Photo Courtesy Steve Bechtel / ShortTrackNews.com
Morris, IL- Former Grundy County Speedway and Illiana Motor Speedway Super Late Model Champion Mike White is the latest driver to file an entry for this Friday night’s Wayne Carter Classic presented by Rod Baker Ford and Illinois Truck & Equipment. The three time Grundy and five time Illiana Champion will join the Stars and Cars of the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment for a hard fought, one hundred lap feature at Grundy County Speedway in an event which dates back to the 1975 season.
With well over one hundred feature wins to his credit, White will be just one of a strong contingent of Chicagoland drivers protecting their home turf. Amongst the expected hometown entries are Eddie Hoffman and Larry Schuler, whom have Grundy and Illiana Championships, as well as wins in both the Wayne Carter Classic and Tony Bettenhausen Memorial, Chicagoland’s two biggest annual late model events. Hoffman was victorious at the completion of last year’s Wayne Carter Classic and was the 2015 Grundy County Speedway Track Champion. The 2015 Bettenhausen winner Scott Tomasik will be joined by second generation drivers DJ Weltmeyer, Jake Finney and Andy Jones, two time Grundy Champion Ricky Baker, NASCAR winner Erik Darnell and former Illiana Champions John Nutley, Jeff Cannon, Paul Shafer, Jr, Anthony Danta and Boris Jurkovic who also has a Bettenhausen win to his credit. All told, twenty six Chicagoland Championships will be represented in Friday night’s field.
Leading the charge for the ARCA Midwest Tour will be two drivers whom have added their names to the Wayne Carter Classic history books, Chris Weinkauf and former Tour Champ Jonathan Eilen. Two time and defending ARCA Midwest Tour Champion Ty Majeski will attempt to capture the win that eluded him last season, the Seymour, WI native was recently named to the NASCAR Next program and inked a development contract with Roush Fenway Racing. Rising stars Natalie Decker and Derek Kraus have wins to their credit in the racing rich Central Wisconsin circuit this season as they head into Friday night. Daytona Speedweeks victor Austin Nason as well as the winner of June’s Kar Korner All-Star 100 at Rockford Speedway, Jeff Holtz are both looking to continue hot trends started in June. Other Touring Stars to keep an eye on are Chicagoland Showdown winner and past Tour Champ Andrew Morrissey, former Marshfield Super Speedway Champion and Tour winner Jason Weinkauf and Wisconsin’s most versatile driver Casey Johnson whom has already collected victory hardware at three Wisconsin speedways this summer.
In addition to a full racing program which includes the Mid-American Stock Car Series and Pure Stocks; a $1,000 Match Race will feature Eddie Hoffman and Ty Majeski in a head-to-head, best two out of three contest.
Gates open at 5:30pm. Qualifying begins at 6:05pm., followed by an ARCAMT Autograph Sessionat 6:45pm. Racing begins at 7:30pm. Adult general admission tickets are $18, Seniors $16, Students (ages 12-17) are $10 with kids ages 11 & under admitted free.
For complete event details, log on to arcamidwesttour.com
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 toarcamidwesttour.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 Speedway.
Expected Entries
Wayne Carter Classic presented by Rod Baker Ford and Illinois Truck Equipment
ARCA Midwest Tour
Friday Night July 15, 2016
Grundy County Speedway, Morris, IL
30 as of 7/13/16
Car # Name Hometown State
3 Boris Jurkovic Joliet IL
7 Erik Darnell Huntersville NC
7 Paul Shafer, Jr Portage IN
8 Eddie Hoffman Wheaton IL
8T Scott Tomasik Avon IN
9 Derek Kraus Stratford WI
11 Andy Jones Gurnee IL
14 Austin Nason Roscoe IL
16 DJ Weltmeyer Dyer IN
17 Tony Scalpelli, Jr Oswego IL
21 Kevin Zielezinski Carpentersville IL
24 Jim Olson Harvard IL
28 Jake Finney Sycamore IL
30 Larry Schuler Minooka IL
31 Nick Barstad Prior Lake MN
33 Jeff Cannon Griffith IN
38 Jeff Holtz Franksville WI
39 Andrew Morrissey DeForest WI
47 Casey Johnson Edgerton WI
51 Anthony Danta Downers Grove IL
52 Ricky Baker Plainfield IL
75 Chris Weinkauf Merrill WI
76 Jason Weinkauf Merrill WI
77 Jonathan Eilen Hampton MN
91 Ty Majeski Seymour WI
93 John Beinlich Lincolnshire IL
96 John Nutley Midlothian IL
99 Justin Oertel Lincolnshire IL
OO Mike White Oak Forest IL
O4 Natalie Decker Eagle River WI
