Category: ARCA

Races at Berlin, New Hampshire, and Salem Removed from 2020 Schedule

TOLEDO, Ohio (August 25, 2020) – Once again, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the ARCA Menards Series to be nimble in its 2020 scheduling.

Events at Michigan’s Berlin Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been removed from the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East slate, as has the ARCA Menards Series race at Salem Speedway in Indiana. In place of these events, a new ARCA Menards Series/ARCA Menards Series East race at Toledo Speedway has been added to the schedule on Saturday, Sept. 12.

“The logistical challenges created by COVID-19 forced us to make some difficult decisions,” ARCA President Ron Drager said. “We are disappointed that we won’t be visiting Berlin Raceway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Salem Speedway this year, but we look forward to bringing the excitement of ARCA Menards Series racing back to those great facilities in the future.”

The Sept. 12 event at Toledo, which will be broadcast live at 5 p.m. ET on MAVTV and TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold, will be open to a limited number of fans – the first Toledo Speedway event to feature fans this year.

The race will count championship points toward both the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East.

It will mark the third ARCA Menards Series and second ARCA Menards Series East events on the famed half-mile track this season. Sam Mayer swept the ARCA Menards Series doubleheader at Toledo on July 31 and Aug. 2, while Ty Gibbs captured the checkered flag in the ARCA Menards Series East return event on June 13.

The ARCA Menards Series & Sioux Chief Showdown returns to action Saturday with the Dutch Boy 150 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on MAVTV and TrackPass.

The next ARCA Menards Series East event will be Toledo on Sept. 12.

Rescheduled ARCA Event is Also Sioux Chief Showdown Race

Toledo, Ohio (August 22, 2020) – Rust-Oleum, Track Enterprises and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) announced today that the “SmartCoat” brand of Zinsser Paint will sponsor the newly announced ARCA Menards Series event at Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Missouri. The race has been relocated from its original location and date at Madison International Speedway.

The Zinsser SmartCoat 200 is scheduled for Saturday, September 5 at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. ARCA practice and General Tire Pole Qualifying will precede the 200-lap/100-mile feature event. The race is set for live flag-to-flag broadcast on MAVTV and will be streamed live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

“We’re excited and honored to sponsor this exciting day of racing,” said Don Muench, Senior Vice President of Sales, at Rust-Oleum. “What a great way to celebrate our longstanding and valuable partnership with Menards. We wish all the drivers good luck!”

The Zinsser SmartCoat 200 will be the fourteenth race of the 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule. In addition, the event will mark the eighth round of the Sioux Chief Showdown, ARCA’s short-track super series which brings drivers and teams from the ARCA Menards Series East and West together with AMS series regulars in a 10 race “series within a series.”

Central Missouri area Menards stores will offer local race fans the chance to “Save Big Money” by purchasing advance, discounted race tickets to the Zinsser SmartCoat 200 beginning on Monday, August 24. Tickets at participating Menards locations are just $20.

“We are excited to be racing at a new track in an area we have stores,” said Jeff Abbott, Promotions Manager and Spokesperson for Menards. “Missouri is a growing market for Menards, and we know there are a lot of race fans in the area.”

“We’re motivated to bring the ARCA Menards Series to I-44, and to showcase the series to the great race fans in the area,” said Bob Sargent, President of Track Enterprises. “I-44 is a great little racetrack. It’s a great fit for the ARCA Menards Series cars and we look forward to another great race and being a part of the Sioux Chief Showdown.”

ABOUT Zinsser SmartCoat

Zinsser® SmartCoat Advanced Paint & Primer in One makes painting simple. Our interactive tools on smartcoat.com take the guesswork out of any wall paint project. Available in more than 550 colors, Zinsser® SmartCoat offers superior adhesion, ultra smooth coverage, and exceptional washability. It’s ideal for walls, trims, cabinets and doors. Sheens include flat, eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss. SmartCoat conveniently comes in sample sizes, quart, 1 gallon and 5 gallon quantities.  Say hello to the next generation of stress-free, intelligent paint!

