race car in their second 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.

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 General Tire 200 (76 laps | 200 miles) is the third of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Group practice begins on Fri. April 22 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The series won’t host qualifying, setting the field by 2021 ARCA car owner standings. The 60th ARCA from Talladega is set to take the green flag on Saturday, April 23 shortly after 12:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) handling the radio waves. 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.