(November 15, 2012) – With the ever-expanding responsibilities to remain the nation’s premier super late model touring series, the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment and Lester Buildings announced today the hiring of Cari Phillips to bolster the series staff in several areas to ensure a successful 2013 season and beyond.
As Media Relations Director, Phillips will be involved in all 2013 events with the responsibilities of cultivating media coverage of ARCA Midwest Tour events, growing the series’ connection with fans through at-race activities and social media, strengthening relationships between drivers and fans, and highlighting the support given from series sponsors.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the ARCA Midwest Tour,” Exclaimed Phillips. “I want everyone to know what so many race fans already know, these are the best drivers competing on the best tracks in the midwest and I’m honored to a part of it! I’m excited for all of the new challenges, new excitement, and most of all the great racing that accompanies working for this traveling series. “
Phillips has been around racing her entire life. Her first official involvement in motorsports began with her father on the volunteer observer crew at the Milwaukee Mile in her early teens. While attending Concordia University in Mequon, WI, she interned first at Slinger Super Speedway and then in The Milwaukee Mile’s media and communications department. Her understanding, awareness and detail-oriented approach soon provided a full-time opportunity at the historic oval for two full racing seasons.
Phillips earned the respect of her co-workers, media members and sanctioning bodies as she worked with great resolve with the Mile’s PR, marketing and operations departments in the planning and execution of major motorsports events.
As an avid participant and follower of short track racing throughout the Midwest, Phillips has attended twelve ARCAMT events since the series launched in 2006. During the 2012 ARCAMT season, she played a pivotal behind-the-scenes role in the June 11-12 Swiss Colony Howie Lettow Memorial 150 presented by RaceTeamGear.com event, as Phillips coordinated pre- and post-race festivities for all divisions in addition to tending to media requests and facilitation throughout both days of the successful program.
“We took on a pretty big task at the Milwaukee Mile in June and we couldn’t have done it without Jim Tretow and his team that included Cari Phillips. I was very impressed with her demeanor and expertise in Media and PR and I felt she would be a perfect fit for the tour,” stated Steve Einhaus, Vice President of the ARCA Midwest Tour. “We are looking towards new beginnings in the tour and we are ready to take things to the next level, so we are very excited to have such a well rounded person to take us where we need to go. We are very lucky to have such a strong team lead by Cari and I’m quite certain good things are on the horizon for the tour and our teams.”
Phillips earned a Public Relations degree from Concordia University in May, 2009. She married her short track race driver husband Darrell in 2011 and resides in Dekalb, Illinois.
Kari Shear-Carlson will continue her relationship with the Tour choosing to use her skills in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles. She will also continue to play a supporting role in media relations and attend events as her schedule allows.
“We have been very proud of the work that Kari Shear-Carlson has done for the tour. Often times the first thing people bring up about our series is the quality of PR work that we do. We’ll miss her on the tour, but she’ll be heavily involved from home on special projects, while assisting myself and Cari Phillips on larger tasks. We can’t thank her enough for her involvement in the ARCAMT over the years and we are certainly happy she’ll still be involved,” stated Einhaus.
Be sure to follow the ARCA Midwest Tour on Facebook (midwesttour) and Twitter (@midwesttour).
To learn more about the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment and Lester Buildings, log on to arcamidwesttour.com. For questions call the ARCA Midwest Tour office at (630) 212-6022 or Tim Olson at (612) 327-5831 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@arcamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@arcamidwesttour.com.
Founded by John and Mildred Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in four professional touring series and local weekly events. More information about ARCA is available at ARCARacing.com, on Twitter at Twitter.com/ARCA_Racing, or on Facebook at Facebook.com/ARCARacing.