ABOUT MENARDS

Menards home improvement stores are well known throughout the Midwest for a complete selection of high-quality, name brand merchandise and all the tools, materials and supplies for any job.  Menards offers full-service lumberyards, beautiful garden centers, name brand appliances, pet & wildlife products and even a line of convenience groceries to provide a one-stop shopping experience.  Whether just needing a light bulb, gallon of paint or household supplies, or building a deck, fence or new home, there is something for everyone at Menards whether a beginning do-it-yourselfer or more experienced contractor.

A family-owned and run company started in 1958; Menards currently operates 305 stores located in 14 Midwestern states.  Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low-price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember.  Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town, and the way Guests are always treated like family.

ABOUT TRACK ENTERPRISES

Track Enterprises is a racing promotion company that oversees popular events that feature top touring series like the ARCA Racing Series, USAC Racing, Dirtcar UMP, POWRi Racing, All Star Circuit Of Champions, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, CRA, Southern Super Series, and more.  The company also oversees all racing promotions at Macon Speedway, Lincoln Speedway, and the Terre Haute Action Track.  For more information on the upcoming racing schedule, visit www.trackenterprises.com

ABOUT ARCA

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading and most versatile auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Aug. 21, 2020) – After more than a year of waiting, one of the cornerstones of the American sporting landscape roars back to life. The 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge pits 33 of the best racing athletes in the world against each other in a 500-mile quest for immortality. Some of racing’s legendary drivers made their names at Indianapolis. Who will join them Sunday, Aug. 23?

Here are 5 Things to Look For at the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Curse? What Curse?

Does the Andretti Curse exist in August?

Marco Andretti doesn’t seem to think it does.

The third-generation driver from one of racing’s most storied families has been one of the fastest drivers in the lead-up to the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Last Sunday he became the first member of his famed racing family to win the Indy 500 pole in more than 30 years, joining his grandfather Mario as an Indianapolis 500 pole winner. 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti won the last of his three Indy 500 poles in 1987.

Now he seeks to join his grandfather on the Borg-Warner Trophy, by capping a perfect August with a win in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday.

“I don’t think it (the curse) exists in August, so we are good,” Andretti said in an interview this week. “As a family we would talk that we are blessed, not cursed, but it is a cool media story, and we have been running with it.

“Results-wise, yeah, maybe there is something to it because, man, the three of us have been so dominant here. We have a bunch of podiums, but this is one place where that doesn’t matter.”

Team Penske chases The Captain’s 19th Indy 500 win from mid-pack

If Team Penske is to claim its third Indianapolis 500 win in a row, it will have to do it from further back in the starting field than normal.

The highest-placed Team Penske driver is Josef Newgarden, who starts 13th in the Indianapolis 500, while defending champion Simon Pagenaud starts 25th, one row behind 2018 winner Will Power, who starts 22nd. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves starts even further back, in 28th.

But luck may be in Team Penske’s favor. The last time the team failed to place a car in the first three rows of an Indianapolis 500 was 2002, when Castroneves and Gil de Ferran started 13th and 14th. Castroneves went on to win the race.

Fernando’s Final Chance at Triple Crown?

Fernando Alonso will start his second Indianapolis 500, but the two-time Formula One World Champion knows it may be his final chance to earn the “Triple Crown of Motorsports,” at least for the near future.

The Spanish driver, who has wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Monaco Grand Prix, qualified 26th in the No. 66 Ruoff Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. But he is due to return to Formula One in 2021 with Renault, so he won’t be able to race at Indianapolis next May due to conflicting events.

“I agree with you, the team has the potential to have a competitive package here,” Alonso told INDYCAR. “They have the experience, they have the talent, and they have the personnel. It’s up to us now to have a good event, clean days like we had today with no issues. We are trying to improve the car step by step, small set of changes but always trying to have 100 percent answers, positive or negative while not getting lost.”

Graham Hill is the only driver to complete the Triple Crown, while two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, the only other active driver with two wins, would complete the feat with a win at Le Mans.

No first-time jitters

Five rookie drivers will make their Indianapolis 500 debut Sunday, but two have shown no first-time jitters. Dutchman Rinus VeeKay, 19, qualified fourth, the best performance for a teenager in Indy 500 history. He was honored as the fastest rookie by the American Dairy Association on Tuesday. Another rookie, Spain’s Alex Palou, qualified seventh.

