ARCA Menards Series at Illinois State Fairgrounds: Springfield ARCA 100 Post-race Notes
William Sawalich (No. 18 Starkey SoundGear Toyota) earned his tenth career ARCA Menards Series victory and his first on dirt in Sunday’s Springfield ARCA 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Sawalich started from the General Tire Pole and led every lap, a feat he also accomplished earlier this season at Salem Speedway and held off Isabella Robusto (No. 20 JBL Audio Toyota) on a one-lap overtime finish by 0.888 seconds at the finish.
Second-place Robusto and third-place Taylor Reimer (No. 55 BuzzBalls Toyota) finished third to mark the first time in ARCA Menards Series history that two female drivers finished in the top three in the same series race. All four Venturini Motorsports female teammates finished among the top-ten, with Toni Breidinger (No. 25 Sunoco Toyota) in sixth and Amber Balcaen (No. 22 ICON Toyota) in eighth. The previous record for the most female drivers in the top-ten in a single ARCA Menards Series race was two, four times: Daytona in 2018 (Natalie Decker, 5th; Leilani Munter 8th) and three times this season, at Phoenix (Robusto 6th; Breidinger 9th), Talladega (Balcaen 7th, Breidinger 10th) and Berlin (Breidinger 6th, Balcaen 10th).
Hometown favorite Kelly Kovski (No. 16 Brandt Chevrolet) finished fourth, his eighth career top-ten finish and 24th career top-ten finish. He also finished fourth at Springfield in 2023; five of Kovski’s top-five finishes have come at Springfield, the other three came at DuQuoin.
Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) finished fifth after being shuffled out of the groove on the final restart of the day to start the last lap of the race. Scott managed to gain ten points in the battle for the ARCA Menards Series championship after his teammate and series points leader Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) finished 15th after overheating issues left him 45 laps down to the leader.
Kris Wright (No. 15 FNB Corporation Toyota) finished seventh and jumped to third in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings. All five Venturini Motorsports cars finished in the top eight.
Christian Rose (No. 32 West Virginia Department of Tourism Ford) finished ninth after being spun into the outside wall in turn three on the final lap.
Tim Monroe (No. 12 Illinois Trucking Association/Riverside Chevy Chevrolet) finished tenth in his first ARCA Menards Series start of 2024.
The race was slowed by cautions 6 times for 27 laps and was extended by 5 laps into overtime.
The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is the Sprecher 150 The Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, August 25. The race will be televised live on FS1 and streamed live on FloRacing starting at 1 pm ET/12 noon CT.
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 and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series 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.
TEMPERANCE, Mich. (AUGUST 9, 2024) – Advance discount tickets for the season-ending ARCA Menards Series Owens Corning 200 at Toledo Speedway are now available at 13 northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan Menards locations. As it has for the last two years, the ARCA Menards Series champion will be officially crowned following the checkered flag in the 200-lap, 100-mile race.
Toledo Speedway is the home track for the ARCA Menards Series and will be hosting its 84th race dating to its first in 1963.
Andres Perez and his Rev Racing teammate Lavar Scott will each attempt to make history as they contend for the 2024 ARCA Menards Series championship. Perez, from Mexico City, will try to become the series’ first Mexican-born champion, while Scott, from Carneys Point, New Jersey, is attempting to become the series’ first African-American champion.
Reigning series champion Jesse Love clinched the title last year at Toledo Speedway, but it was Joe Gibbs Racing’s William Sawalich who celebrated in victory lane. It marked the third straight Toledo victory for the No. 18 team, which includes wins by NASCAR Cup Series star Ty Gibbs in 2021 and NASCAR Xfinity Series standout Sammy Smith in 2022. Sawalich, who won the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East championship at just 16 years of age, will return to defend his 2023 Toledo victory.
Venturini Motorsports, which fields teams for full-time drivers Kris Wright, Amber Balcaen, and Toni Breidinger as well as two other full-time teams for a ranging cast of drivers that has included Gio Ruggiero, Isabella Robusto, Brent Crews, and Taylor Reimer, will be searching for its first victory at Toledo Speedway since Chandler Smith won in 2019. VMS scored its first Toledo victory all the way back in 1987 with team co-founder Bill Venturini at the wheel. Other VMS winners at Toledo include Justin Boston in 2014 and Todd Gilliland, who became the youngest-ever ARCA Menards Series winner in series history at just 15 years, 2 days of age in 2015.
There will be a full day of on-track activity including ARCA Menards Series practice at 11:45 am ET, following by General Tire Pole Qualifying at 1. The Owens Corning 200 is set to go green shortly after 4:30 pm. In addition, there will be a 50-lap ARCA Outlaw Late Model special event that will precede the Owens Corning 200; that race is scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm.
Fans can purchase tickets to the Owens Corning 200 for just $20, a savings of $10 per adult general admission ticket, at Menards locations in Toledo, Defiance, Findlay, Holland, Oregon, and Sandusky in Ohio, and Ann Arbor, Belleville, Jackson, Livonia, Taylor, Warren, and Wixom in Michigan.
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 and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series 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.
Temperance, MI (August 2, 2024) – NASCAR Cup Series superstar Greg Biffle will compete in the upcoming ARCA Menards Series West NAPA Auto Care 150 at Tri-City Raceway on Saturday, August 10. Biffle will drive the No. 23 Sigma Performance Services Chevrolet for team owner Joe Farré.
Biffle will pay tribute to his Pacific Northwest heritage by racing in front of his hometown fans at the unique half-mile tri-oval. Biffle, born in Portland, was raised in nearby Vancouver, Washington and began his illustrious career racing on the bullrings across the northwest.
“I’m so excited to return to the famous Tri-City Raceway in the Tri-Cities, Washington area,” Biffle said. “I’m looking forward to returning to the track in an ARCA West car almost 30 years after I won the track championship. It’s an honor to drive for one of the teams well-known in the sport, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to return to racing at this historic Northwest racetrack.”
Biffle, who was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers, is no newcomer to the ARCA Menards West Series. His impressive career includes competition in the former NASCAR Winston West Series in the early 1990s, a steppingstone in his ascent to the NASCAR Cup Series ranks.
