ARCA Midwest Tour

Last updated
ASA Midwest Tour
ASA Midwest Tour.webp
Category Stock car racing
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Inaugural season2007
Drivers' championCasey Johnson (3rd title)
Official website starsnationaltour.com/midwest

The ASA Midwest Tour (until 2022: ARCA Midwest Tour) is a pavement Super Late Model auto racing series based in the Midwestern United States with its headquarters in Oregon, Wisconsin. [1] It was a developmental series of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), and currently of the American Speed Association, along with the CRA Super Series. [1]

Contents

History

The Midwest Tour under ASA sanction I94speedway.jpg
The Midwest Tour under ASA sanction
Trailer in 2013 ARCA Midwest Tour trailer at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway.jpg
Trailer in 2013

The series can trace its roots back to the ARTGO series which was formed in 1975. NASCAR sanctioned the tour from 1998 until 2006. During that time, it was known as the RE/MAX Challenge Series, International Truck & Engine Midwest Series and finally the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series. NASCAR discontinued the series in 2006 as car counts dwindled. [1]

Tim Olson and Stephen Einhaus formed Cars and Stars Promotions in 2006 to begin a separate series that replaced the defunct ARTGO/NASCAR series. It was sanctioned by the American Speed Association (ASA) and was known as the ASA Midwest Tour. ARCA took over sanctioning the series in 2013 when it began to be known as the ARCA Midwest Tour. [1] Tim Olson, President of the ARCA Midwest Tour, announced that he has sold the ownership of the ARCA Midwest Tour to former Big 8 series director and Rockford Speedway general manager Gregg McKarns. [2] The purchase of ARCA by NASCAR on April 27, 2018 [3] [4] indirectly reunited the series with the series' former sanctioning body. Bob Sargent's Track Enterprises announced to purchase the ARCA Midwest Tour from McKarns at the end of 2022, and rebranded it the ASA Midwest Tour.

Drivers

Ty Majeski Ty Majeski and Gregg McKarns ARCA Midwest Tour 2016.jpg
Ty Majeski

The series has its "Touring Stars" program, which recognizes the top drivers committed to racing the whole schedule. The "Touring Stars" are featured throughout the year on posters and event fliers promoting the series, as well as are eligible for pay bonuses at each race.

There have also been many NASCAR stars that have made appearances in the ASA Midwest Tour, such as Aric Almirola, David Ragan, David Stremme, Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Kelly Bires, Kevin Harvick, Landon Cassill, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Green, Ron Hornaday Jr., Kyle Busch, Travis Kvapil, Todd Kluever, Johnny Sauter, Erik Darnell, Scott Wimmer, Ken Schrader, Tim Sauter, Jay Sauter, Dick Trickle, Natalie Decker, Rich Bickle and William Byron.

Seasons

2015 car of champion Ty Majeski Ty Majeski ARCAMT 2015 WIR.jpg
2015 car of champion Ty Majeski

2023 season

RndDateRace NameTrackLocationFast QualifierWinner
1April 23Miracle On the High Banks 75 Slinger Speedway Slinger, Wisconsin Ryan FarrellRJ Braun
2May 7Joe Shear Classic 200 Madison International Speedway Oregon, Wisconsin Paul Shafer Jr. Ty Majeski
3May 27Salute the Troops 100Jefferson Speedway Cambridge, Wisconsin Gabe SommersDalton Zehr
4June 18Father’s Day 100 Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin Ty Majeski Ty Majeski
5July 8Wayne Carter Classic 100 Grundy County Speedway Morris, Illinois James LynchPaul Shafer Jr.
6July 22Larry Detjens Memorial 125State Park Speedway Wausau, Wisconsin Gabe SommersBrock Heinrich
7August 1Gandrud Auto Group 250 Wisconsin International Raceway Kaukauna, Wisconsin Luke Fenhaus Ty Majeski
8August 19Hawkeye 100Hawkeye Downs Speedway Cedar Rapids, Iowa Gabe SommersGabe Sommers
9August 25Howie Lettow Classic 100 Madison International Speedway Oregon, Wisconsin Derek Kraus Austin Nason
10September 2Jim Sauter Classic 200 Dells Raceway Park Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Max Kahler Ty Majeski
September 23Thunderstruck 93 Elko Speedway Elko New Market, Minnesota Race weekend cancelled due to rain
11October 8Oktoberfest 200 La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway West Salem, Wisconsin Ty FredricksonGabe Sommers

Champions and Rookies of the Year

SeasonChampionRookie of the Year
2007 Nathan Haseleu Jonathan Eilen
2008 Dan FredricksonNick Murgic
2009 Steve CarlsonJacob Goede
2010 Steve Carlson (2) Ross Kenseth
2011 Andrew MorrisseySkylar Holzhausen
2012 Jonathan Eilen Matt Tifft
2013Dan FredricksonJames Swan
2014 Ty Majeski Ty Majeski
2015Ty Majeski (2)Austin Nason [5]
2016Ty Majeski (3)Casey Johnson
2017Ty Majeski (4)Michael Ostdiek
2018Dalton Zehr [6] Billy Mohn
2019Casey JohnsonGabe Sommers
2020Casey Johnson (2)
2021Ty Majeski (5)Luke Fenhaus
2022 Casey Johnson (3)Harley Jankowski
2023Gabe SommersBryan Syre-Keske

Tracks

2014 race at Wisconsin International Raceway ARCA Midwest Tour at Wisconsin International Raceway August 2014.jpg
2014 race at Wisconsin International Raceway

The series has raced at 23 different race tracks, mainly in the Upper Midwest:

TrackTownStateRaces
Madison International Speedway Oregon Wisconsin 21
La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway West Salem Wisconsin 16
Elko Speedway Elko Minnesota 14
Wisconsin International Raceway Kaukauna Wisconsin 14
Dells Raceway Park Wisconsin Dells Wisconsin 14
Grundy County Speedway Morris Illinois 12
State Park Speedway Wausau Wisconsin 12
Hawkeye Downs Speedway Cedar Rapids Iowa 8
Marshfield Superspeedway Marshfield Wisconsin 8
Norway Speedway Norway Michigan 8
Jefferson Speedway Cambridge Wisconsin 7
Milwaukee Mile West Allis Wisconsin 7
Rockford Speedway Loves Park Illinois 6
Illiana Motor Speedway Schererville Indiana 5
Raceway Park Shakopee Minnesota 5
Iowa Speedway Newton Iowa 4
Toledo Speedway Toledo Ohio 2
Gateway International Speedway Madison Illinois 2
Golden Sands Speedway Plover Wisconsin 2
Berlin Raceway Marne Michigan 1
I-94 Speedway Sauk Centre Minnesota 1
Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Tennessee 1
Slinger Speedway Slinger Wisconsin 1

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kallman, Dave (November 13, 2012). "Midwest Tour joins ARCA stock-car family for 2013". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  2. "McKarns Takes Over ARCA Midwest Tour Ownership | Speed 51 | 100% Short Track Racing". speed51.com. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  3. Dale, Holly (April 27, 2018). "NASCAR acquires ARCA, affirming commitment to next generation of racers". NASCAR . Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  4. "NASCAR Welcomes ARCA to the Family". Automobile Racing Club of America. April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  5. Kevin Ramsell & Stephanie Johnson. "Dan Fredrickson's Late Charge Makes him a Four-Time Oktoberfest Winner". LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  6. "Zehr Clinches ARCA Midwest Title Over Upset Nason". Speed51.com. Retrieved November 24, 2018.