Over the course of this weekend, ARCA Menards Series drivers will compete twice at two very different courses.
On Friday (Aug. 19), they will make both left- and right-hand turns at Watkins Glen International. Then on Sunday (Aug. 21), they will race on the one-mile dirt track at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, also known as the Springfield Mile.
It is slightly more than 800 miles between the two circuits. The Springfield Mile also was part of an ARCA race weekend last year, following the event at Michigan International Speedway.
Last year, five drivers competed in the ARCA doubleheader. This year, 12 drivers are running both races.
12 #ARCA drivers are running both @ARCA_Racing events at @WGI & @ILStateFair:@amberbalcaen10, @ToniBreidinger, @rajahcaruth_, @danieldye43, @TaylorGray17_, @jesselovejr1, Tim Monroe, @Nicksanchez080, @DriverBradSmith, @sammysmithSS, @ZacharyTinkle, & @GregVanAlst35
— Mark Kristl (@MarkKristl) August 17, 2022
Moreover, Stanton Barrett, Brandon Jones, Connor Mosack, Austin Wayne Self and Sammy Smith will all use the 41-lap General Tire Delivers 100 in preparation for their NASCAR Xfinity Series race also at Watkins Glen the following day.
Of the top three in the ARCA points, only Nick Sanchez competed in the ARCA event at Watkins Glen last year. He finished eighth. Overall, in his three ARCA road course starts, Sanchez has one top five – fifth in the 2021 event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – and two top-10 finishes.
“I do believe we will have a much better shot at Watkins Glen from a speed perspective,” Sanchez said in a team release.
His Rev Racing teammate Rajah Caruth lost the points lead after Michigan International Speedway, and Caruth only has one ARCA road course start, this year at Mid-Ohio where he finished two laps down in ninth place.
“I’m excited to see how I’ll do at another road course,” he said in a team preview. “It will show how good my preparation is or how much I need to improve. I think getting time in at another road course will help me overall.”
Daniel Dye bested the two Rev drivers with an eighth-place finish at Mid-Ohio this year. Yes, the wacky weather-affected race was problematic for all three championship contenders.
In his ARCA starts this year, Jones has two wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway as well as three top fives and three top 10s. The Xfinity Series regular has not won on a road course in his racing career, so he will be hungry to park his No….
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