WEST ALLIS, Wisc.: Set to compete four hours or 250 miles from his hometown of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, teenager Parker Retzlaff returns to the ARCA Menards Series East scene eyeing his first career victory in Sunday afternoon’s Sprecher 150 at the famed Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile.
Circumstances out of Retzlaff’s controls sidelined him in the series’ most recent race at Iowa Speedway last month, but rejuvenated and ready to the No. 42 Paul Senft & Sons Trenching Toyota for Cook Racing Technologies for battle, Retzlaff is hoping to pick up right where he left off at Southern National Motorsports Park (SNMP) in June.
Starting a career-best third in the Southern National 200, Retzlaff maintained pace throughout the 200-lap and finished third earning his first career ARCA Menards Series East top-five finish in 11 career starts.
“I’m stoked about getting back in the No. 42 Paul Senft & Sons Trenching | Ponsse Toyota this weekend at the Milwaukee Mile,” added Retzlaff. “Having to sit out Iowa was probably the hardest thing in my career so far, but I realize that there is going to be some challenges and bump along the way and I’m focused on getting back behind the wheel and continuing our pace from Southern National.”
While the ARCA Menards Series hasn’t visited the famed one-mile oval in 14 years, Retzlaff is hoping for the decade and a half sabbatical will put the field on a level playing field for Sunday’s 150-lap race.
“Even though most of the field doesn’t have experience at the Milwaukee Mile, I think it is going to be a very competitive race where there is going to be little to no room for error. I’m taking all the steps I can to prepare myself for the race on Sunday.
“I know Bruce (Cook, owner) and my crew chief Amber (Slagle) are bringing me a fast and competitive car and hopefully it will lead us to Victory Lane. That would certainly put an exclamation point on everything that we’ve had to encounter in 2021.”
An accomplished iRacer, Retzlaff has turned to the popular motorsports simulation program to turn thousands of laps at the one-mile oval not only in private testing but actual race simulations to aid him ahead of his 12th career ARCA Menards Series East start.
“I am really hoping that the hours that I have spent on iRacing at the Milwaukee Mile will help on Sunday,” added Retzlaff. “iRacing without a doubt has made me a better race car driver and I’m hoping that my weeks of preparation will help ease the real-life transition on Sunday.”
Franksville, Wisc. based Paul Senft & Sons Trenching will serve as the co-primary partner of Retzlaff’s No. 42 Ponsse Toyota.
Absolute Realtors, Eco-Tracks, Global Fabrication Inc., GrilleAdz, Iron Horse Loggers, Klinner Insurance, MMI and Sunwest Construction and Zamp Racing Products will all join as associate partners for the 150-lap race on Aug. 29.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to have a stack of companies that believe in me and our Cook Racing Technologies team,” added Retzlaff. “We earned them some time in the spotlight this season, it’s important to keep that going this weekend at the Milwaukee Mile.”
Despite missing the most recent ARCA Menards Series East race at Iowa Speedway, Retzlaff secures seventh in the championship standings, 36 points from fifth with two ARCA Menards Series East races remaining.
Sunday’s Sprecher 150 will be ARCA’s sixth-race overall in West Allis, Wisconsin since 1982. The 150-mile race is also a combined ARCA Menards Series premier, ARCA Menards Series East and Sioux Chief Showdown event.
Outside of the cockpit, Retzlaff is an accomplished racer with 1,262 poles, 1,605 wins, 3,155 top-five and more than 67,000 laps led.
For more on Parker Retzlaff, please visit parkerretzlaff.com, like him on Facebook (Parker Retzlaff Racing), Instagram (@parkerRetzlaff) and follow him on Twitter (@Parker79p).
The Sprecher 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the seventh of eight races on the 2021 ARCA Menards Series East schedule. Practice begins Sun., Aug. 29 with a forty-five-minute practice session from 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. A timed General Tire pole qualifying session is set for a short time later at 11:30 a.m. The race is set to take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and NBC Sports Gold Pass. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the day’s festivities. All times are local (CT).
The Sprecher 150 (150 laps | 150 miles) is the 16th of 20 races on the 2021 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Sun., Aug. 29 with a forty-five-minute practice session from 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. A timed General Tire pole qualifying session is set for a short time later at 11:30 a.m. The race is set to take the green flag shortly after 2:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and NBC Sports Gold Pass. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the day’s festivities. All times are local (CT).
