ARCA Midwest Tour ECHO and ECHO Bearcat Touring Star Cardell Potter has spent the majority of his life racing, but stock car racing is a relatively new challenge compared to the experience he has racing snowmobiles. While he continues to enjoy the success that he has earned in the sled ranks, he now plans to challenge the competitors of the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment and Lester Buildings for wins.
“Cars and sleds are similar in that they are both a competitive sport, other than that there is really no comparison,” stated Potter. “In sled racing there are so many more variables. Ice and track conditions can really play a factor in the handling of the sled depending on how smooth the track is or how many bumps appear throughout the weekend. In sled racing you go from a dead stop at the drop of the green flag making the hole shot extremely important and it’s also physically more demanding than car racing as you are constantly working hard in the corners leaning almost off the sled to keep the left front ski on the ground and to help rotate the sled through the turn.”
Potter began racing snowmobiles in 1996 and has enjoyed much success over the span of his continuing career. Competing in the Wisconsin Kitty Cat Racers, Wisconsin Kids Snowmobile Racing Association, WSA Pro-ice, and the United States Snowmobile Association ranks Potter has earned multiple state championships, driver of the year awards, rookie of the year awards, and most improved driver awards. In 2009, Potter was voted the USSA Ice Oval Driver of the Year.
After a lifetime of being a stock car fan, Potter found himself competing for the first time in a Limited Late Model at Dells Raceway Park for the 2007 season. In 2008, Potter earned Rookie of the Year honors after collecting two feature wins. He continued to hone his driving skills throughout the 2009 season and made his way south to compete at Speedweeks at New Symrna Speedway for SK Motorsports.
2011 was his first full year in a super late model competition at Marshfield Motor Speedway, Golden Sands Speedway, and State Park Speedway. Ready for a new challenge, Potter joined the ARCA Midwest Tour in 2012 competing for Rookie of the Year honors. He ended the season with a 7th place finish in series points after earning two top-10 finishes.
“From the very first time that Cardell raced with us I knew he was going to shine. To come in as a Rookie and make every race on the tour is quite the accomplishment in this series,” commented Steve Einhaus, Vice President of the ARCA Midwest Tour. “This sport is a family sport and that’s exactly what I enjoy about the Potters. They are so pleasant to have around and give everyone on the tour so much respect. Cardell has the talent to make things happen and I look forward to seeing them all in the winners circle soon.”
“In 2013 for sled racing I was anxious for the 50th running of the World
Championships. I wanted to make the front row, which I did and finished 6th,” said Potter. “In 2013 for car racing, I would like to get my first ARCA Midwest Tour win.”
Throughout his career, his family has played many roles on both the snowmobile and stock car side. Being the sled owners, car owners, sponsors, crews, and support system through every division that Cardell has competed in, has created a very strong bond between Cardell and his family, a bond that he is very proud of. In 2006 the Potter family was voted Family of the Year by the USSA.
“My family has played an important role in my racing. My Dad and I work together on both the sleds and the car setups,” stated Potter. “My parents are very supportive both on and off the race track and are with me at every event that I participate in. My Grandparents regularly go with me and have only missed 4 of my sled racing events in the 16 years I’ve been doing it and two car racing events in the five years I’ve been racing cars.”
Potter and his number 58 machine will be competing in the ARCA Midwest Tour throughout the 2013 season.
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 (630) 212-6022 or Tim Olson at (612) 327-5831 or Steve Einhaus at (262) 729-4111 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@arcamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@arcamidwesttour.com.
The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards has crowned 30 ARCA national champions in 60 seasons since 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 26 states since its inception. The series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.375 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course in its most recent season.
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.
