Toyota Tag

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer NEWTON, Iowa —The first question on Saturday during Brett Moffitt’s media availability at Iowa Speedway was regarding his outlook and expectations for the night’s M&M’s 200. “Beat him,” Moffitt said with a laugh and a nod towards Johnny Sauter, sitting alongside him at the podium. “I guess that is the expectation. He’s set the bar. It’s certainly the goal.” Sauter has been on a tear in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season, winning four of the first eight races. Moffitt won the secondRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer One week removed from the first ARCA Racing Series victory of his career, Sheldon Creed didn’t get off to a good start at Madison International Speedway for Friday’s Herr’s Potato Chips 200. Creed qualified his No. 28 Toyota back in the 12th position in the 19 car field and had his work cut out to maneuver through the talented field. Battling with Eddie Fatscher for the fourth spot on Lap 50 of 200, Creed spun in Turn 4 to bring out the caution. “We ‘struggle bused’Read More

Courtesy of ARCA Communications Madison, Wisc. — Fifteen-year-old Chandler Smith scored his first career ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards win in the Herr’s 200 at Madison International Speedway on Friday night. Smith also led the practice session earlier in the day, and earned his fourth consecutive General Tire Pole in qualifying. Smith dropped to the tail of the lead lap with loose right side wheels in the early portion of the race. As Smith was slowing with those wheel issues on lap 37, Tommy Vigh, Jr. spun in TurnRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer As Natalie Decker continues to recover from her recent surgery, she will start the ARCA Racing Series General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 on Friday at Pocono Raceway but yield the wheel of her No. 25 Toyota on Lap 1. Brennan Poole has been named as the relief driver and will run the remainder of the race in place of Decker. Last Friday, Decker underwent successful hernia surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte to repair a small tear in her abdomen and while recovery is progressingRead More

Don Radebaugh, ARCA Communications Manager TOLEDO, Ohio — Zane Smith, with a bold three-wide maneuver in lapped traffic, passed his MDM Motorsports teammate Chase Purdy with nine laps remaining, then sped away to win the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care Sunday afternoon at Toledo Speedway. “I had to work so hard to get back to Chase (Purdy)…he got me on that last restart,” said Smith. “Our cars were pretty-much dead-even. I knew we were going to catch lappers sooner or later. When we got there, I just thoughtRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer The last time Christian Eckes made a start in the ARCA Racing Series, it was one to remember for the teenage driver as he got the infamous kiss from Big Bill Venturini in victory lane. Eckes put on a dominating performance at Salem Speedway four weeks ago, battling teammate Chandler Smith down to the last lap to earn the first checkered flag of his ARCA career in his 16th start. The 17-year-old driver is running 13 of the 20 races this season, so he wasn’t inRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer The ARCA Racing Series goes from one of the shortest tracks on the schedule to the largest as the series hits Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for race No. 4 of the 2018 season. After an extremely chaotic race in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, this event is sure to be another thriller, but hopefully with a bit less mangled sheet metal when all is said and done on Friday. The Track Talladega Superspeedway is a 2.66-mile tri-oval with 33 degrees of banking in theRead More

By Don Radebaugh, ARCA Communications Manager SALEM, Ind. – It was one for the ages, especially for Middletown, N.Y.’s Christian Eckes who held off a hungry pack over the final 50 laps to earn his career-first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards victory Sunday afternoon at Salem Speedway. Eckes, in the No. 15 JBL Audio Toyota for Venturini Motorsports, first fought off Zane Smith, then held back the non-stop hard charge from Chandler Smith to win the 103rd running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200. “I can’t believe this…I really can’t,” saidRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer SALEM, Ind. – Chandler Smith was evaluated and released from a local hospital on Sunday after a hard crash on the last lap of the ARCA Racing Series event at Salem Speedway. Smith’s No. 20 Toyota was the dominant car of the race, leading 117 of the 200 laps. But his Venturini Motorsports teammate Christian Eckes was the first car off pit road during the money stop and Smith was left chasing Eckes down over the final laps. The duo were nose-to-tail and side-by-side throughoutRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer The ARCA Racing Series heads to arguably the best track on the schedule and the one most-perfect for the series this weekend for the third race of the 2018 season. With a race day forecast of 63 degrees and a zero percent chance of rain, the stands should be packed at the high-banked half-mile in Indiana. The Track Salem Speedway is a 0.555-mile paved oval with 33 degrees of banking in the turns. The old, bumpy, worn-out surface typically produces fantastic racing and is aRead More