Michael Simko

Last updated
Michael Simko
Born (1981-05-23) May 23, 1981 (age 42)
Clarkston, Michigan
ARCA Menards Series career
51 races run over 12 years
Best finish21st (2005)
First race 2001 Jasper Engines & Transmissions 200 (Toledo)
Last race 2012 Berlin ARCA 200 presented by Hantz Group (Berlin)
WinsTop tens Poles
0170
Statistics current as of December 3, 2022.

Michael Simko (born May 23, 1981) is an American professional racing driver. He has competed in the ARCA Racing Series from 2001 to 2012 with 17 top-10's. He is the son of former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver David Simko.

Contents

Racing career

In 2001, Simko would make his ARCA Re/Max Series debut at Toledo Speedway driving the No. 96 Chevrolet, finishing 20th after starting 12th. [1] In 2002, he would make three more starts, one for Bob Schacht at Toledo, one for his own team at Winchester Speedway, and one for Arne Henriksen at Salem Speedway. He would finish sixth at Toledo and Salem respectively. For 2003, he would run five races, finishing eighth at Kentucky Speedway driving for Mark Gibson.

Simko's No. 45 car at Salem Speedway, Indiana 45 Michael Simko ARCA 2006.jpg
Simko's No. 45 car at Salem Speedway, Indiana

In 2004, he would make seven starts, with six of those starts coming with Schacht, and one coming with Greg Sarff at Chicagoland Speedway, where he would finish seventh. In the following year, he would run 13 of the 23 races of the schedule driving the No. 45 entry for father David Simko. His best finish would come in his last start of the year at Salem, where he would lead 39 laps to finish third in the race. In 2006, he would solely run in a Chevrolet, and would get four top-10's, including a best finish of fourth at Winchester.

Fight and suspension

On September 26, ten days after his last ARCA start of 2006 at Salem, Simko was involved in a crash with Don St. Denis on the 112th lap of the Great Lakes Chevy Dealers/Budweiser Glass City 200 at Toledo Speedway. [2] After the crash, Simko climbed out of his car and ran over to St. Denis, who was unable to shut off his car at the time due to a piece of plexiglass that fell by the ignition switch, and made a running jump and landed both feet into the windshield of St. Denis' car. Afterwards, Simko would throw his helmet at St. Denis' car and walk away. St. Denis would then get out of the car and run over to Simko in the infield of the track where the two engaged in a fist-fight with several punches being thrown as race officials tried to break up the fight. Since the series that hosted the event was sanctioned by ARCA, both Simko and St. Denis were suspended indefinitely from all ARCA-sanctioned events. [3] [4] Both Simko and St. Denis would later apologize for said incident and were later reinstated. [5] [6]

Racing return

In 2007, Simko would make his ARCA Re/Max Series return at Salem driving the No. 75 Chevrolet for Bob Schacht Motorsports, where he would finish sixth after starting eleventh. [7] He would make another start that year at Toledo, where he would finish third. He would run three more races with the team in 2008, getting a best finish of 11th at Toledo. Simko would drive the No. 27 Chevrolet for Don DeWitt for three races, finishing tenth at Chicagoland Speedway. [8] He would make three more starts for DeWitt over the next two seasons, finishing in the top ten at Berlin Raceway in 2010 and 2011 with eighth and ninth respectively. In 2012, he would run two races, finishing 17th at Iowa Speedway with Hendren Motorsports in the No. 41 Chevrolet, and 14th at Berlin with Venturini Motorsports in the No. 35 Toyota. The latter event would be his most recent ARCA start.

