Mansfield - It’s All About the Dirt Background |
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Topics: Tim Richmond Memorial ARCA 200, Josh Richards, Steve Arpin, Mikey Kile
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Emily Teeter
Venturini Motorsports
July 13, 2010
CONCORD, NC (07/13/10) From the dirt history of the track to the dirt racing background of the driver - Josh Richards will take on Mansfield Motorsports Park with Venturini Motorsports in the no. 55.
Mansfield Motorsports Park first opened in 1959 as a 3/8-mile dirt track and was then formed into a half-mile track in 1972. In the spring of 1999, the Mansfield Motorsports Park was paved into a fast track with wide racing surface.
Steve Arpin will take his first step out of the no. 55 car since the start of the 2010 season to race with JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide race at Gateway International Raceway.
Arpin will turn over the wheel to the trusting hands of Josh Richards, a dirt racer like himself. Richards, 22-year-old from Shinnston, WV, has a high-profile racing resume behind him. He won the World of Outlaws Late Model Series Championship in 2009 and currently leads the points this year. Since 2004, Richards has over 400 starts and 44 wins. Five of those starts were in the ARCA Racing Series; two of which were with Venturini Motorsport in 2009.
“I am really looking forward to running at Mansfield this weekend with Billy and the Venturini Motorsports team,” said Richards. “It’s pretty neat that Steve has a dirt background and I am stepping in for him. From my understanding, Steve and Billy wanted to put me in the car for a shot at winning with the no. 55. There are a lot of drivers they could have chosen, so it was pretty neat to get the call from Billy to drive his car. I am very grateful and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity. The entire team is second to none and I’m just ready to get back on the asphalt and race!”
Not only will Josh Richards have the great equipment and great opportunity that lies behind Venturini Motorsports, he will also have teammate Mikey Kile to lean on for advice and support.
Mikey Kile will be making his first ARCA Racing start at Mansfield Motorsports Park with the no. 25 Venturini Motorsports Toyota, but his second racing start at the short-track. Kile raced at Mansfield Motorsports Park in 2008 with the Pro Cup Series.
As a series, this will be ARCA’s second appearance at Mansfield Motorsports Park. Venturini Motorsports competed in the series’ debut at the track last year with driver Jake Crum where he qualified fourth and finished sixth.
From what used to be a 3/8-mile dirt track to now a half-mile blacktop surface oval, look for Venturini Motorsports as top contenders at the short track. The Tim Richmond Memorial 200 will begin with practice at 2:30 PM followed by qualifying at 5:00 PM. There will be a driver’s autograph session from 6:00PM to 7:00PM for any fans in the area. The green flag will drop at 8:00 PM ET for 200 laps of racing.