Chasing History

Eight former winners qualified for the Indy 500, the most former winners to start the race since a record 10 former winners started the 1992 race.

Helio Castroneves is the only multi-time winner who will compete in the race as he seeks to join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears as four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500.

If one of the other seven former winners – Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Takuma Sato, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan or Scott Dixon — win on Sunday, they would join the exclusive club of 19 multi-time winners of the race.

DOVER, Del.: After taking a weekend off in ARCA Menards Series competition, rookie competitor Jason Kitzmiller and his CR7 Motorsports team head to Dover (Del.) International Speedway looking to give their driver some additional track time in Friday afternoon’s ARCA Menards Series East General Tire 125.

In his most recent race at Michigan International Speedway, Kitzmiller matched his career-best ARCA Menards Series finish of eighth at the famed two-mile oval, but the Petersburg, W. Va. native realizes there isn’t anything compared to Miles’ Monster Mile.

“Dover is one of those races that drivers really seem to love,” said Kitzmiller. “This will be my debut in the ARCA Menards Series East – but I’m excited to get out there with our No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet and see what we can do.”

Thankfully, Kitzmiller will have an hour of practice to set the tone for the race and says he will be relying on the experience of his team owner Codie Rohrbaugh and his crew chief Doug George for helping him negotiate Dover’s 1.0-mile track.

“I’m doing everything I can to prepare myself for Friday,” Kitzmiller.

“Whether it’s getting on the phone and talking to Codie, Doug or others or just trying to take some time when I’m not busy and looking at older races.

“Hopefully, we can get the car comfortable during practice and then make adjustments during the race that can set us up for a good finish.”

While some of fellow ARCA Menards Series competitors will join him in the third ARCA Menards Series East race of the season, Kitzmiller realizes he’ll also be competing with other drivers he’s never raced before.

“I know the ARCA Menards Series East season is as competitive as the ARCA Menards Series,” added Kitzmiller. “It’s flooded with a lot of talented short track racers. I will race them hard but be respectful.

“I’m not out here to ruin any of their championship hopes, but I still have a job to do for my team, my partners and myself. I have a feeling Dover is going to be one of those races where the competition will be fierce and aggressive. 125 laps will go by in a hurry, but we’ll be ready for whatever is thrown our way.”

Kitzmiller’s General Tire 125 will be the primary focus of CR7 Motorsports this weekend at Dover.

The Truck Series operation with driver Codie Rohrbaugh is taking a brief two-race (Dover and Gateway) sabbatical before planning to return to competition next month at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are available for the No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet and No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet for the 2020 ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact at tonya@gcmulch.com or 304.257.8783.

The General Tire 125 will air live on NBC’s Track Pass on Fri., Aug. 21 beginning at 2:00 p.m.

Rescheduled ARCA Event is Also Sioux Chief Showdown Race

Toledo, Ohio (August 19, 2020) – Sherwin-Williams Company, Track Enterprises, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) announced today that Dutch Boy^® Paints will sponsor the rescheduled 2020 ARCA Menards Series visit to WWT Raceway in Madison, Ill.

The Dutch Boy 150 is now scheduled for Saturday, August 29 at 6 pm ET/5 pm CT. ARCA practice will precede the 120-lap/150-mile event, which is scheduled for live broadcast coverage on MAVTV. The Saturday ARCA raceday schedule will also include an NTT Data IndyCar race event prior to the Dutch Boy 150.

“Auto racing is part of the fabric of America, and so is the Dutch Boy brand,” said Michelle Bangs, brand manager for Dutch Boy Paints. “It’s fitting that we come together for the ARCA Menards Series Dutch Boy 150. We’re proud to support ARCA and our exclusive retail partner, Menards, to bring this race to the fans.”

The Dutch Boy 150, originally scheduled for August 2, will be race No. 13 of the 20-race ARCA Menards Series schedule. In addition, the event will mark the seventh round of the Sioux Chief Showdown, ARCA’s short-track super series that brings drivers and teams from the ARCA Menards Series East and West together with AMS series regulars in a 10-race “series within a series.”

St. Louis-area Menards stores will offer local race fans the chance to “Save Big Money” by purchasing advance, discounted race tickets to the Dutch Boy 150 Tickets at participating Menards locations are just $25, a savings of $35 from the walk-up ticket price.

