Coming Up: Toledo’s Menards 200 Ten Days Away

[media-credit name=”ARCA Racing Network” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit](TOLEDO, Ohio – May 10, 2012) – Born in Toledo in 1953, the Automobile Racing Club of America and its premier national tour will celebrate a historical 60th season with one home race this year, as Toledo Speedway will host the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care next Sunday, May 20.

The series last raced at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway six days ago, and the contrast between major, national superspeedway and local short track truly showcases the wide range of ARCA’s reach over the past six decades. SPEED will air the race for a national television audience, placing Toledo motorsports in the spotlight on a weekend afternoon.

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards – ARCA’s flagship series for developmental drivers and veterans alike – will hold practice and qualifying on Saturday, May 19, with the race set for Sunday afternoon.

The basic facts and figures surrounding the race are as follows:

What: Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care, the fifth race of 20 on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series schedule

When: 2 p.m., Sunday, May 20

Where: Toledo Speedway

Distance: 200 laps, or 100 miles

Last year’s winner: Ty Dillon in May, Chris Buescher in October.

Dillon’s spring win was a catalyst for his series championship run, one of seven victories in 2011.

Buescher’s win in the season finale – and the 70th ARCA Racing Series event at Toledo – was his third of 2011 and his third in the last four ARCA Racing Series events at the track; he drove to victory when Dillon spun race leader Brennan Poole. Though Dillon has moved on to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Buescher and Poole will enter as top contenders for the May 20 race.

Last year’s pole winner: Tom Hessert, 16.08 seconds (111.94 mph).

ARCA qualifying record at track: Justin Lofton, 15.86 seconds (113.493 mph) – 2008.

Over 25 drivers and cars are currently entered and more are expected. Alex Bowman, a short track winner this season at Salem (Ind.) Speedway is entered, as is nine-time Toledo winner and ARCA champion Frank Kimmel.

Fifteen-year-old Erik Jones, a Michigan driver, will make his final ARCA start before turning 16. Ohio drivers expected to compete include Jared Marks (Napoleon), Chad Hackenbracht (New Philadelphia), Tim Cowen (Perrysville), Tommy O’Leary (Cygnet), and Levi Youster (Toledo).

The entry list, as it stands today, is available on ARCARacing.com and is being updated as necessary until the event.

Schedule of accompanying on-track events: Practice: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-1:45 p.m., Saturday, May 19; Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell: 3:30 p.m., Saturday, May 19.

The ARCA Truck Series will also race, with practice opening at 11:15 a.m. Saturday and a race at 5.

ARCA will honor numerous champions, race winners, and key figures from 60 years of competition in a special ceremony before Sunday’s race.