ARCA Menards Series
Speediatrics 150
Kansas Speedway
October 16, 2020

Race Highlights:

· Friday’s Speediatrics 150 marked the 20th and final race of the 2020 ARCA Menards Series season. It was the series’ second stop at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway.
· Venturini Motorsports (VMS) fielded four Toyota Camry’s: No. 10 Corey Heim, No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Chandler Smith and No. 25 Michael Self.
· With a limited practice, groups of five cars were allowed five minutes on track Friday afternoon. At the end of the short session Heim was fourth, Self sixth, Dollar eighth and Smith ninth.
· Using 2020 Owner’s Points, the field was set, Self rolled off third, Smith fourth, Dollar seventh and Heim ninth.
· Green flag waving, Dollar and Heim started working their way forward into the top-five. Self and Smith found themselves fighting fuel issues and worked to conserve until the first break.
· Heim took the lead on lap-19 while Dollar broke into the top-five.
· Under the first break, Self and team diagnosed their issue and were able to get it fixed. Everyone took the opportunity for four tires, fuel and a round of adjustments.
· Smith continued to be plagued by fuel issues for the remainder of the race, while Heim continued to lead in dominating fashion. Dollar and Self stayed solidly inside the top-five as the laps wound down.
· Checkered flag waving on lap-100, Heim crossed the line first, claiming his first career ARCA Menards Series victory as well as Toyota’s 100th in the Series. Self came home fifth, Dollar, who was caught up in a last lap wreck, eighth and Smith 13th.
· On deck next for VMS is the ARCA Menards Series West race at the All American Speedway, on Friday, October 23rd. The team will field a Toyota entry for: No. 25 Mason Diaz.

Corey Heim No. 10 Craftsman, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“Feels great to win the last ARCA (Menards Series) win of the year. My Venturini Motorsports guys have worked hard all throughout the year and to cap the season off with a win was truly awesome. I feel like we had a shot to earn that first win at Kansas (Speedway) earlier this year and capitalized on getting another chance to race here.”
Start – 9 / Finish – 1

Drew Dollar No. 15 Sunbelt Rentals Toyota Camry

“Enjoyed the race at Kansas (Speedway) even though it didn’t end up how it should have for us. We had a solid Sunbelt Rentals Camry and really should have finished fourth or fifth. Thank you to my team at Venturini Motorsports for sticking with me all year and working hard all season.”

Start – 7 / Finish – 8 / Points – 4th

Chandler Smith No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry

“Frustrating day for us at Kansas (Speedway). Fought with a fuel gremlin all race and by the time we got it fixed, we were several laps down. Not the way we wanted to end our season.”

Start – 4 / Finish – 13

Michael Self No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“Rough way to end things, but we put forth a strong effort all day. Our car was really loose all afternoon and we had a fuel pressure issue early on and lost a lap. Once we got the lap back we still couldn’t get the balance right and struggled until the finish.”

Start – 3 / Finish – 5/ Points – 2nd

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Michael Self has already proven he could conquer the superspeedway at Daytona International Speedway. Back in February, he won the season opener at “The World Center of Racing” for the second time.

Friday night, he added an historic first to his racing resume.

Self completed a unique season sweep in the General Tire 100 at the DAYTONA Road Course, conquering the 14-turn, 3.61-mile configuration in the ARCA Menards Series’ inaugural foray.

It marked the ninth career series win for the 29-year-old from Park City, Utah, who extended his championship points lead in the process. He also took over the Sioux Chief Showdown championship lead.

A faulty plug wire kept Self from taking a lap during the abbreviated practice session, which was cut short by weather. Lightning near the track also pushed the start of the race three hours, meaning in addition to wet conditions and a first-time event, the General Tire 100 would be run under the lights.

None of which slowed the race-long battle between Self and Ty Gibbs.

Self started second by virtue of the starting field being set by owners points in the Sioux Chief Showdown standings. Gibbs used a slick move in the backstretch chicane to take the lead on Lap 1 and held it until Self overtook him right before the halfway break. Gibbs would wrestle in back with 10 to go in the 28-lap event, but Self would not relent. He retook the point in the infield turns with six to go and pulled away for the win.

Self’s No. 25 Sinclair Oil Toyota finished 6.993 seconds ahead of runner-up Gibbs.