“We are excited to partner with the Dutch Boy brand to bring the ARCA Menards Series to the greater St. Louis market,” said Jeff Abbott, promotions manager and spokesperson for Menards. “St. Louis is a growing market for Menards, and we know there are a lot of race fans in the area. Combined with the IndyCar Series and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors & RV Truck Series, it’s going to be one of the biggest racing events of the season in the Midwest, and there will be a lot of Menards flavor to every one of the four races over the course of the two days.”

The Saturday, August 29 Dutch Boy 150 will also serve as a prelude to the IndyCar and NASCAR Truck Series double header on Sunday, August 30, giving area race fans a weekend to remember.

“We’re motivated to bring the ARCA Menards Series back to St. Louis, and to showcase the series to the great race fans in the area,” said Bob Sargent, president of Track Enterprises. “St. Louis is a great sports town and, more importantly, a great racing town. It’s a great fit for the ARCA Menards Series cars, and we look forward to another great race and being a part of the Sioux Chief Showdown.”

ABOUT DUTCH BOY GROUP

Founded in 1907, Dutch Boy® Paints continues to be an industry leader in delivering innovative and high-quality products and packaging solutions and is one of the most recognizable brands in the market over 100 years later. In recent years, a new vitality, youthfulness, and the promise of Simple Solutions have also shaped the brand. Heritage and trust have been brought to life with energy and empowerment, inspiring DIYers and paint enthusiasts for generations to come. For more information, visit dutchboy.com.

ABOUT MENARDS

Menards home improvement stores are well known throughout the Midwest for a complete selection of high-quality, name brand merchandise and all the tools, materials and supplies for any job.  Menards offers full-service lumberyards, beautiful garden centers, name brand appliances, pet & wildlife products and even a line of convenience groceries to provide a one-stop shopping experience.  Whether just needing a light bulb, gallon of paint or household supplies, or building a deck, fence or new home, there is something for everyone at Menards whether a beginning do-it-yourselfer or more experienced contractor.

A family-owned and run company started in 1958; Menards currently operates 305 stores located in 14 Midwestern states.  Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low-price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember.  Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town, and the way Guests are always treated like family.

ABOUT TRACK ENTERPRISES

Track Enterprises is a racing promotion company that oversees popular events that feature top touring series like the ARCA Racing Series, USAC Racing, Dirtcar UMP, POWRi Racing, All Star Circuit Of Champions, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, CRA, Southern Super Series, and more.  The company also oversees all racing promotions at Macon Speedway, Lincoln Speedway, and the Terre Haute Action Track.  For more information on the upcoming racing schedule, visit www.trackenterprises.com

ABOUT ARCA

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading and most versatile auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.

Track: Dover International Speedway, one-mile oval
Race: 3 of 8
Event: General Tire 125 (125 miles, 125 laps)

Schedule:
Friday, Aug. 21
11:30 a.m……………Practice/qualifying
2:00 p.m…………Race (Trackpass on NBC Gold)
(all times ET)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion

Taylor Gray will make his first start at The Monster Mile of Dover (Del.) International Speedway on Friday in the ARCA Menards Series East in the No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion. Gray has one prior start in the ARCA East Series. He finished eighth at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in June.

In addition to his ARCA East start, Gray has five starts in the ARCA Menards Series in the Sioux Chief Short Track Showdown races this year. Of those five starts, the 15-year-old has earned four top-five finishes. He even finished fourth last weekend at the challenging road course of Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. His best finish so far this season was third, also at Toledo, during the doubleheader weekend three weeks ago.

Gray’s DGR-Crosley team is bringing the same Ford Fusion they raced at Michigan International Speedway earlier this month where Anthony Alfredo finished fifth. He has also spent time on the Ford Performance simulator in Concord, N.C., to prepare for his first race at Dover.

The General Tire 125 will air live at 2 p.m. ET on Trackpass on NBC Gold. The race will be 125 laps (125 miles) and is to be run in three segments. The race will have two breaks, the first at or near the conclusion of lap 35 and the second at or near the conclusion of lap 70.

