Red Bull has made a shocking midseason driver change, taking the bold decision to replace Pierre Gasly with Toro Rosso driver Alexander Albon this week.
The 2019 ARCA Menards Series season has been one of firsts for Michael Self (No. 25 Sinclair Lubricants Toyota). For the first time in his career, after several seasons of running a partial schedule, Self is pursuing the series championship. That means Self is visiting many race tracks he’s never seen before.
As it has every season since 1983, the ARCA Menards Series heads to the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Allen Crowe 100 on Sunday August 18, part of a huge racing weekend that also includes a Saturday afternoon 100-mile race for the USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series. And as it has every season since 1983, the fair’s one-mile dirt track will present the drivers and teams one of the most unique challenges they face all season long.
In what looked liked it was going to be all Max Verstappen going for his second win of the season, Lewis Hamilton passed the Red Bull Racing driver for the race win with three laps to go in Turn 1. Hamilton pitted on Lap 49 for fresh tires and made up a 20-second deficit to score his seventh Hungarian Grand Prix win.
It was Eckes second career ARCA Menards Series win of the season, his first since Nashville in May and the fourth career victory of his young racing career.
Christian Eckes (No. 15 JBL Audio Toyota) made a statement that he will be a threat for the ARCA Menards Series championship with a dominant victory in Friday’s FORTS USA 150 at Pocono Raceway. Eckes took control on lap 35 when the dominant driver in the early stages of the race, General Tire Pole Award winner Todd Gilliland (No. 18 Frontline Enterprises Toyota), was penalized for a blend line violation after his only pit stop of the afternoon.
On the strength of an impressive 11 victories in the first 14 races this season, Toyota has captured its fourth manufacturer’s championship in the ARCA Menards Series.
The summer stretch continues for the 2019 ARCA Menards Series season as they head east to "The Tricky Triangle" known as Pocono Raceway, located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
It’s no secret that South Boston Speedway has some of the most difficult competition of any weekly racetrack in the country, but the 2019 season has proven it’s not too tough for newcomers to have an impact.