Big day for ARCA Racing Series around northwest Ohio
Big day for ARCA Racing Series around northwest Ohio
(TOLEDO, Ohio – May 16, 2015) – Friday was a big day in northwest Ohio for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. Between driver appearances, radio show interviews and the haulers arriving at Toledo Speedway to get ready for this weekend’s activities, the Toledo, Ohio-area was full of ARCA Racing Series flavor.
On-track events start Saturday, May 16, with two scheduled practice sessions, plus Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell at 3:30 p.m. The 50-lap Buckeye CableSystem 50th Anniversary ARCA Truck Series feature will follow qualifying. The Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care rolls off the front stretch shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 17.
The hoopla surrounding Friday’s events began with GMS Racing pulling its No. 23 Allegiant Travel 18-wheeler into Monroe Road Elementary School for “Safety Day,” an annual event organized by the ARCA Safety Initiative. Hundreds of students toured the hauler and got to visit with ARCA Racing Series point leader Grant Enfinger.
At nearby Toledo Speedway, driver Kenny Schrader gave area media members a ride in a Federated Car Care two-seat stock car and did live interviews with three Toledo area television stations to get fans geared up for the Menards 200. Trevor Ault from the local CBS and FOX affiliates was live several times during the morning while NBC reporter Vondalynn Dias sat next to Schrader for the ride-along for a spot that appeared on the 6 o’clock news.
Toledo Speedway also served as the backdrop Friday morning for the kickoff of the 2015 Click It or Ticket program in Ohio. The program is aimed at increasing safety belt awareness and getting people to buckle up. Schrader was part of the kickoff at the track as well, saying that wearing a seat belt shouldn’t be an option.
“I’m a firm seat belt user. I have been stopped numerous times by law officials from all over the country,” Schrader quipped, “but not having my seat belt on has never been a problem.”
More than a dozen area police agencies sent law enforcement vehicles to the speedway as part of the event, an impressive display of cars at the track.
Frank Kimmel, driver of the No. 25 Ansell-Menards Toyota, appeared at two northwest Ohio Menards stores with the No. 25 show car, greeting fans and signing autographs and showing off the car.
At Toledo Hospital, ARCA Racing Series SCOTT Rookie David Levine met with children through an appearance organized by his team, Lira Motorsports, and the American Heart Association. The Highland Park, Ill. native signed autographs and left souvenirs for the children.
Later, back at Toledo Speedway, 106.5 FM radio Drive Time host Mike Miller did an hour-long show at the Toledo Speedway Bar and Grille, interviewing Enfinger and Sarah Cornett-Ching. Out front of the track, Mark Benson did several driver interviews on 94.5 WXKR radio, including Bo LeMastus, Levine and ARCA Truck Series driver Jeff Myers Jr., one of the expected entries in Saturday’s Buckeye CableSystem 50th Anniversary truck race.
The night ended when the crowd at the bar and grille – located right outside of turn four of Toledo Speedway – watched the NASCAR races from Charlotte on big screen television sets.
Plenty more activities are planned for this weekend at Toledo Speedway, climaxing with the 74th ARCA race at Toledo Speedway on Sunday.
Stay tuned to arcaracing.com for exclusive coverage of all of the Saturday and Sunday activities.
By Doug Donnelly, arcaracing.com