ARCA Series Is The Perfect Compliment To NASCAR At Pocono Raceway
By Dino Oberto ….. “Keeping Track”
At most tracks were the NASCAR Nextel Cup competes there usually is the accompaniment of the Busch or Craftsman Truck Series, the number two and three divisions of the motorsports magnet.
However, at Pocono Raceway the ARCA RE/MAX Series has and continues to be a tradition of running as the preamble to each of the two 500 milers held at the 2.5-mile Long Pond triangle.
Based out of Toledo, Ohio, ARCA has been in business since 1953 and is the second oldest stock car organization, with only NASCAR having been around longer.
John Marcum and his wife Mildred are the founders of ARCA. They began the organization after the encouragement from NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. The Marcum’s worked France, Sr., and built a lasting friendship in the process. When NASCAR was founded in 1948, John Marcum worked as a regional supervisor and also helped out other area racing groups that began to sprout up at that time. His focus changed to promoting with the blessing and help from France as the 1950’s rolled around.
In the early years ARCA was billed under the MARC Circuit of Stars banner as the series maintained a primary region of mid-west race tracks. It wasn’t until 1964 when France invited Marcum and his gang down to Daytona to be a part of Speedweeks. It was that same time that France convinced him to make the name change to ARCA as to more accurately reflect the increasing national scope of the organization’s racing activities.
Since then ARCA has become one of the premier motorsports touring series in the country. A deep history and lots of tradition has made this series both driver and fan appealing.
Saturday’s ARCA Pocono 200 will mark the 44th Series race held on the 2.5-mile triangle since July of 1983, although the very first race was run on the former ¾-mile oval in 1969.
The ARCA winner’s list from Pocono reads like a who’s who of talent and tradition. From names like Earnhardt to Mears, from Newman to Kimmel, from Wallace to Steele, victory lane at Pocono for the ARCA warriors has become hallowed ground.
In 2006, series regulars Chase Miller and Frank Kimmel triumphed over a host of development teams to claim victories. But while Kimmel has scored three wins at Pocono over eight seasons, the development teams have snatched up a majority of the Pocono press in recent years and they’ll be back at again this time as well as some NASCAR teams who will also race on Sunday.
According to this year’s entry list, some higher-profile drivers have entered with hopes of gaining valuable seat-time in preparation for Sunday’s grand finale.
Wisconsin drivers’ Paul Menard and Johnny Sauter have both filed entries for the Pocono ARCA 200. Menard, listed in a #15 Teresa Earnhardt-owned Chevrolet, has never raced at Pocono. Sauter is looking to get a head start on Sunday’s Cup race via the Saturday run. Sauter’s entered in the #32 Country Joe Racing Dodge.
Evernham Motorsports has entered a Dodge Charger with Erin Crocker at the helm. Crocker is the only female driver in series history to earn a trio of second place finishes. Her best Pocono finish was third in 2005.
Also entered from the driver development arena is Tim Andrews in the Cunningham Motorsports Dodge Development Dodge. Andrews is the son of veteran NASCAR crew chief Paul Andrews.
The Eddie Sharp Driver Development team has two entries with Michael McDowell in a #2 Dodge Charger and a #22 Toyota Camry listed with driver ‘to be announced’. According to Sharp, NASCAR driver David Reutimann may practice and qualifying the car while Josh Wise, who will be en route from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas, will drive the car on Saturday.
Despite a stronghold on the Pocono triangle from several development teams in recent years, traditionally, the ARCA veterans have provided some tough competition. It will be up to series regulars, such as defending and eight-time ARCA champion Kimmel, to out-smart and outwit the competition. Kimmel was the most recent winner last week at Iowa Speedway and is the current point leader.
Included among the ARCA stars is Bobby Gerhart, Jr., of Lebanon, PA. He owns a record five ARCA Daytona 200 victories, including this year, yet the former eastern Pennsylvania dirt modified standout has not been able to grace victory lane at his “home track” of Pocono. Currently third in points, he will be one of the leading pre-race favorites.
One of the benefits to having ARCA at Pocono is it gives a chance for some of the local talent throughout Pennsylvania and other parts of the region a chance to race with a big league organization and there will be a nice bit of local flair too.
Dale Schweikart from Linden heads the list. Schweikart competes at Clinton County Speedway although in recent years he has been nurturing his son in karts at Greenwood Valley Action Track.
18-year old Kory Rabenold from Slatington, is a hot shoe in asphalt modifieds at Mahoning Valley and Mountain Speedways and will attempt to make the grid for the 80-lap, 200 mile race.
Billy Tanner, from Newtown, left the dirt modified ranks and is now running as many ARCA races as possible, showing plenty of promise each time out.
Norm Benning from Pittsburg is a veteran with ARCA and always looks forward to racing in his home state.
Another aspiring driver is Billy Pauch, Jr., from Lawrenceville, NJ. Pauch is the son of well known sprint and modified standout Billy “The Kid” Pauch. The up and coming Pauch has a busy week leading to Pocono as he ran a USAC Sprint and ARDC Midget Wednesday and Thursday at Grandview and Big Diamond before journeying to Long Pond. He has also seen action this year with the NASCAR Modified Tour.
Also from the Garden State is Dominick Casola of Holmdel. The graduate of Wall Township Speedway truck racing, Casola is excited about his appearance this weekend in the Pocono 200. He too considers Pocono as his home track.
Rob Bunker of Bridgewater, Art Seeger of Toms River, Mike Zazula of Turnersville and Ted Olswfski from Pennington are included among the New Jersey contingent.
From New York comes Brent Cross who hails out of Cortland.
The ARCA race means fans will be getting a double dose of some of the best stock car racing next to the Nextel Cup.
The weekend activity with ARCA will begin with a practice session at 10:15 am Friday. Pole qualifying is slated for 1:45 pm. The Pocono 200 kicks off Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm and will be televised same-day on SPEED at 8 pm eastern. |
