ARCA and Menards announced a multi-year extension that keeps the Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based home improvement retailer as the entitlement partner for all three series within the ARCA Menards Series platform, including the ARCA Menards Series East and West.
The agreement extends the relationship between two Midwestern-based, family owned companies that trace their roots back to the 1950s. ARCA was started in Toledo, Ohio by John and Mildred Marcum and is overseen by their grandson, Ron Drager. Now in its 72nd season, the ARCA Menards Series has contested more than 1,500 races at 180 different tracks.
The first Menards opened in 1958, and from humble beginnings, the company has grown to 341 stores in 15 states across the Midwest.
“Menards has been the cornerstone of a strong foundation for ARCA and the ARCA Menards Series since 2009 when they became a presenting sponsor,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “That relationship has only become stronger over the years and reached its pinnacle in 2019 when Menards became the series’ entitlement partner. It’s great to be associated with a company that knows racing inside and out and actively participates in building and growing the series. We are proud to continue to carry this relationship into the future.”
Added John Menard, President/CEO, Menards: “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with the ARCA Menards Series. Our customers are hard-working people with strong Midwestern family values, and that aligns perfectly with the ARCA Menards Series, a series made up of hard-working racers who find a way to get things done on and off the race track.”
Said Mike Helton, Senior Advisor, NASCAR: “Menards supports racing because the entire Menard family loves the sport. The continued partnership between Menards and ARCA is a tremendous benefit to the racers who compete in the ARCA Menards Series and the fans all across the country who love to see the stars of tomorrow racing at both grassroots-level short tracks and some of the biggest motorsports venues in the world.”
Acquired by NASCAR in 2018, the ARCA Menards Series platform has proven to be the premier training ground for drivers with aspirations of competing in one of the three NASCAR national series. In 2023, nearly 80 percent of the drivers racing across the three national NASCAR series – representing dozens of series championships and hundreds of race wins – started their journey on the ARCA platform.
The 2024 ARCA Menards Series championship will be determined Saturday, Oct. 5 at the series’ home track in Toledo Speedway. The race will be televised live on FS2 starting at 4 p.m. ET.