Drew Dollar No. 15 Sunbelt Rentals Toyota Camry

“The road course at Daytona (International Speedway) was a tough one for us. I had never raced on anything like that before and with a limited amount of practice it was a big learning curve. All-in-all it was still a fun day and I learned a ton. Really looking forward to heading to Gateway in two weeks.”

Start – 8 / Finish – 12 / Points – 3rd

Chandler Smith No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry

“First road course race is in the book and it was a tough one. I made to many mistakes, but to be the best you need to make those mistakes early and learn so they count later. I can’t thank Toyota, JBL and Venturini Motorsports enough for the fast car, we will get them these next few races.”

Start – 1 / Finish – 9

Michael Self No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“This was a really special win for me. I come from a road racing background and spend a lot of my weekends outside the car coaching guys in the Trans Am Series, so to be able to back that up with the on track performance myself is obviously really important to me. It’s been a bit of a rough few weeks, but we capitalized at a place I was really focused on and everyone at VMS did a great job executing and getting our Sinclair Oil, Toyota where it needed to be for both wet and dry conditions.”

Start – 2 / Finish – 1 / Points – 1st

ARCA Menards Series
Calypso 200

Lucas Oil Raceway

July 3, 2020

Race Highlights:

· The Calypso 200 was the fifth event of the 20-race season and the second of the Sioux Chief Showdown.

· Venturini Motorsports (VMS) fielded three Toyota Camry’s: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Chandler Smith and No. 25 Michael Self.

· General Tire Pole Qualifying was held at LOR, with Smith earning the pole award with a fast time of 22.149 seconds, followed by Self in third and Dollar in ninth.

· Relinquishing the lead shortly after the green flag flew, Smith settled into the second position with teammate Self close behind. Dollar worked on the traffic out front and found himself knocking on the door of the fifth-place driver.

· All three VMS cars utilized both breaks during the 200-lap race, to take four tires, fuel and a round of adjustments. All three drivers were happy with the handling of their Toyota Camry’s.

· Shortly after the second break, Dollar radioed crew chief Shannon Rursch that he was suffering some sort of mechanical issue in the front end. After coming to pit road the team diagnosed it as a power steering issue and sent him back out. Self would also be plagued by bad luck, when his left rear tire to went flat, requiring a green flag pit stop.

· Smith, who regained the lead on lap-39, remained the leader for the duration of the event, being credited with leading 162 of the 200 laps.

· Checkered flag flying, No. 20 Chandler Smith came home first, No. 25 Michael Self eighth and No. 15 Drew Dollar fourteenth.

· Smith’s win, the 13th consecutive win by a Toyota driver in the ARCA Menards Series, broke the record for most consecutive wins by a manufacturer in the modern era.

· On deck next for VMS is the ARCA Menards Series race at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, July 11th. The team will field Toyota entries for: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Ryan Repko and No. 25 Michael Self

Drew Dollar No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Construction Company Toyota Camry

“Tough night at Lucas Oil Raceway. Ended up losing power steering in the last stage, which really set us back. Definitely not the night we were looking for, but there’s still a lot I was able to learn and take away. I’m ready to move on to Kentucky (Speedway) and rebound.”

Start – 9 Finish – 14 Points – 3rd

Chandler Smith No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry

“It was another great night for my Venturini Motorsports JBLL Toyota Camry team. My team worked hard all day and brought me a great car. It was an honor to help Toyota break the record for 13-wins in a row and I am already looking forward to heading to the next race.”

Start – 1 Finish – 1 Laps Lead – 162

Michael Self No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“Definitely a disappointing finish to what was a pretty solid day early on. We made a ton of gains in practice and really felt like we learned a lot with our car. We raced in the top-three all night, then cut a tire due to some contact from someone trying to pass us with 20-laps to go, so tough end to end that way after running well at one of my worst tracks. We’ll move on and look forward to some of my favorite tracks coming up.”

