Powerful Rookies and Past Champions Gain Approval for Touring Star Program
The ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment and Lester Buildings is proud to announce the 2013 Touring Stars, the most premier drivers within the Tour.
The 2013 ARCA Midwest Tour Touring Stars include past champions, veterans, rookie standouts and other top drivers in the series. Last year’s Midwest Tour Champion, Jonathan Eilen is one of several previous champions to join the Touring Star Program. Along with Eilen, 2011 Champion, Andrew Morrissey; 2007 Champion, Nathan Haseleu; and 2008 Champion, Dan Fredrickson, will each be looking to add another championship to his record.
Other returning Touring Stars include Chris Wimmer, who scored four ECHO Bear Cat Quick Cut Qualifier awards in 2012; three-time Larry Detjens Memorial Winner, Chris Weinkauf, and Jeff Storm, who broke the track record at the 2012 Oktoberfest event. Jacob Goede will also be returning to the Touring Star program, partnering with a long time car owner and crew chief, Mike Butz.
Previous rookie standouts will also join the elite group of Touring Stars once again this year. The 2011 Rookie of the Year, Skylar Holzhausen; 2012 Rookie of the year runner-up, Jason Weinkauf, and standout rookie, Cardell Potter, who found great success both touring and at regional race tracks, are all once again ready to take on the challenge.
James Swan, the 2012 Midwest Tour Truck Champion, comes into the 2013 season as a Rookie of the Year contender. Swan has multiple Mid-American Stock Car Series championships and hopes to add the ARCA Midwest Tour to that list. Also contending for Rookie of the Year honors is multiple Big-8 and Mid-American championship winner, Jeremy Miller.
“We have the best group of guys in the country racing in the Tour and we are proud of their successes over the years. When we roll into a race track, we are packing a punch with talent and the promoters want to see that,” stated ARCA Midwest Tour President Tim Olson. “That is why we developed this program, not only to reward the stars for their commitment, but to bring them to the tracks to race against the local stars and that creates fan excitement.”
To qualify for this elite program, competitors must adhere to strict guidelines that ensure the highest quality of driver talent and the strongest level of competition among the Touring Stars. Touring Star positions were selected this year based on a variety of requirements ranging from series success and racing stats, years of racing with the Tour, and prior Touring Star status. Consideration is also given to how the driver represents himself, his sponsors, and the series.
“As far as I know, we are the only super late model series in the country that has this significant of a financial travel program guaranteeing the attendance of our Touring Stars. We take pride in these guys and feel that the investment is well worth it to everyone involved. We put a lot of restrictions on the Touring Stars and we hold them to a higher standard, but all of our guys are always willing do what it takes to be the face of the ARCA Midwest Tour,” added ARCA Midwest Tour Vice President Steve Einhaus.
In order to better reward participating drivers, the criteria that drivers will have to meet to be eligible for the event bonuses has been refined and the standards have been raised. Touring Star’s attendance throughout all 2013 events is mandatory unless excused by the series president and vice president. Drivers that miss an event will no longer be allowed to continue in the program during the same calendar year.
As a reward for their loyalty to the Midwest Tour, Touring Star drivers will be provided several bonuses throughout the race season. Touring Star drivers will be awarded one additional provisional during the season above and beyond the current two that are allowed.
A new bonus payout system has been created for the 2013 season. It is based off of the number of cars that enter each race; the more cars that enter the event, the higher the bonus pay out will be, with max payout being at 32 cars. Touring Stars are guaranteed a $200 bonus at each event but can win up to $1000 at each event. All bonuses will be paid out at the following event. Eligible Rookie of the Year contenders who have filed all paperwork properly and are evaluated will qualify for the bonus program along with the Touring Stars.
Any open positions will be left open and available on a per-race basis. Competitors will be evaluated based on their points position after the second race of the season at Madison International Speedway, and if they fulfill the program requirements, they may be accepted to enter the program.
Be sure to catch the 2013 ARCA Midwest Tour Touring Stars in action at the first race on the ARCAMT schedule at Toledo Speedway on April 19th and 20th. This race weekend marks not only the first time that the series will compete at the track, but also the first time that the ARCA Midwest Tour and the ARCA CRA Super Series will be competing at the same track at the same event.
Be sure to follow the ARCA Midwest Tour on Facebook (midwesttour) and Twitter (@midwesttour).
To learn more about the Automobile Racing Club of America Midwest Tour, log on to arcamidwesttour.com. For questions call the ARCA Midwest Tour office at (262) 729-4111 or Tim Olson at (612) 327-5831 or Steve Einhaus (630) 212-6022 at or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@arcamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@arcamidwesttour.com.
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.