Biffle is also a champion in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, winning the title in 2000, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, winning the championship in 2002. He narrowly missed becoming the first driver to win a championship in all three NASCAR national series when he finished second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings in 2005, just 35 points behind champion Tony Stewart.
Biffle has 19 career NASCAR Cup Series wins, 20 Xfinity Series victories, and 17 wins in the Craftsman Truck Series.
He made two starts in what is now the ARCA Menards Series West, finishing fourth in his most recent start at Altamont Motorsports Park in 1996. He is a former track champion at Tri-City Raceway in the late model division.
“We couldn’t be prouder to be a part of Greg’s return to his racing roots in the Pacific Northwest,” said team owner Joe Farré, echoing Biffle’s excitement. “As a West Coast racer myself, I cannot thank the local supporters, track owners, series sponsor, and series officials enough for the opportunity to return to iconic racetracks like Tri-City Raceway. We need more people like Greg, the people of the Northwest racing community, and sponsors alike, to support the continuation of these tracks, teams, and series.
“Greg’s commitment to this race, the racing community, and growing teams like ours just goes to show how important it is that we all work together to keep racing alive in the Pacific Northwest, and across this great country,” Farré continued. “Racing is more than business or competition; to many, racing is a way of life, a way to socialize and gather as a community. Racing is an American pastime that we cannot allow to be lost.”
Sigma Performance Services won the ARCA Menards Series West race at Sonoma Raceway earlier in 2024 with current NASCAR Xfinity Series championship contender Sam Mayer driving. The team also finished third with 2014 ARCA Menards Series champion Mason Mitchell driving at Iowa Speedway in June.
The ARCA Menards Napa Auto Care 150 will be streamed live on FloRacing starting at 10:30 pm ET/7:30 pm PT.
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 and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series 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 Sigma Performance Services Sigma Performance Services (SPS) is a leading name in the world of motorsports, dedicated to excellence, innovation, and fostering the growth of racing talent. Based in Las Vegas, SPS is committed to delivering top performance in every race.
ELKO, Minn: Approaching the end of a four-race short track stretch in the ARCA Menards Series, Greg Van Alst eyes Saturday night’s Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints at Elko (Minn.) Speedway as a massive opportunity to rebound following a disappointing race last weekend at Salem Speedway.
Feeling optimistic about returning to one of his favorite Indiana short tracks, Van Alst felt like he had a chance of delivering back-to-back top-10 finishes, but a tango with a lapped car in the race not only destroyed his race car but Van Alst took a dive in the championship point standings too.
While the championship is still in reach, Van Alst is focused on solid finishes, knowing that top-five and top-10 finishes will deliver the points needed to climb back into the championship chatter.
Elko Speedway, the tight Minnesota short track, provides an opportunity for Van Alst and his team to rebound.
“Salem was definitely disappointing on my side,” explained Van Alst. As a team owner, it was great to see Isaac succeed with a strong lead lap sixth-place finish. He did a great job, and I’m really proud of him. Still, where there was a lot to be happy about with the No. 34 team, on the flip side, it was frustrating for our No. 35 team.
“We aren’t going to bow out now. We will keep digging, improve our cars, and vow not to go down without a fight for the series championship. Elko is a must-rebound for our team, and I know we can fight toward a top-five finish on Saturday night.”
The Anderson, Ind. native will make his second ARCA Menards Series start at Elko Speedway on Saturday night. In 2022, Van Alst started the night in his No. 35 Ford ninth and finished a respectable eighth.
Two years later, Van Alst doesn’t believe a top-10 will cut it. He is focused on earning his second top-five of the season just past the halfway point of the season.
“We’ve been telling everyone that we need to earn more top-five finishes,” Van Alst continued. “We are definitely working towards that. Last weekend was an example of our hard work with Isaac’s performance. The series is competitive right now. If you make one mistake, you can not only be outside the top 10 but out of the race.
“The Rev Racing team has done a good job of finishing races and minimizing mistakes. We need to take the remainder of the second half of the season to try and turn up the heat a little bit by making sure we are working even harder to be better off the hauler. If we can do that, our race program will elevate even more.
“That’s our goal anyways, and we’ll use what we learned at Elko in 2022 to our advantage this weekend.”
Saturday night’s 200-lap race will mark Van Alst’s 50th career ARCA start.
With 11 races completed, Van Alst sits third in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 13 points behind Lavar Scott for second, and 61 points behind championship leader Andrés Pérez de Lara, with nine races remaining this year.
Since 2002, Van Alst has 49 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit, one win, five top-five and 24 top-10 finishes.
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 X | Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).
The Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints (250 laps | 94 miles), is the 12th of 20 races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Saturday, August 3, from 3:40 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with an additional session from 4:10 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying follows beginning at 5:20 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag later in the day shortly after 8:00 p.m. CT (9:00 p.m. ET). The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and streaming on FloRacing. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).
AM Racing | ARCA Menards Series Elko Speedway | Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints
Fast Facts
No. 32 AM Racing Team: Driver: Christian Rose Primary Partner(s): Department of West Virginia Tourism Manufacturer: Ford Mustang Crew Chief: Ryan “Pickle” London Spotter: Trevor Monn Chassis Intel: AMR Chassis No. A-242 Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies
Notes of Interest:
Welcome Back: AM Racing returns to the ARCA Menards Series full-time in 2024 with sophomore Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) driver Christian Rose behind the wheel of the team’s No. 32 Ford Mustang, continuing with Saturday night’s Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints at Elko (Minn.) Speedway.
The 2024 ARCA Menards Series season will mark the first time that AM Racing has competed back-to-back full-time in the NASCAR-owned development series since three-time ARCA Menards Series winner Gus Dean drove for the organization during the 2017 – 2018 seasons, respectively.
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 second full season of stock car competition aboard the team’s flagship No. 32 Ford Mustang.
Rose returns to the Statesville, N.C.-based team on the heels of his inaugural rookie ARCA schedule in 2023, which was highlighted by two top-five, 13 top-10 finishes, and the most laps completed by any ARCA driver last season at 2,550 of 2,624 laps or 97.2% throughout the 20-race season.
His strength of two top-five and five top-10 finishes in the final five races of the season vaulted Rose to third overall in the championship standings behind series champion Jesse Love and Andrés Pérez de Lara.
The 29-year-old also made two starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, respectively, with starts at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and the season-finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.