Start – 3 Finish – 8 Points – 1st

Series: ARCA Menards Series

Track: Lucas Oil Raceway (LOR)

Date: 07/03/2020

Race: Calypso Lemonade 200

Duration: 200 laps / 137 miles

Segments: Break one – at or near lap 70 and break two – at or near lap 140

TV/Radio: 8:00PM EDT MAVTV and TrackPass on NBC Gold

· TRIANGLES TO OVALS: Heading to the rough and tumble 0.686-mile short track in Indianapolis will be a slightly different picture than last week’s race at the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle” at Pocono Raceway. Smith came home second, with Self in fifth and Dollar sixth.

· DRIVER REPORT: This week’s VMS driver lineup:

o Drew Dollar – No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Toyota Camry

o Chandler Smith – No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry

o Michael Self – No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

· INDY LOVE: VMS has visited the historic LOR victory lane the last two seasons, 2018 and 2019. Christian Eckes and Chandler Smith brought home the hardware, respectively.

· STARTS: Michael Self leads the team with three previous LOR starts. Smith follows with two and Friday’s race will mark Dollar’s first ever LOR appearance.

· SCHEDULE: The Calypso Lemonade 200 will have a limited practice session from 3:30-4:3015PM on Friday, followed by General Tire Pole Qualifying at 5:45 PM EDT.

· SIOUX CHIEF SHOWDOWN: The Calypso Lemonade 200 may be the fifth race of the 2020 season, but Friday nights race will mark round two of the Sioux Chief Showdown. Chandler Smith, by virtue of his round one win at Phoenix (Raceway) earlier this season, currently leads the standings.

· LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Tune in live on MAVTV Friday, July 3 at 8 PM ET and be sure to look for the Michael Self with the General Tire in-car camera as well as Chandler Smith with the Sioux Chief in-car camera.

· SOCIAL: Fans can interact with VMS and their drivers on social media utilizing the different outlets:

o Facebook: VenturiniMotorsports

o Twitter: @VenturiniMotor

o Instagram: VenturiniMotorsports

o Hashtags: #FlyTheV #TeamToyota #DINOracing #PoweringChampions

QUOTES:

Drew Dollar – No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Construction Company Toyota Camry

“Ready to finally get back to a true short track this season. Lucas Oil Raceway looks like it produces some really good racing, so I am excited to get there. I know I am going to have another fast Venturini Motorsports Toyota Camry. This is another track I’ve never seen in person, but I have been studying a lot and feel like I’ll be able to get up to speed quickly.”

Chandler Smith – No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry

“LOR (Lucas Oil Raceway) has been a good track for Venturini Motorsports as a whole in the past and I was fortunate enough to visit victory lane there last season. We aim to repeat last year’s win and I am looking forward to hitting the track in my JBL Toyota Camry.”

Michael Self – No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“Lucas Oil Raceway (LOR) has been a track that I’ve struggled with recently. I had a really solid run there in 2017 and led a bunch of laps, ultimately finishing second, but since then I’ve had a really hard time getting my cars balance right for me. Kevin (Reed) has had a lot of success at LOR, so I am excited to be paired with him and see if we can get it figured out.”

ARCA Menards Series
General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200

Pocono Raceway

June 26, 2020

Race Highlights:

· The General Tire 200 was the fourth event of the 20-race season and the only stop at the Long Pond, Penn. Facility in 2020.

· Venturini Motorsports (VMS) fielded three Toyota Camry’s: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Chandler Smith and No. 25 Michael Self.

· With a condensed at-track schedule, officials held a 45-minite practice session Friday afternoon, allowing cars to hit the track for five-minutes in groups of five. At the end of their session Smith, Self and Dollar lined up first, second and ninth respectively.

· Qualifying was set off 2020 owner’s points. Self would lead the field, followed by Dollar in third and Smith in fourth.

· Dollar made quick work at the start of the race, charging into the top-five shortly after the green flag flew. The race marked Dollar’s first ever appearance at the “Tricky Triangle.” Meanwhile up front, teammates Self and Smith, were battling for the lead before the first break of the day on lap-21.

· All three VMS cars utilized both breaks during the 80-lap race, to take four tires, fuel and a round of adjustments. With all three Toyota Camry’s steadily racing between first and sixth, the sun started to set on the 2.5-mile triangle, changing the handling of the cars.

· Smith continued to work on chasing down the leader as Self and Dollar battled their way around the top-five mark.

· Checkered flag flying, No. 20 Chandler Smith came home second, No. 25 Michael Self fifth and No. 15 Drew Dollar sixth.

