Toledo race entitlement part of Menards program announced Tuesday
Toledo race entitlement part of Menards program announced Tuesday
(TOLEDO, Ohio – March 24, 2015) -- Officials from the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) and Menards Inc. announced today that the Wisconsin-based home improvement retailer will once again serve as the presenting sponsor of the ARCA Racings Series, as well sponsor the Menards 200 event at Toledo Speedway.
“Menards has been a great corporate partner for ARCA and a great, long-term, marketing partner for Toledo Speedway,” said Mark Gundrum, ARCA’s Vice President for Business Development and Corporate Partnerships.
The announcement was made as part of a press conference for Toledo Speedway held at Hollywood Casino in Toledo, Tuesday afternoon.
The Menards 200 will feature ARCA Racing Series practice and Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on Saturday, May 16, along with an ARCA Truck Series race, the “Buckeye Cable 50.” The Menards 200 will start at 2 p.m. on May 17, and is scheduled for live broadcast on CBS Sports Network. It will be the first of three live ARCA races on CBS Sports Network this season.
“We appreciate the opportunity to once again sponsor the ARCA Racing Series and look forward to another highly competitive Menards 200 Race at Toledo Speedway,” said Jeff Abbott, promotions manager and spokesperson. “We’ll be selling discount tickets for this race in our stores and hope to see another full house at the track.”
Six northwest Ohio Menards stores will once again offer race fans the chance to “save big money” on advance ticket purchases. Discount tickets will go on sale April 12 at Menards locations in Defiance, Findlay, Holland, Oregon, Sandusky and Toledo. Menards will offer tickets for $15, a savings of $10 off the gate price.
Menards will also continue their broader marketing presence within the 2015 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, including co-sponsoring the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell, and serve as co-primary sponsor on the No. 25 Venturini Motorsports team, and drivers Frank Kimmel and Brandon Jones.
Toledo Speedway has a long history of hosting the 63-year-old nationally-touring stock car series. The Menards 200 in May will be the 74th ARCA race at Toledo Speedway.
Six-time ARCA national champion Iggy Katona won the inaugural ARCA race at Toledo on April 21, 1963. Since then, winners over years include Jack Bowsher, Benny Parsons, Ramo Stott, Bruce Gould, Dave Dayton, Bill Venturini, Bob Keselowski, Bob Strait, Ken Schrader, Justin Allgaier, Ty Dillon and Frank Kimmel, to name several.
Kimmel is the all-time Toledo winner with nine wins and is scheduled to drive the No. 25 Ansell-Menards Toyota in the Menards 200, his second race of 2015. Justin Boston won the Toledo ARCA race in 2014 in the No. 25 Venturini Motorsports Toyota. Mason Mitchell, the 2014 ARCA national champion, was the Menards polesitter.
Kimmel picked up his first ever ARCA win at the fast half-mile located in northwest Ohio.
“Toledo’s a very special track for that reason alone,” he said. “I just love the place.”
ABOUT MENARDS
With 287 stores in 14 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan - “SAVE BIG MONEY” - is so widely known and easy to remember. Menards does things right - the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.
ABOUT ARCA
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is among the leading auto racing sanctioning bodies in the country. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, the organization administers more than 100 events each year in multiple racing series, including the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the ARCA Truck Series and the ARCA Midwest Tour, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.