He’s Back Too!: To help steer Christian Rose and the AM Racing team towards a championship in 2024, Ryan “Pickle” London will return to serve as crew chief of the No. 32 Ford Mustang this season.
London, a long-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series crew chief, returned to AM Racing in early 2023 after spending the 2020 season as the truck chief with the team’s Truck Series program.
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 Saturday night’s Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints at Elko (Minn.) Speedway.
The Department of West Virginia 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.
After running the Department of West Virginia Tourism winter paint scheme in the first four races of 2024, the AM Racing team will continue with their summer scheme for the 200-lap race this weekend.
Squeaky Blue Clean: In March, AM Racing and Christian Rose proudly announced the addition of Blue Wolf as a partner to the team’s ARCA Menards Series platform for the remaining nine races in 2024.
Originally created by a West Virginia coal miner and a chemist to clean and degrease mining equipment, Blue Wolf quickly became trusted as a proven product for getting the job done.
As miners began taking the product home, they soon discovered that Blue Wolf worked great on everything from removing grease and coal dust from carpets and work clothes to pressure washing houses.
Today, Blue Wolf offers a full line of cleaners and degreasers for household, automotive, and industrial use.
Blue Wolf will serve in an associate role for Saturday night’s race.
Christian Rose ARCA Elko Speedway Stats: Saturday night’s Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints at Elko (Minn.) Speedway will mark Rose’s second ARCA start at the iconic half-mile short nestled in Elko, Minnesota – a famed northwest short track staple.
In his Elko Speedway ARCA debut last summer, Rose earned a 10th-place finish during the 2023 edition of the Menards 250 after starting 10th.
The effort was among his 13 top-10 finishes claimed for the rookie ARCA driver during the 2023 season.
In 12 career ARCA short track races, Rose has delivered three top-five and nine top-10 finishes.
Christian Rose Career ARCA National Series Stats: In 39 career ARCA National Series starts, Rose has earned five top-five and 18 top-10 finishes highlighted by a career-best third-place finish achieved at Salem (Ind.) Speedway in September 2023.
Additionally, Rose has showcased 27 top-20 finishes overall since 2022.
Since 2022, he has maintained an average finishing position of 12.8.
Former Winners: AM Racing is a former winner at Elko Speedway. In 2018, AM Racing driver Gus Dean charged to his second career ARCA Menards Series victory in an impressive triumphant driving the No. 32 GREE Chevrolet for the Statesville, N.C.-based team.
Dean survived a late-race restart to hold off hard chargers Christian Eckes and Joe Graf Jr. to propel AM Racing to Victory Lane.
Elko is the home short track of AM Racing owner Kevin Cywinski.
To The Point(s): Entering Elko Speedway, Rose is fifth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, just 12 markers behind ARCA Menards Series driver Kris Wright for fourth, with nine races remaining.
Rose stands 85 points in the arrears to championship leader Andrés Pérez de Lara.
AM Racing stands a respectable eighth in the ARCA Menards Series championship owner standings.
Slingin’ That Dirt: Since Daytona, Rose has been teamed up with AM Racing’s Dirt Division and getting experience behind the wheel of a Dirt Modified to strengthen his driving skills.
Rose will continue participating in select Dirt Modified events as his schedule allows this season.
Thanks For Your Support: With 55 percent of the 2024 ARCA Menards Series season complete, AM Racing and Christian Rose would like to thank their associate marketing partners for their support: AirBox Air Purifier, Blue Wolf Cleaners, Flying Circle, Mobil 1 and Whitetail Smokeless.
Salem Speedway | Mid-Summer Classic 200 Race Recap: In the 11th ARCA Menards Series race of the season, Rose returned to short-track racing at the legendary Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana.
After qualifying his No. 32 Department of West Virginia Tourism Ford Mustang 11th, Rose had to drop to the rear of the field for unapproved adjustments before the 11th race of the season.
From the drop of the green flag, Rose steadily marched forward. By the first race break, he had avoided the plethora of caution and banged up race cars to move inside the top-10.
Falling a lap down in the early onset of the race, Rose’s hard work and determination paid off with a caution putting the AM Racing sophomore driver back on the lead lap and a march towards the top-five.
With a fast No. 32 Department of West Virginia Tourism Ford Mustang, Rose continued to march forward and found himself in a horrendous battle with Will Kimmel and Isaac Johnson for a spot inside the top five.
Able to overhaul Johnson, Rose, despite his best efforts, was not able to overtake Kimmel but followed the respected veteran driver to the checkered flag in fifth – earning his third top-five finish of the season.
Saturday’s effort was the team’s best result since finishing fifth at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in July.
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 X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.
For more on Christian Rose, please like him on Facebook (Christian Rose Racing), or follow him on Instagram (@christianroseracing) and X | Twitter (@CRoseRacing).
Christian Rose Quoteboard:
On Elko Speedway: “After our strong performance last weekend at Salem Speedway, I’m upbeat about returning to Elko Speedway on Saturday night.
Our car was extremely fast at Salem, and I’m hopeful that we can capitalize on that speed on another short track this weekend. Elko is not the easiest short track in the world.
“Its unique layout demands a different driving style to make sure you can capitalize on your momentum and carry the speed when you need it the most. “I learned a lot last year and I feel confident we can be better than 10th and hopefully challenge for back-to-back top-five finishes on Saturday night with our No. 32 Department of West Virginia Tourism Ford Mustang.”
Race Information:
The Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints (250 laps | 94 miles), is the 12th of 20 races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Saturday, August 3, from 3:40 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with an additional session from 4:10 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying follows beginning at 5:20 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag later in the day shortly after 8:00 p.m. CT (9:00 p.m. ET). The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and streaming on FloRacing. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (CT).
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, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events in its eighth year of competition.
ARCA Menards Series The Race: Shore Lunch 250 Presented by Dutch Boy The Place: Elko Speedway The Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024 The Time: 9 pm ET / 8 pm CT TV: Live, FS1 / FloRacing; 9 pm ET / 8 pm CT Distance: 250 Laps / 93.75 Miles
The Shore Lunch 250 Presented by Dutch Boy will serve as the 12th race of the 20 scheduled for the ARCA Menards Series in 2024. It will be the tenth time the ARCA Menards Series has raced at the 0.375-mile oval.
Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) extended his lead in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings to 48 points, now over his Rev Racing teammate Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet), following his second-place finish in last Saturday night’s race at Salem Speedway. Perez has four career second-place finishes, including in each of the two most recent series races at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and at Salem. He finished fifth last year at Elko. Scott will be making his first start at Elko on Saturday.
Eden Prairie native William Sawalich (No. 18 Starkey/SoundGear Toyota) will look to improve upon his second-place finish at Elko Speedway in 2023. Sawalich has four ARCA Menards Series victories in 2024, including last weekend at Salem. Sawalich’s other victories have come at Phoenix Raceway in April, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Berlin Raceway in June. He has won eight of his 20 career ARCA Menards Series starts.
Greg Van Alst (No. 35 Zaki Ali Personal Injury Attorney / CB Fabricating Ford) dropped to third in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings following an uncharacteristic 17th-place finish at Salem. Van Alst will make his 50th career ARCA Menards Series start on Saturday. The 2023 winner at Daytona International Speedway has scored five top-five finishes and 24 top-ten finishes, including an eighth-place finish in his only career start at Elko Speedway in 2022.
Isabella Robusto (No. 55 Yahoo! Toyota) will return to the ARCA Menards Series for the first time since she finished sixth in her series debut at Phoenix Raceway. Robusto has made several appearances in the ARCA Menards Series East and West since then, including runner-up finishes in the East race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and the West race at Irwindale Speedway on July 4. She led 58 laps in the July 6 race at Irwindale and was 29 laps away from scoring her first career series victory when a cut tire sent her to the turn one wall and to the sidelines.
Reigning ARCA Menards Series West champion Sean Hingorani (No. 20 Fidelity Capital Toyota) will make his third ARCA Menards Series start of 2024. Hingorani, who is currently second in the West standings to Tyler Reif by just five points, finished fifth at Phoenix Raceway and matched his career-best finish, third, at Berlin Raceway in his only other starts this season.
Previous ARCA Menards Series winners at Elko Speedway include Brennan Poole (2012), Frank Kimmel (2013), Grant Enfinger (2014), Austin Theriault (2017), Gus Dean (2018), Chandler Smith (2019), Corey Heim (2021), Sammy Smith (2022), and Jesse Love (2023).
No driver has scored their first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Elko Speedway.
The ARCA Menards Series track qualifying record at Elko Speedway was set in 2014 by Justin Haley at 14.282 seconds/94.525 miles per hour.
The ARCA Menards Series track race record at Elko Speedway was set in 2012 by Brennan Poole at 74.090 miles per hour.
There will be two five-minute breaks for teams to perform service at or near lap 75 and lap 175. Teams can change tires and add fuel during the same stop, but not simultaneously. Teams can have a maximum of six tires in the pit stall.
Should the race need to be extended into overtime, there will be unlimited attempts at a two-lap “green-white-checkered” finish. If the caution is displayed after the white flag is displayed, there will be unlimited attempts at a one-lap “green and white together” finish.
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 and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series 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.
SALEM, Ind: Fresh off a top-10 finish in the most recent race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, ARCA Menards Series veteran Greg Van Alst treks to Salem (Ind.) Speedway, the site of Saturday night’s Mid-Summer Classic 200, looking to keep his recent momentum alive.
Last weekend, the Anderson, Ind. native had a hectic weekend of racing, competing at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and making his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
While Friday night resulted in Van Alst’s fifth top-10 finish of the 2024 season, his return to the Xfinity Series was solid, but transmission woes interrupted him in the closing laps of the Pennzoil 250.
Putting the double duty weekend behind him, Van Alst has shifted his focus to one of Southern Indiana’s most famed short tracks, the high banks of Salem Speedway – eyeing his third straight top-10 performance.
Van Alst will make his third career ARCA Menards Series at the half-mile short track and looks to capitalize on the tracks’ dynamic surface by besting his seventh place finish in 2022, but also capturing his second top-five finish of the ARCA Menards Series season – just past the halfway point.
Like Indianapolis Raceway Park, Van Alst knows Salem Speedway will not only be a tense race, but with the pace much quicker, the former ARCA | CRA Super Series champion also knows things can happen in a hurry – putting the driver on alert for 200 laps on Saturday night.
“Salem Speedway is a blast to race,” recalled Van Alst. “It’s a Bristol and Darlington Raceway all in one, making it super exciting. It will be a busy weekend again for my team as Isaac (Johnson) will be there in a second car, but nothing like the pressure we felt last weekend.
“We’re still chasing that points lead. Andres is running strong, and we’re right in his footsteps by a couple of positions. One mistake and the points could shake up like that. That’s why our Van Alst Motorsports team needs to leave nothing on the table.”
After practicing and qualifying in the afternoon and taking the green flag approaching sunset, Van Alst expects the track to change on Saturday night. He believes his Jim Long-led team will be able to keep up the varying track changes, propelling him into contention to win his second career ARCA victory on Saturday night.
During his full-time campaign in 2022, Van Alst finished second at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, a track with characteristics similar to Salem, leaves Van Alst feeling he is in a good place.
“I’ve said since the beginning of the season we need to improve our short track program, and we are making progress,” Van Alst added. “It hasn’t been without a lot of hard work by my guys and Isaac bringing additional feedback.
“It was a huge accomplishment to bring two Van Alst Motorsports cars home in the top-10 last weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, and I’d love nothing more than to do it again on Saturday night. We have to make sure we can keep up with the adjustments and keep our nose clean, literally.”
Like last weekend, Zaki Ali (Injury & Criminal Trial Attorney; 1-888-649-1-ALI) has returned to the winning ARCA Menards Series operation as the primary partner of the team’s No. 35 Ford for the highly contested 200-lap race on Saturday night.
In addition to Zaki Ali, CB Fabricating and Top Choice Fence will serve as associate partners for Van Alst’s 49th career ARCA start.
With 10 races complete, Van Alst remains second in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 46 points behind championship leader Andrés Pérez de Lara, with 10 races remaining this year.
Since 2002, Van Alst has 48 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit, one win, five top-five and 24 top-10 finishes.
As mentioned, Indiana native Isaac Johnson returns in a second car for Greg Van Alst Motorsports at Salem.