· On deck next for VMS is the ARCA Menards Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway on Friday, July 3rd. The team will field Toyota entries for: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Chandler Smith and No. 25 Michael Self

Drew Dollar No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Construction Company Toyota Camry

“We definitely had a lot of speed in our Toyota Camry this weekend at Pocono Raceway. I was really happy with the handling and look forward to getting to some more intermediate tracks this season. We fought a vibration the whole race that was causing the car to pop out of gear. Overall, it wasn’t a horrible points day and I will just keep working to get better.”

Start – 3 Finish – 6 Points – 2nd

Chandler Smith No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry

“I’m very happy to be back with my Venturini Motorsports team and piloting my No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry. Pocono (Raceway) was overall a good day for us, but we don’t show up to finish second. So we have some work to do to be better. I am looking forward to going to Lucas Oil Raceway this coming weekend for some short track racing.”

Start – 4 Finish – 2

Michael Self No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“Little bit of a frustrating result for us given we were so strong early on. Pocono Raceway has been a hard track for me to figure out from a balance standpoint and the changes I requested during our last pit stop were just a little too aggressive, causing the car to get really tight throughout the final run. It was good to lead some laps and I feel like I learned a lot so Ill take that forward and really try to improve for the next time I race there. The Sinclair Oil crew did a great job building a really fast Toyota Camry , so we’ll take that and move on to some track I’m more comfortable at.”

Start – 1 Finish – 5 Points – 1st

Series: ARCA Menards Series

Track: Pocono Raceway

Date: 6/26/2020

Race: General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200

Duration: 80 laps / 200 miles

Segments: Break one – at or near lap 20 and break two – at or near lap 50

TV/Radio: 6:00PM EDT FS1 – MRN & SiriusXM Ch. 385 and online Ch. 985

LAST TIME OUT: The ARCA Menards Series made their comeback at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, with Drew Dollar earning his first career series victory in only his fifth start. The win also marked VMS’ first time visiting victory lane at the historic Alabama track. Repko came home second with Self in fifth.

DRIVER REPORT: This week’s VMS driver lineup:

• Drew Dollar – No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Toyota Camry
• Chandler Smith – No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry
• Michael Self – No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

· TURN UP THE TUNES: Chandler Smith will once again be back behind the wheel of the No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry this weekend. Smith, will be making his second career start at Pocono Raceway and enters the race on a wave of momentum after winning in his last outing at Phoenix Raceway.

· TEAM VETERAN: Michael Self, with three previous Pocono starts, has notched two top-five and two top-10 finishes since first visiting the track in 2017.

· SCHEDULE: The General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 will have a limited practice session from 3:45-4:30 PM EDT on Friday. While there is no qualifying session on schedule, positions 1-20 will be set by 2020 Owners Points and 21-30 via a random draw.

· FIRST POCONO TRIP: Drew Dollar (No. 15) will have another new race track to add under his belt come Saturday after getting to tackle the “Tricky Triangle.”

· GENERAL TIRE SUPERSPEEDWAY CHALLENGE: The General Tire #AnywhereIsPossible 200 will be race number four of the General Tire Superspeedway Challenge, which recognizes the car owner who accumulates the most points in the designated events.

· LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Tune in live on FS1 Saturday, June 20 at 1 PM CT and be sure to look for the Michael Self with the Sinclair Oil in-car camera as well as Chandler Smith with the General Tire in-car camera.

SOCIAL: Fans can interact with VMS and their drivers on social media utilizing the different outlets:

• Facebook: VenturiniMotorsports
• Twitter: @VenturiniMotor
• Instagram: VenturiniMotorsports
• Hashtags: #FlyTheV #TeamToyota #DINOracing #PoweringChampions

QUOTES:

Drew Dollar – No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Construction Company Toyota Camry

“I’m looking forward to carrying the momentum we have from winning at Talladega Superspeedway into Pocono Raceway this weekend. We’ll have limited practice and I’ve never been to Pocono before, but I’m confident that I will be able to quickly get up to speed. I know my Venturini Motorsports Toyota Camry is going to be really good and I can’t wait to get back to the track.”

