NASCAR Sets Framework for ARCA and K&N Pro Series in 2020

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer

The first set of major news since NASCAR’s announcement of taking over ARCA in 2020 on April 27 was set in stone at Dover International Speedway in Delaware Saturday, and it mostly impacts the K&N Pro Series.

Starting in 2020, a framework between ARCA and NASCAR’s regional series indicated that it’ll have a four-series model that’ll not only keep its series roots, but also an all-star type series which drivers can compete.

Both K&N East and West will downsize from 14 races to 6-8, competing at historic tracks that are under a mile such as South Boston (East) and Evergreen (West) that’s hosted races for multiple decades.

ARCA will now be referred as the ARCA Racing Elite Series, made up with approximately 20 races. Among those tentative races, half of them will be held on speedways longer than a mile, and both ARCA and Pro Series will have companion events.

The new series that was announced Saturday will be called the Stock Car Invitational. It’ll take place in the final 10 ARCA Elite races and it’ll consist of premier short tracks, allowing drivers who ran in ARCA and both Pro Series to compete for another championship as long as they meet a minimum amount of races across those series.

Regarding the car and chassis, it’s expected to remain the same across all four series. Those competing in the Elite Series will run the current ARCA engine package, while the Pro Series will run their current package.

However, for the Stock Car Invitational, teams must stick with the engine they’re using in the series they’re primarily competing.

The final set of announcements focused on age eligibility where you must be 18 years old to compete in the Elite Series, whereas both K&N Pro Series and the Stock Car Invitational, you must be 15 to compete.

In the past, ARCA had different age eligibility for drivers under 18, where at 15 and 16, you can compete on tracks one mile and under, designated road courses and testing with several requirements, and 17 to compete at both Pocono Raceway and Gateway Motorsports Park.

Further announcements such as the exact number of races to be eligible for the Stock Car Invitational, track venues, official series titles and television coverage will be determined in the coming months.

The ARCA Racing Series has two more races including Saturday at Indianapolis Raceway Park, with Zane Smith leading the championship by 400 points. Tyler Ankrum wrapped up his K&N East championship season at Dover Saturday, finishing 11th in a race won by Ruben Garcia, Jr. As for the K&N West, Derek Thorn could clinch his second series championship in the penultimate round at All American Speedway in Roseville, Oregon Oct. 13.