Photos © Doug Hornickel / www.FastLapPhoto.com
ARCA Midwest Tour 2015 Class of Touring Stars Continues…
by Kari Shear-Carlson
Mar 31, 2015 -Casey Johnson joined the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by Scag Power Equipment in 2014 for a handful of races, but will return this year as a Touring Star. Johnson got his start at Jefferson Speedway and accumulated two late model track championships. He moved into the Big 8 series and earned championship titles in 2013 and 2014. Additionally in 2013, Johnson won the Triple Crown Championship at Madison International Speedway, his first season in a super late model.
Chris Weinkauf of Merrill, WI will return as a Touring Star in the 2015 season. Weinkauf has long been Mr. Consistency in the ARCA Midwest Tour. He’s a top qualifier and always runs strong. In 2014 Weinkauf picked up his first, and an emotional, ARCAMT victory at Grundy County Speedway. Weinkauf isn’t only successful in the ARCA Midwest Tour. He was the 2010 State Park Speedway Champion and the winner of the Dick Trickle 99 in 2009. Weinkauf hopes to continue his consistency in 2015 and make a run for the championship.
The 2013 ARCA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year, James Swan, also returns as a Touring Star in 2015. Swan is one of those drivers who has risen to the top in every division he’s ever raced in. In addition to his ROY honors, he also picked up the prestigious Larry Detjens Sportsmanship Award in 2013. In 2012 he was the Midwest Truck Tour Champion after already being crowned a 5 time time Mid-American Stock Car Series Champion, 4 time Slinger Super Speedway Midwest Sportsman Champion, and the 2009 Big-8 Rookie of the Year. Swan admittedly had a rough year in 2014, but he will be ready to hit the pavement full-force in 2015.
John DeAngelis comes into the 2015 season as a first time Touring Star, but he is no rookie when it comes to success. In 2014, the 21 year-old was the Slinger Super Late Model Rookie of the Year and captured a feature win at Madison International Speedway. He was the 2013 Big 8 Sportsman of the Year and in 2011 he was the Slinger Nationals Limited Late Model Champion. DeAngelis might be a rookie when it comes to being a Touring Star, but there is no doubt he will be one to watch throughout the season.
The Touring Star Program for the ARCA Midwest Tour presented by Scag Power Equipment has been in place since the inception of the series. The program includes the top drivers competing in the ARCA Midwest Tour and some of the best drivers in the country. Past champions, consistent challengers, and up and coming drivers looking to break into the next stage of their racing career, will all be competing against one another for a $30,000 point fund. With the level of competition in this year’s class of Touring Stars, there is no doubt 2015 will be one of the best seasons yet.
Stay tuned as the introduction to the rest of the 2015 Class of ARCA Midwest Touring Stars continues…
Don’t forget to make your plans for the Joe Shear Classic at Madison International Speedway coming up on May 3rd.
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. 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.