Chandler Smith – No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry

“I’m looking forward to getting back in my No. 20 JBL Toyota Camry with Venturini Motorsports. It’s been a long downtime and I am excited at being able to be back at a racetrack.”

Michael Self – No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“Pocono Raceway has been a little bit tough for me to really grasp in the past. I really like the track, but its definitely difficult. Last year we were able to snag a third-place finish, but I left feeling like I just wasn’t where I wanted to be with my level of comfort there. I’ve spent a lot of time watching video and asking questions to people that have had success there and I have a few things in mind that I’m anxious to try this weekend. It’ll be interesting with such a limited practice session, but I’ve got confidence that the No. 25 Sinclair Oil Toyota Camry team are bringing a solid car as always and I can just go in and work on the things I want.”

ARCA Menards Series
General Tire 100

Talladega Superspeedway

June 20, 2020

Race Highlights:

· The General Tire 200 was the third event of the 20-race season and the first since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

· Venturini Motorsports (VMS) fielded three Toyota Camry’s: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Ryan Repko and No. 25 Michael Self.

· With a condensed at-track schedule, officials held a 30-minite practice session Saturday morning, allowing cars to hit the track for five-minutes in groups of five. At the end of their session Self, Repko and Dollar lined up third through five respectively.

· Qualifying was set off 2019 owner’s points. Repko would lead the field, followed by Dollar in second and Self in fifth.

· Dollar made quick work at the start of the race, taking over the lead from his teammate Repko, where he settled into third. Self, caught on the high-side, was able to get in-line in 6th. In a relatively uneventful first half of the race, the teammates wound down the laps until the lap-38 caution for the midway break.

· During the midway break everyone came to pit road, where their crews performed minor adjustments, checked over everything and filled up their Toyota Camry’s with fuel.

· Working together to take over the lead, all three drivers found themselves in line charging past the leaders. In a wild turn of events, Self was sent sideways by the leader, but through some masterful driving, saved the car and kept it under its own power.

· Dollar sped off with the lead, while Repko chased him down through the tri-ova. Dollar would ultimately cross the start/finish line victorious, in only his fifth ARCA Menards Series start and giving the team their first Talladega Superspeedway victory. Repko would finish second and Self battled back to fifth.

· On deck next for VMS is the ARCA Menards Series race at Pocono Raceway on Friday, June 26th. The team will field Toyota entries for: No. 15 Drew Dollar, No. 20 Chandler Smith and No. 25 Michael Self

Drew Dollar No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Construction Company Toyota Camry

“It feels really good to get our first ARCA win out of the way early this season. Talladega Superspeedway is about the coolest place I could have hoped to win at, it’s really a dream come true. I’m also really proud to get the Venturini Motorsports team their first win at Talladega. We had a really good Toyota Camry all day and put ourselves in the right position at the end to bring home the win. Focus is now all to Pocono Raceway next week.”

Start – 2 Finish – 1 Laps Led – 37

Ryan Repko No. 20 Craftsman Toyota Camry

“We had a great Toyota Camry this weekend at Talladega (Superspeedway). I’m thankful to be able to finally get a good run and we are looking forward to carrying that momentum to my next race.”

Start – 1 Finish – 2

Michael Self No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“What a wild finish to an otherwise calm day. I figured the race was going to go one of two ways with people getting single file for lots of laps, or lots of really aggressive racing towards the front, and frankly we ended up getting a bit of both at the end. Our No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry worked better with some cars than with others and unfortunately during the first half I just couldn’t get lined up with someone that worked well with us and we lost the draft. After making a few small changes and trying some different things for the second half that kept us up there and put us in a really good position to contend for the win at the end. That was some extremely hard racing the last few laps and it was a lot of fun. We timed things perfect as a team to make a run for the lead and even though it didn’t work out for me, I’m glad VMS was able to get their first checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway.”

Start – 5 Finish – 5 Points – 1st

Series: ARCA Menards Series

Track: Talladega Superspeedway

Date: 6/20/2020

Race: General Tire 200

Duration: 76 laps / 200 miles

Segments: Halfway break at or near conclusion of lap-38

TV/Radio: 1:00PM CT FS1 – MRN & SiriusXM Ch. 385 and online Ch. 985

LAST TIME OUT: Before the shutdown due to Covid-19, the ARCA Menards Series last ran at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, March 6. Chandler Smith earned the checkered flag for the inaugural event.