Since his last ARCA start, Simko has recently competed in the CRA Super Series and the CRA Jegs All-Stars Tour. [9]

Motorsports results

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Racing Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122232425ARSCPtsRef
2001  ?96 Chevy DAY NSH WIN SLM GTY KEN CLT KAN MCH POC MEM GLN KEN MCH POC NSH ISF CHI DSF SLM TOL
20		 BLN CLT TAL ATL 148th130 [10]
2002 Bob Schacht Motorsports 75 Ford DAY ATL NSH SLM KEN CLT KAN POC MCH TOL
6		 SBO KEN BLN POC NSH ISF 47th585 [11]
Michael Simko38 Chevy WIN
14		 DSF CHI
ECC Motorsports 17 Chevy SLM
6		 TAL CLT
2003 Bob Schacht Motorsports 75 Chevy DAY ATL NSH SLM
10		 TOL
27		35th755 [12]
Mark Gibson Racing 56 Chevy KEN
8		 CLT BLN KAN
Bob Schacht Motorsports 75 Pontiac MCH
14		 LER POC POC NSH ISF WIN DSF CHI
25		 SLM TAL CLT
ECC Motorsports 17 Chevy SBO
DNQ
2004 Bob Schacht Motorsports 75 Chevy DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL
16		 MCH
20		 SBO BLN KEN
11		 GTW POC LER NSH ISF TOL
21		 DSF SLM
25		 TAL 23rd1080 [13]
39 CLT
10		 KAN POC
Greg Sarff 38 Chevy CHI
7
2005 Auburn Racing 45 Chevy DAY NSH
21		 KEN
14		 MCH
26		 KAN KEN
20		 BLN POC GTW LER
18		 NSH MCH
24		 ISF TOL
13		 DSF CHI
10		 SLM
3		21st2195 [14]
Pontiac SLM
12		 TOL
11		 LAN
32		 MIL
12		 POC
Ford TAL
QL†
2006 Auburn Racing Enterprises Chevy DAY NSH
DNQ		 SLM
28		 WIN
4		 KEN TOL
7		 POC MCH
23		 KAN KEN
32		 BLN
10		 POC GTW NSH MCH
34		 ISF MIL SLM
32		 TAL IOW 34th1215 [15]
65 TOL
6		 DSF CHI
2007 Bob Schacht Motorsports 75 Chevy DAY USA NSH SLM KAN WIN KEN TOL IOW POC MCH BLN KEN POC NSH ISF MIL GTW DSF CHI SLM
6		 TAL 62nd415 [16]
Ford TOL
3
2008 Chevy DAY SLM IOW KAN CAR KEN TOL
11		 POC TOL
27		48th645 [17]
Ford MCH
22		 CAY KEN BLN POC NSH ISF DSF CHI SLM NJE TAL
2009 D&B Motorsports 27 Chevy DAY SLM CAR TAL KEN TOL POC MCH
29		 MFD IOW KEN BLN
28		 POC ISF CHI
10		 TOL DSF NJE SLM KAN CAR 74th355 [18]
2010 DAY PBE SLM TEX TAL TOL POC MCH
16		 IOW MFD POC BLN
8		 NJE ISF CHI DSF TOL SLM KAN CAR 64th340 [19]
2011 DAY TAL SLM TOL NJE CHI POC MCH WIN BLN
9		 IOW IRP POC ISF MAD DSF SLM KAN TOL 97th185 [20]
2012 Hendren Motorsports41 Chevy DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH WIN NJE IOW
17		 CHI IRP POC 71st305 [21]
Venturini Motorsports 35 Toyota BLN
14		 ISF MAD SLM DSF KAN
† - Qualified but replaced by Robert Richardson Jr.

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References

  1. ↑ "Toledo: Michael Simko preview". Motorsport.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Driver Jumps Through Windshield". The New York Times. 26 September 2006. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Road rage: ARCA driver jumps through foe's windshield". ESPN. 25 September 2006. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Drivers suspended after fight at Glass City 200". The Toledo Blade. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  5. ↑ "ARCA driver Simko apologizes for his role in Toledo brawl". The Tufts Daily. 27 September 2006. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Waltrip: We've all seen drivers do 'silly things'". NBC News. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Michael Simko Returns To ARCA RE/MAX Series Competition In Time For Salem Brawl". CarsAndRacingStuff.com. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Zeeland's Don DeWitt hires fighting driver Simko". MLive.com. 11 June 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Michael Simko". The Third Turn. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2001 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2002 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2003 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2004 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2006 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2010 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2011 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Michael Simko – 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
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