Johnson will drive the No. 34 Endress | Hauser Ford for his fifth career ARCA start. He will also return to the organization at Kansas Speedway in September.
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 X | Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).
The Mid-Summer Classic 200 (200 laps | 111 miles) is the 11th of 20 races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Saturday, July 27, from 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying follows beginning at 5:15 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag later in the day shortly after 8:00 p.m. ET. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and streaming on FloRacing. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).
ARCA Menards Series The Race: Salem ARCA 200 The Place: Salem Speedway The Date: Saturday, July 27, 2024 The Time: 8 pm ET TV: Live, FS1/FloRacing; 8 pm ET Distance: 200 Laps/111 Miles
The Salem ARCA 200 is scheduled to be the eleventh of 20 races for the ARCA Menards Series in 2024. It will mark the series’ 111th race at the 0.555-mile high-banked oval dating to the first in October 1955 won by Jack Harrison. Salem Speedway has hosted more ARCA Menards Series races than any other track in series history.
Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) leads the ARCA Menards Series championship standings by 46 points over 2023 Daytona winner Greg Van Alst (No. 35 Zaki Ali Personal Injury Attorney / CB Fabricating Ford). Perez finished second at Salem in 2023 while Van Alst’s best finish at Salem came in his most recent start, 7th, in 2022.
With support from Hendrick Motorsports, Corey Day (No. 28 Chevrolet Performance/HendrickCars.com Chevrolet) will make his ARCA Menards Series debut driving for Pinnacle Racing Group. Day won his preliminary night feature at the 2023 Chili Bowl and finished third in the championship night main event. Day earned his first World of Outlaws victory in 2023 at Silver Dollar Speedway and has won at Knoxville Raceway and picked up an $62,000 payday at Skagit Speedway in 2024. He’s also scored several High Limit Racing Sprint Car Series wins in 2024.
William Sawalich (No. 18 Starkey / Sound Gear Toyota) finished sixth at Salem Speedway in 2023, the only time in his ARCA Menards Series career he finished in the top ten but not among the top five. Sawalich has three ARCA Menards Series wins so far in 2023, matched with Connor Zilisch to lead the series in victories.
Current ARCA Menards Series championship points leader Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc Chevrolet) finished a career-best second at Salem Speedway in 2023; Perez matched his career best finish last Friday night at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Isaac Johnson (No. 34 Endress + Hauser Ford) will make his fourth start of the season driving a second entry for Van Alst Motorsports. Johnson scored his first career top-ten finish at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park last Friday night.
The ARCA Menards Series track qualifying record at Salem Speedway was set by Chandler Smith in 2018 at 16.844 seconds/118.618 miles per hour.
The ARCA Menards Series track race record at Salem Speedway was set by Tom Hessert III in 2014 at one hour, nine minutes, 34 seconds/95.736 miles per hour.
The banking at Salem Speedway tops out at 33 degrees, matching Talladega Superspeedway as the track with the steepest banking on the ARCA Menards Series schedule.
The 25 cars on the entry list represent the most for an ARCA Menards Series race at Salem Speedway since April 2018 when 24 teams entered.
Salem Speedway closed for eight years from 1979 through 1987. The ARCA Menards Series was the first to race at the track when it reopened in 1987, and except for a two-year hiatus in 1989 and 1990 and in 2020 when the race was canceled due to the pandemic, the series has raced there at least once a year since. Winners since 1987 include Bob Keselowski (1987), Larry Moore (1988), Bob Brevak (1988), Bob Schacht (1989), Bob Strait (1992, 1993), Scott Neal (1994), Tim Steele (1995, 1996, 2 – 1997), Tobey Butler (1996), Frank Kimmel (2 – 1998, 2000, 2 – 2001, 2 – 2002, 2004, 2008), Bill Baird (1999), Ken Schrader (1999, 2015), Tracy Leslie (2000), Shelby Howard (2 – 2003), Jason Jarrett (2004), Chad Blount (2005), Joey Miller (2005), Billy Venturini (2006), Blake Bjorklund (2006), Brian Keselowski (2007), Justin Allgaier (2007, 2008), Patrick Sheltra (2009), Justin Loftin (2009), Steve Arpin (2010), Dakoda Armstrong (2010), Brennan Poole (2011), Chris Buescher (2011), Alex Bowman (2012), Tom Hessert III (2012, 2013, 2014), Kyle Benjamin (2013), Grant Enfinger (2014, 2015), Christopher Bell (2 – 2016), Dalton Sargeant (2017), Austin Theriault (2017), Christian Eckes (2018), Chandler Smith (2018), Michael Self (2019), Ty Gibbs (2019), Jesse Love (2021, 2023), and Sammy Smith (2022).
There will be two five-minute breaks for teams to perform service at or near lap 75 and lap 125. Teams can change tires and add fuel during the same stop, but not simultaneously. Teams can have a maximum of six tires in the pit stall.
Should the race need to be extended into overtime, there will be unlimited attempts at a two-lap “green-white-checkered” finish. If the caution is displayed after the white flag is displayed, there will be unlimited attempts at a one-lap “green and white together” finish.
ARCA Menards Series West The Race: Shasta 150 The Place: Shasta Speedway The Date: Saturday, July 27, 2024 The Time: 11:45 pm ET/8:45 pm PT TV: Live, FloRacing; 11:30 pm ET/8:30 pm PT Distance: 150 Laps/56.25 Miles
The Shasta 150 will serve as the seventh race of 12 scheduled for the ARCA Menards Series West in 2024. It will be the sixteenth race for the ARCA Menards Series at Shasta Speedway dating to the first in 1967 won by Scott Cain.
Reigning ARCA Menards Series West champion Sean Hingorani (No. 5 Fidelity Capital Toyota) assumed the series championship lead after sweeping the Independence Day weekend doubleheader at Irwindale Speedway. Hingorani, who leads current runner-up Tyler Reif (No. 13 Central Coast Cabinets Toyota) by five points, is the defending winner at Shasta Speedway.
Jack Wood (No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet) heads to Shasta Speedway coming off his best career ARCA Menards Series West finish, second, at Irwindale Speedway on July 6. Wood is third in the series championship standings, 31 points out of the lead.