DRIVER REPORT: This week’s VMS driver lineup:

• Drew Dollar – No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Toyota Camry
• Ryan Repko – No. 20 Craftsman Toyota Camry
• Michael Self – No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

DOWN TIME: During the down time all of the VMS drivers participated in various iRacing events across numerous series to stay on top of their game. Drew Dollar also recently competed in a Cars Tour event at Hickory Motor Speedway, while Ryan Repko tackled Toledo Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series East event.

CREW CHIEFS: VMS will once again utilize Shannon Rursch (No. 15), Billy Venturini (No. 20) and Kevin Reed (No. 25) as their crew chiefs for the event.

SCHEDULE: The General Tire 200 will have a limited practice session from 10-10:30 AM CT on Saturday. While there is no qualifying session on schedule, positions 1-20 will be set by 2019 Owners Points and 21-30 via a random draw.

FIRST TALLADEGA TRIP: Both Drew Dollar (No. 15) and Ryan Repko (No. 20) will have Saturday’s race mark their first start at the longest oval track at 2.66-miles on the circuit.

GENERAL TIRE SUPERSPEEDWAY CHALLENGE: The General Tire 200 will be race number three of the General Tire Superspeedway Challenge, which recognizes the car owner who accumulates the most points in the designated events.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Tune in live on FS1 Saturday, June 20 at 1 PM CT and be sure to look for the Michael Self with the Sinclair Oil in-car camera as well as Drew Dollar with the Bounty Rookie Spotlight in-car camera.

SOCIAL: Fans can interact with VMS and their drivers on social media utilizing the different outlets:

• Facebook: VenturiniMotorsports
• Twitter: @VenturiniMotor
• Instagram: VenturiniMotorsports
• Hashtags: #FlyTheV #TeamToyota #DINOracing #PoweringChampions

QUOTES:

Drew Dollar – No. 15 Lynx Capital, Dollar Concrete Construction Company Toyota Camry

“I’m excited to finally get back in the ARCA car and get back to work with my Venturini Motorsports team. Talladega (Superspeedway) is a race that I’ve been looking forward to since I ran at Daytona (International Speedway) earlier this season. Shannon (Rursch) and the team brought an amazing car to Daytona, so I know our Toyota Camry will be fast this weekend. I’m confident about getting back on trac and competing for the win.”

Ryan Repko – No. 20 Craftsman Toyota Camry

“Talladega Superspeedway is one of the tracks that I’ve been looking forward to because of its rich history within our sport. I am hoping I can add to that history this weekend with my Venturini Motorsports team and our No. 20 Toyota Camry.”

Michael Self – No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“I can’t believe it’s finally race week again. I feel like it’s been forever since we’ve been on track and I know I speak for everyone on the No. 25 Sinclair Oil, Champion Power Equipment Toyota team when I say we can’t wait to get going again. With that being said, we’ve got to go in and be smart and try to execute just like we did at Daytona (International Speedway). I’ve been fortunate to have some solid top-five runs at Talladega, be we have to be patient and not force anything and play whatever card we’re dealt to try and keep things clean and do it again.”

ARCA Menards Series East
Herr’s Potato Chips 200

Toledo Speedway

June 13, 2020

Race Highlights:

• The Herr’s Potato Chips 200 at Toledo Speedway was the first race back for the ARCA Menards Series East (ARCAE) since the shutdowns took place.
• Venturini Motorsports (VMS) fielded two Toyota Camry’s: No. 20 Ryan Repko and No. 25 Mason Diaz.
• During Saturday’s lone practice session, the team focused on allowing both drivers to learn the track. Diaz posted the fastest time of the day while Repko was 11th.
• Posting a fast time of 16.286 in qualifying, Diaz qualified 9thwith Repko posting a time of 16.629 seconds placing him 11th.
• With two scheduled break periods taking the place of normal pit stops, car management became the name of the game. Both drivers fired off strong, with Diaz closing in on the top-five. Unfortunately, the No. 25 Solid Rock Carriers Toyota team suffered a race ending transmission failure on lap 29 bringing out the days first caution. During the first break on lap-75, Repko came to pit road for two tires, fuel and a round of adjustments to help battle his loose racecar. After moving his way up to seventh, Repko began tire management as he waited for the final break at lap-150. Taking four tires, fuel and another round of adjustments, the No. 20 Craftsman, Champion Power Equipment team set their sights on the front and by lap 165 Repko took over fifth place. Through several ensuing cautions, Repko continued to pace near the front, battling for third when a competitor squeezed him into the front stretch wall, the damage would cause the tire to give way entering turn one, ending his day just shy of the checkered flag on lap 187.
• Both drivers were relegated out of the event early. Ryan Repko was credited with a 9thplace finish in his No. 20 Craftsman, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry. Mason Diaz was relegated to a 14thplace finish with his No. 25 Solid Rock Carriers Toyota Camry.

