by Zach Hiser MARC News
Clarkston, MI – In the early 2000s, you could count on seeing Michael Simko unloading a race car somewhere in the Midwest with eyes on a chance at going to victory lane. From the Outlaw Super Late Models at Toledo Speedway to ASA Template Late Models, Simko was out with his team racing. Then, family became the priority, bringing Simko to a part-time schedule. Now, in 2026, Simko is ready to bring his family-owned No.45 back to the track with a Championship hunt in mind with the Turn One CRA Pro Series Presented by Chevrolet Performance.
Family being a priority is nothing new in motorsports. Some either leave the sport entirely to focus on raising their children, or they completely immerse the family in the racing world. Both have their pros and cons, and the choice is different for every driver. Simko says that as his daughter grew, her interests turned to a different sport, which he supported fully.
“For the last nine years, every summer has been full of travel softball,” Simko explained. “Her softball always took priority over my racing. Now that she’s in college, my summers have opened right up, and my dad really wants to run for a championship somewhere. [CRA] was an easy choice to make.”
Simko’s history with the Turn One CRA Pro Series is pretty limited compared to his tenure in the sport. The Clarkson, Michigan native has just 15 starts in the series dating back to 2022, and has never started more than five races in one year. His best finish on the Tour is a fourth, three times; Auto City Speedway in 2025, and at Birch Run Speedway and Owosso Speedway in 2023. Simko says his years of part-time racing may present some challenges this season, but he’s up for it.
“[2007] was really the last time we ran a full deal,” Simko said. “I’m very much excited for it. You never lose the love of being behind the wheel. The passion for driving never goes away. I’m looking forward to getting a lot of laps in a season again. When we run regularly, we get our best runs. Nothing can replace seat time.”
As for the team, Simko points out that he’s really the only one who will need to get back into the rhythm of a full season.
“The last few years, my dad has been running with Stephen Ulman,” Simko pointed out. “So for him, it’s actually going to be a little bit easier. We’re not bouncing back and forth between supers and crates – we can focus on making the Pro car fast. For me, I’ll have to step up a lot more during the week to help out. I don’t have the excuse to be gone on the weekend.”
Simko shares the same sentiment about the 2026 Turn One CRA Pro Series schedule as many of his competitors. He’s excited for several of the tracks making a return to the calendar, many of which he’s called home at one time or another.
“I love seeing Berlin back on the schedule,” he said. “I haven’t raced there in a couple of years because of scheduling conflicts. I’m looking forward to getting back to Owosso, which is always going to be my favorite and the one I’m looking forward to the most. [Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park] would be the one that, it’s not daunting by any stretch, but I’ve raced there maybe three or four times and haven’t had the best of luck there. I know I can run well there.”
The Prestige Steel No.45 will bring Simko back to full-time racing starting with Owosso Speedway on Saturday, May 16th for the Big O Classic 100. Advanced tickets are available at OwossoSpeedway.com.
For more information on the Turn One CRA Pro Series Presented by Chevrolet Performance, log onto CRA-Racing.com. Find CRA: Champion Racing Association on Facebook and follow @CRARacing on X.