Trevor Huddleston (No. 50 High Point Racing/Racecar Factory Ford) started from the General Tire Pole and led 111 laps last year at Shasta Speedway before finishing second to Hingorani. Huddleston was challenging for the win before a cut tire scuttled his chances for victory in the July 6 race at Irwindale; he sits fourth in the series championship standings just three points behind Wood for third.
Kyle Keller (No. 12 Setting the Stage/Battleborn Racing Ford) finished sixth at Shasta Speedway in 2023. Keller, fifth in ARCA Menards Series West standings 41 points out of the lead, has five top-ten finishes in 2024 including a season-best seventh at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in April.
Jaron Giannini (No. 23 Sigma Performance Services Chevrolet) returns for his third ARCA Menards Series West start of 2024. Giannini had a strong debut weekend at Irwindale, finishing sixth in his debut and backing it up with a fifth-place finish on July 6.
Previous ARCA Menards Series West winners at Shasta Speedway include Scott Cain (1967), Bill Schmitt (1976, 1979), Jim Walker (1977), Jimmy Insolo (2 – 1978), Jim Robinson (1981, 1983, 1985), Ron Eaton (1982), Derrike Cope (1984), Bill Sedgwick (1992), Rick Carelli (1993), Chris Eggleston (2015), and Sean Hingorani (2023).
The ARCA Menards Series West track qualifying record at Shasta Speedway is 15.873 seconds/85.050 miles per hour, set by David Mayhew, in 2015.
The ARCA Menards Series West race record at Shasta Speedway is 70.508 miles per hour, set by Sean Hingorani, in 2023.
There will be no scheduled pit stops in the Shasta 150. The only pit stops will be for emergency purposes only. Teams will have two tires in their pit box, but any tire changes need to be approved by an ARCA official.
Should the race need to be extended into overtime, there will be unlimited attempts at a two-lap “green-white-checkered” finish. If the caution is displayed after the white flag is displayed, there will be unlimited attempts at a one-lap “green and white together” finish.
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 and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series 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.
ARCA Menards Series / ARCA Menards Series East at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park: Circle City 200 Post-race Notes
Connor Zilisch (No. 28 Silver Hare Development Chevrolet) took the lead from reigning ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich (No. 18 Starkey/Sound Gear Toyota) on a restart with 21 laps remaining to win the Circle City 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway Park. It is his third ARCA Menards Series win in three starts in 2024 and his fourth win in the ARCA Menards Series East.
With the victory, Zilisch unofficially stretched his lead in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings to 22 points over Sawalich with only races at The Milwaukee Mile and Bristol Motor Speedway remaining.
ARCA Menards Series championship leader Andres Perez (No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) matched his best career series finish in second. Perez unofficially leads the series standings by 46 points over runner-up Greg Van Alst (No. 35 Zaki Ali Trial Attorney/CB Fabricating Ford). Van Alst, who missed practice at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park while he was practicing for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finished eighth.
Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) finished fourth, his second consecutive top-five finish and fourth of the season. Scott has unofficially closed to within one point of Van Alst in the battle for second in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings.
Giovanni Ruggiero (No. 20 JBL Audio Toyota) finished fifth, his fifth top-five finish in six ARCA Menards Series East races and his fifth top-five finish in five ARCA Menards Series starts. Ruggiero unofficially remains third in the East standings, 35 points out of the lead.
Kris Wright (No. 15 FNB Corporation Toyota) finished sixth, his second consecutive top-five finish after a streak of three consecutive races outside of the top 15. Wright has unofficially climbed to fourth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, 65 points out of the lead.
Marco Andretti (No. 17 Group 1001 Chevrolet) finished seventh, his best ARCA Menards Series finish in an oval track. Andretti went on to finish 25th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series nightcap later in the evening. Andretti was the highest finishing driver of the four who did double duty on Friday night; Dean Thompson (No. 55 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota) was ninth, Tyler Tomassi (No. 93 Tomassi Law Toyota) was 17th, and Lawless Alan (No. 33 AUTOParkIt Ford) was involved in a late-race accident and finished 23rd.
Isaac Johnson (No. 34 Endress + Hauser Ford) finished tenth, his first career top-ten finish in four career series starts.
Toni Breidinger (No. 25 Raisin’ Canes Toyota) was involved in a lap 173 crash while battling for sixth; she was relegated to 24th at the finish and unofficially dropped two positions to sixth in the ARCA Menards Series standings.
Zachary Tinkle (No. 11 Racing for Rescues Toyota) finished eleventh and maintained fourth in the ARCA Menards Series East standings. Tinkle joined crew chief Todd Parrott at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday as Parrott was honored by the track as a winning crew chief of the Brickyard 400; Parrott won the race with driver Dale Jarrett in 1996 and the duo was the first to “kiss the bricks” after their victory.
The race was slowed by seven caution flags for 44 laps.
The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is the Salem ARCA 200 on Saturday, July 27. The race will be televised live on FS1 and streamed live on FloRacing starting at 8 pm ET.
The next race for the ARCA Menards Series East is the Sprecher 150 at The Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, August 25. The race will be televised live in FS1 and streamed live on FloRacing at 2 pm ET/1 pm CT.
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 and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series 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.
Connor Zilisch executed the final two restarts to his advantage to grab a thrilling ARCA Menards Series victory in the Circle City 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday, July 19.
The 17-year-old Zilisch from Charlotte, North Carolina, led twice for a race-high 89 of 205 over-scheduled laps in an event where he started in fourth place and ran upfront in the early stages before he assumed the lead for the first time on Lap 44. Despite leading through the halfway mark on Lap 100, Zilisch lost the lead to William Sawalich amid a restart with 92 laps remaining.
After spending a majority of the mid-race portion trialing Sawalich, Zilisch then executed a restart with 21 laps remaining to force his way past Sawalich as he nearly slid up into Sawalich entering the first turn. After fending off another attack from Sawalich, Zilisch appeared to have the race within his grasp until an incident involving Amber Balcaen sent the field into an overtime attempt. Despite having Sawalich lined up alongside him for the overtime attempt, Zilisch was not to be denied as he motored away from the field amid a strong launch and cruised to both his fourth ARCA Menards Series East victory and his third consecutive ARCA Menards Series victory overall.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, William Sawalich secured the pole position with his best lap occurring at 110.715 mph in 22.306 seconds. Joining him on the front row was Lavar Scott, who clocked in the second-fastest qualifying lap at 109.921 mph in 22.467 seconds.