Ryan Repko No. 20 Craftsman, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

“Toledo Speedway didn’t go the way we had hoped leading into the event. Our Toyota Camry showed speed throughout the race and we were able to race our way up solidly into the top-five. We definitely had a third-place car or better, but unfortunately we got pinched into the wall coming out of turn-four and that must have cut our tire down because heading into turn one it went straight into the wall. We’ll rebound and shift our focus onto Talladega Superspeedway this coming week.”

Start – 11 Finish – 9 Laps Led – 0

Mason Diaz No. 25 Solid Rock Carriers Toyota Camry

“We showed a lot of speed and promise this weekend at Toledo Speedway. My Toyota Camry was fast right off the hauler and the crew did a great job dialing it in during practice. A mechanical failure out of anyone’s control took us out early on in the race as we were working on cracking the top-five. We’ll put that behind us and move on to the next race. We showed we have what it takes to run up front.”

Start – 9 Finish – 14 Laps Led – 0

Series: ARCA Menards Series East
Track: Toledo Speedway
Race: Herr’s Potato Chips 200
Duration: 200 laps / 100 miles
Date: Saturday, June 13th

Live Broadcast: TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold – 6:00PM ET
Tape Delayed Broadcast:NBCSN – Thursday, June 18 – 3:00PM ET

WE’RE BACK: After almost a three-month hiatus due to COVID-19, the ARCA Menards Series East restarts the season as they head to Toledo Speedway for their second race of the year.

GLASS CITY FIRSTS: Saturday’s race will mark the first time either Diaz or Repko have competed at the infamous .500-mile track located in the “Glass City” of Toledo, Ohio

CALLING THE SHOTS: Billy Venturini will be making a rare appearance atop the East Series pit-box for this weekend’s event, working with Ryan Repko while Kevin Reed will resume his duties on the No. 25.

EYES IN THE SKY: In a slight change of pace, Shannon Rursch, who you’d normally find on top the No. 15 pit box for Drew Dollar, will be high above the track, spotting for the No. 20 Toyota Camry team.

DRIVER REPORT: This week’s VMS driver lineup:

• Ryan Repko – No. 20 Craftsman, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry
• Mason Diaz – No. 25 Solid Rock Carriers, Craftsman Toyota Camry

SOCIAL: Fans can interact with VMS and their drivers on social media utilizing the different outlets:

• Facebook: VenturiniMotorsports
• Twitter:@VenturiniMotor
• Instagram: VenturiniMotorsports
• Hashtags:#FlyTheV #TeamToyota #PoweringChampions

QUOTES:

Ryan Repko – No. 20 Craftsman, Champion Power Equipment Toyota Camry

Regarding racing at Toledo Speedway: “I’m looking forward to getting back on track this weekend at Toledo Speedway after a long break in the action. I haven’t been in a racecar since Daytona, so I’ve been watching a lot of film to try and learn the track as best I can before I go. I am excited to see what my Billy Venturini led Craftsman Toyota Camry team will have for me Saturday.”

Mason Diaz – No. 25 Solid Rock Carriers, Craftsman Toyota Camry

Regarding racing at Toledo Speedway: “I’m looking forward to getting back to the track and working with my Venturini Motorsports crew. They have been working hard during these tough times to prepare our Toyota Camrys for when we were able to race again. I’ve never raced at Toledo Speedway before but I am ready as ever and have put in a lot of work to prepare myself for this race and I know our Solid Rock Carriers Toyota Camry will be fast.”