Gray on Dover: “I’m looking forward to racing at Dover Friday. The track looks fast and seems like it will be a lot of fun. I’m glad I was able to get some laps in at Dover on the Ford Performance simulator. I know DGR-Crosley has run well there the last couple years, so I am confident our team will have good speed. Now that David Gilliland has entered the race as well, I’m sure I can pick up a few pointers from him during the practice/qualifying session.”

David Gilliland, No. 54 Frontline Enterprises Ford Fusion

David Gilliland will be making his first start of the season in any series Friday at Dover (Del.) International Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series East. The DGR-Crosley co-owner will pilot the No. 54 Frontline Enterprises Ford Fusion. Derek Smith will be Gilliland’s crew chief for the race.

The NASCAR veteran has 23 starts at The Monster Mile across the NASCAR national touring series. His best finish at the concrete oval came in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS) in 2018 when he finished fourth. This will be Gilliland’s first start at Dover since that 2018 NGROTS race.

His DGR-Crosley team is bringing the same Ford Fusion which Tanner Gray raced at Pocono, and Thad Moffitt raced at Kansas and Michigan. Moffitt scored top-10 finishes in both of those races.

The General Tire 125 will air live at 2 p.m. ET on Trackpass on NBC Gold. The race will be 125 laps (125 miles) and is to be run in three segments. The race will have two breaks, the first at or near the conclusion of lap 35 and the second at or near the conclusion of lap 70.

Gilliland on Dover: “I haven’t raced one of our cars all year, so I figured this would be a good chance to work on some stuff and see where we can make improvements in our program. This will also be Taylor Gray’s first start at Dover, so if I can help him in any way then that will be great. This will actually be my first start in the ARCA Series, although I have run several K&N East and West races over the years, which have now become part of ARCA. Dover is a fun track, so I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel.”

Madison Race Relocated to Lebanon I-44 Speedway, DuQuoin Event Postponed

Toledo, Ohio (August 18, 2020) – The Automobile Racing Club of America has adjusted its Labor Day weekend schedule for both the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS, which now includes a unique ARCA weekend doubleheader at Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, Missouri. The weekend opens with the ARCA Menards Series on Saturday night and closes with the ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS on Sunday, an event relocated from Winchester Speedway in Indiana.

The adjustment moves the race originally scheduled for August 7 at Wisconsin’s Madison International Speedway to Saturday, September 5 at Lebanon I-44 Speedway. The race at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, which was originally slated for Labor Day weekend, has been postponed. ARCA and event promoters Track Enterprises are working with state and local officials to reschedule races at both the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and DuQuoin mile dirt tracks.

The revised ARCA Labor Day Weekend schedule:

• Saturday, September 5 –The ARCA Menards Series will make its first visit to the banked 3/8-mile I-44 Speedway. The ARCA Menards Series West – formerly known as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West – raced at I-44 in 2012 with current ARCA Menards Series championship leader Michael Self collecting the victory. The schedule for the day includes practice for both the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA/CRA Super Series, ARCA Menards Series General Tire Pole Qualifying, and the green flag for the night’s 200-lap main event at 9 pm ET/8 pm CT. The race will be televised live flag-to-flag on MAVTV and streamed live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.
• Sunday, September 6 – The ARCA/CRA Super Series takes to I-44 Speedway for a 100-lap feature, relocated from Winchester Speedway after the cancellation of the track’s annual Labor Day Stock Car Festival. The ARCA/CRA Super Series will run in conjunction with the JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance, which will also run a 100-lap feature. All the night’s action will be streamed live on Speed51.

In addition to the changes to Labor Day weekend, the September 17 Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway will now pay championship points for the ARCA Menards Series, Sioux Chief Showdown, and ARCA Menards Series East.

The updated, revised 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule through September 17:

8/21 – Dover International Speedway, AMSE, 2 pm ET, TrackPass

8/22 – Colorado National Speedway, AMSW, 7 pm ET, TrackPass

8/29 – World Wide Technology Raceway, AMS/SCS, 6 pm ET, MAVTV

9/5 – I-44 Speedway, AMS/SCS, 9 pm ET, MAVTV

9/12 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway, AMSE, 2:30 pm ET, TrackPass

9/17 – Bristol Motor Speedway, AMS/SCS/AMSE, 9:30 pm ET, FS1