When the green flag waved and the race commenced, William Sawalich and Lavar Scott battled dead even against one another for the lead through the first two turns. Then just past the backstretch, Scott tried to muscle ahead of Sawalich entering Turn 3 from the inside lane, but Sawalich pulled a crossover move on Scott entering the frontstretch and he managed to lead the first lap by a hair.
Sawalich and Scott would duel and cross over one another for the top spot for the following lap before Scott managed to motor ahead of Sawalich and have both lanes to his control by the third lap. He would proceed to lead just past the fifth lap mark while Sawalich, Connor Zilisch, Andres Perez, Lawless Alan and Giovanni Ruggiero trailed in the top six.
Following the event’s first caution period on the ninth lap due to Jackson McLerran spinning his No. 96 Firemark Property Mgrnt/Arylco Toyota in Turn 2, the race restarted under green on Lap 14. At the start, Scott and Sawalich dueled for the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch before Scott used the outside lane to muscle ahead and retain the lead for the following lap.
As Scott proceeded to lead just past the Lap 15 mark, Alan prevailed in an early side-by-side battle with Ruggiero for fifth place as they trailed another side-by-side battle for third place between Zilisch and Perez. Amid the early battles around the circuit, Scott would then be challenged by Sawalich for the lead on Lap 18. Despite Sawalich’s attempt to gain a run underneath Scott through the turns, Scott would manage to muscle ahead as he retained the lead by Lap 20.
At the Lap 30 mark, Scott, who was being mired in lapped traffic, continued to lead by nearly half a second over Sawalich, who was being intimidated by Zilisch for the spot, while Perez and Ruggiero trailed by as far as six seconds in the top five. Meanwhile, Alan, Greg van Alst, Toni Breidinger, Kris Wright and Christian Rose were running in the top 10 ahead of Dean Thompson, Marco Andretti, Amber Balcaen, Isaac Johnson and Zachary Tinkle while Andrew Patterson, Presley Sorah, D.L. Wilson, Michael Maples and Cody Dennison were mired in the top 20 ahead of Tyler Tomassi, Becca Monopoli, Jayson Alexander, Alex Clubb and Braynton Laster.
Ten laps later, Scott, who was continuing to weave his way through lapped traffic, stabilized his advantage to two-tenths of a second over Zilisch, who nearly pulled a slide job on Scott for the lead amid lapped traffic, while Sawalich trailed in third place by half a second. Behind, Perez and Rugiero remained in the top five while Alan, Van Alst, Breidinger, Kris Wright and Christian Rose occupied the top 10 on the track.
With the event reaching a second caution period on Lap 50 mark due to Presley Sorah wrecking against the outside wall in Turn 3 and just past the backstretch, the start of the next restart period on Lap 57 featured Zilisch, who assumed the lead for the first time on Lap 42, muscling ahead and retaining the lead from the outside lane. Behind, Perez charged his way up to second place while Scott, Alan and Sawalich battled amongst one another for third place. Sawalich would prevail in the three-car battle for third place over Scott and Alan as Zilisch continued to lead on Lap 60.
By Lap 75, Zilisch stretched his advantage to two seconds over Sawalich while third-place Perez trailed by more than five seconds. Behind, Scott and Ruggiero trailed by as far as nearly eight seconds in the top five while Alan, Breidinger, Van Alst, Thompson and Marco Andretti were in the top 10.
Ten laps later, Zilisch stabilized his advantage to two seconds over Sawalich while third-place Scott trailed by nine seconds. Perez and Ruggiero continued to run in the top five as Alan followed suit in sixth place ahead of Breidinger, Andretti, Thompson and Wright, with the leaders navigating their way through lapped traffic.
At the halfway mark on Lap 100, a designed caution flew for a mid-race break. At the time of caution, Zilisch was leading by more than a second over Sawalich, who chopped half of his deficit in trailing Zilisch for the top spot, as third-place Scott trailed the lead by 12 seconds. Perez, Ruggiero, Alan, Breidinger, Andretti, Thompson and Wright were scored in the top 10.
During the mid-race break period, which included the race being red-flagged, the entire field led by Zilisch pitted for a non-competitive service, which kept Zilisch in the lead when the field returned to the track under a cautious pace.
With 93 laps remaining, the race restarted under green. At the start, Zilisch and Sawalich dueled for the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch until Sawalich used the inside lane to muscle ahead of Zilisch. Zilisch then tried to pull a crossover move underneath Sawalich, but the latter would clear the former and retain the lead for the following lap. With Sawalich leading Zilisch with 90 laps remaining, Perez and Scott battled for third place while Alan was up into fifth place ahead of Ruggiero and Breidinger.
Down to the final 75 laps of the event, the caution returned due to Becca Monopoli, who was lapped by the leaders, slipping sideways before she snapped back across the track and hit the backstretch’s outside wall head-on while being dodged by Jackson McLerran. Amid the hard accident, she emerged uninjured. By then, Sawalich had slightly stretched his advantage to eight-tenths of a second over Zilisch.
The start of the next restart period with 67 laps remaining featured Sawalich rocketing away from the lead through the frontstretch and the first two turns while Perez also rocketed his way into the runner-up spot. As Zilisch retained third place in front of Perez and Ruggiero, Alan and Breidinger battled for sixth place while both were also trying to pressure Ruggiero for a top-five spot while Andretti and Wright tried to close in from eighth and ninth, respectively. Amid the late on-track battles, Sawalich had extended his lead to more than a second as he continued to lead with 60 laps remaining.
With 50 laps remaining, Sawalich stabilized his advantage to more than a over Zilisch while third-place Scott trailed by four seconds. Behind, Perez retained fourth place ahead of Ruggiero as Breidinger, who was up to sixth place, was trying to pressure teammate Ruggiero for more.
Ten laps later, Sawalich retained his advantage of more than a second over Zilisch, with both competitors logging in fast lapped times. Behind, Scott trailed by more than seven seconds in third place while Perez and Ruggiero remained in the top five ahead of Breidinger, Andretti, Wright, Alan and Thompson.
Another four laps later, the caution flew due to Jackson McLerran spinning in Turn 2 for a second time. In the process of McLerran’s spin, Breidinger, who was trying to navigate her way past teammate Ruggiero for a top-five spot, had slammed on the brakes, smoked her front tires and made light contact with the outside wall to avoid hitting McLerran. Despite hitting the wall, Breidinger remained on the track and retained sixth place.
With the event restarting under green with 29 laps remaining, Sawalich and Zilisch dueled for the lead for nearly a lap until Zilisch nearly slid up the track in Turn 3, which allowed Sawalich to rocket ahead and retain the lead for the following lap. The caution, however, quickly returned as both Alan and Breidinger wrecked up against the outside wall in Turn 2, where the latter was then hit by McLerran as her strong run within the top six came to an end. The incident was enough for the event to be placed in a red flag period as the on-track safety crew cleared the carnage scene.
When the red flag lifted and the race resumed under green with 21 laps remaining, Zilisch wasted no time forcing his way into the lead from the inside lane over Sawalich. Despite running wide through the first two turns, which allowed Sawalich to cross over and duel with Zilisch through the backstretch and prior to hitting Turns 3 and 4, Zilisch managed to muscle ahead from the outside lane and hold the lead with 20 laps remaining. Zilisch then started to place a reasonable gap between himself and Sawalich over the proceeding laps while Perez, Scott and Ruggiero followed suit in the top five.
Down to the final 15 laps of the event, Zilisch extended his advantage to a second over Sawalich. Zilisch would stretch his advantage to nearly two seconds over Sawalich with 10 laps remaining while Perez, Scott and Ruggiero trailed by as far as five seconds.
With five laps remaining, Zilisch retained his lead to more than a second over Sawalich as he also navigated his way through lapped traffic. In the process, Perez trailed in third place by nearly five seconds as Scott, Ruggerio and Wright followed suit in the top six.
Then just as Zilisch was approaching the frontstretch to take the white flag and start the final lap of the event, the caution flew due to Amber Balcaen spinning as she was battling Zachary Tinkle while entering the frontstretch. Balcaen’s incident sent the event into overtime and spoiled Zilisch’s advantage of nearly two seconds over Sawalich.
The start of the first and only overtime attempt featured Zilisch gaining a strong start from the inside lane as he rocketed his No. 28 Silver Hare Development Chevrolet away with the lead as Perez overtook Sawalich’s No. 18 Starkey/Sound Gear Toyota for the runner-up spot. As the rest of the field, including Perez and Sawalich, battled, Zilisch muscled away from the field.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Zilisch remained as the leader by four-tenths of a second over Perez, who was trying to fend off Sawalich for the runner-up spot. Having a comfortable advantage for a final circuit, Zilisch navigated his way back to the frontstretch victorious as he claimed the checkered flag by nine-tenths of a second over Perez.
With the victory, Zilisch, a development competitor for Trackhouse Racing, is three-for-three in the ARCA Menards Series as he is coming off wins between Flat Rock Speedway and Iowa Speedway. To go along with his first victory at Lucas Oil IRP along with the fourth ARCA East victory of his career and of the 2024 season, Zilisch also racked up his third ARCA Menards Series career victory in the process as this event marked a combined event between the ARCA and ARCA East divisions.
With two ARCA Menards Series East races remaining on this year’s schedule, Zilisch continues to lead the series standings by 23 points over Sawalich.
Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“This Silver Hare Racing, Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet was so fast,” Zilisch said on FS1. “I kind of messed up two restarts in a row. Luckily, I got a third shot at it and I could just hear Josh Wise and Scott Speed in the back of my head, telling me what to do. We’ve prepped for this race for weeks now. It just feels good to have that prep pay off and get my team a win in this critical situation. We’re racing for a championship. These wins matter a lot.”
“I just wanted leverage,” Zilisch, who stood by his decision to restart on the inside lane that led him to victory, added. “When I’m on the bottom [lane], I have more control than when I’m on the top. As long as I beat [Sawalich] to the start/finish line and got a good run, I could kind of slide myself and get clear off of [Turn] 2. It’s all about leverage in these games and obviously, me and [Sawalich] had a little bit of history. I just didn’t want to take a chance on it. I’m glad it paid off.”
Andres Perez, the current points leader in the ARCA Menards Series division and who is still searching for his first ARCA career victory, managed to fend off William Sawalich to claim the runner-up spot as Lavar Scott and Giovanni Ruggiero finished in the top five. The runner-up result, which marks Perez’s best result in the series, allowed him to retain the lead in the ARCA standings by 46 points over Greg Van Alst and 45 over Lavar Scott.
Kris Wright, Marco Andretti, Greg Van Alst, Dean Thompson and Isaac Johnson completed the top 10 in the final running order.
There were four lead changes for three leaders. The race featured seven cautions for 44 laps. In addition, nine of 31 starters finished on the lead lap.
Results.
1. Connor Zilisch, 89 laps led
2. Andres Perez
3. William Sawalich, 72 laps led
4. Lavar Scott, 44 laps led
5. Giovanni Ruggiero
6. Kris Wright
7. Marco Andretti
8. Greg Van Alst
9. Dean Thompson
10. Isaac Johnson, one lap down
11. Zachary Tinkle, three laps down
12. Andrew Patterson, three laps down
13. Amber Balcaen, four laps down
14. Cody Dennison, five laps down
15. Michael Maples, six laps down
16. D.L. Wilson, six laps down
17. Tyler Tomassi, seven laps down
18. Jayson Alexander, eight laps down
19. Braynton Laster, 11 laps down
20. Rita Goulet, 13 laps down
21. Alex Clubb, 16 laps down
22. Christian Rose – OUT, Accident
23. Lawless Alan – OUT, Accident
24. Toni Breidinger – OUT, Accident
25. Jackson McLerran – OUT, Accident
26. Casey Carden – OUT, Mechanical
27. Becca Monopoli – OUT, Accident
28. Nate Moeller – OUT, Mechanical
29. Presley Sorah – OUT, Accident
30. Dale Shearer – OUT, Mechanical
31. Brad Smith – OUT, Mechanical
Next on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule is the Salem ARCA 200 at Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, July 27, with a start time at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.
