PC: arcaracing.com
For race 3/20 on the ARCA Menards Series calendar, the series will visit Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama for a 76 lap dash around the 2.66 mile superspeedway.
Race Information:
Date: Saturday, April 20th, 2024
Laps: 76
Miles: 200
Start Time: 12:30 PM ET/11:30 AM CT
Live: FS1/Fox Sports App
Radio: MRN
Track Length: 2.66 Miles
Car Count: 36
Entry List
0- Ben Peterson- Toyota- Wayne Peterson Motorsports
2- Andres Perez- Chevrolet- Rev Racing
6- Lavar Scott- Chevrolet- Rev Racing
7- Eric Caudell- Toyota- CCM Racing
8- Sean Corr- Chevrolet- Empire Racing Group
10- Ed Pompa- Toyota- Fast Track Racing
11- Bryce Haugeberg- Toyota- Haugeberg Racing/Fast Track Racing
12- Ryan Roulette- Ford- Fast Track Racing
15- Kris Wright- Toyota- Venturini Motorsports
18- Tanner Gray- Toyota- Joe Gibbs Racing
20- Jake Finch- Toyota- Venturini Motorsports
22- Amber Balcaen- Toyota- Venturini Motorsports
25- Toni Breidinger- Toyota- Venturini Motorsports
27- Tim Richmond- Toyota- Richmond Motorsports
30- TBA- Ford- Rette Jones Racing
31- Casey Carden- Chevrolet- Rise Motorsports
32- Christian Rose- Ford- AM Racing
35- Greg Van Alst- Chevrolet- Van Alst Motorsports
36- Ryan Huff- Ryan Huff Motorsports
44- Thomas Annunziata- Chevrolet- Jeff McClure Racing
48- Brad Smith- Ford- Brad Smith Motorsports
55- Gus Dean- Toyota- Venturini Motorsports
57- Hunter DeShautelle- Chevrolet- Brother In Law Motorsports/FDNY Racing
63- John Aramendia- Chevrolet- Spraker Racing Enterprises
68- Jeff Scofield- Chevrolet- Scofield Motorsports/Finney Racing Enterprises/Kimmel Racing
69- Scott Melton- Ford- Kimmel Racing
73- Andy Jankowiak- Ford- KLAS Motorsports
87- Chuck Buchanan Jr- Chevrolet- Charles Buchanan Racing
88- AJ Moyer- Chevrolet- Moyer-Petroniro Racing
93- Caleb Costner- Chevrolet- Costner-Weaver Motorsports
97- Jason Kitzmiller- Chevrolet- CR7 Motorsports
98- Dale Shearer- Toyota- Shearer Speed
99- Michael Maples- Chevrolet- Maples Motorsports/Fast Track Racing
01- Cody Dennison- Ford- Fast Track Racing
03- Alex Clubb- Ford- Clubb Racing Incorporated
06- Con Nicolopoulos- Ford- Wayne Peterson Motorsports
PC: Dustin Chambers/arcaracing.com
Storylines
36 cars are entered for Saturday’s General Tire 200 which is the most for ARCA at Talladega since 2017 where 38 entered (2 withdrew). It should also be noted that many teams backed out of running this race due to crash damages from Daytona or lack of funding. The lack of qualifying may have also turned away some teams from making an attempt.
Current Title Battle
As of now after 2 races, last year’s Daytona winner Greg Van Alst currently leads the points standings by 5 points over a tie between sophomores Christian Rose and Andres Perez. Amber Balcaen follows in 4th, 9 points behind and rookie Lavar Scott ranks in 10 points behind in 5th. Then, New York’s Andy Jankowiak is in 6th and Illinois’ Alex Clubb is in 7th, both 22 and 23 points behind respectively. Both main series winners take up 8th and 9th in points with Phoenix winner William Sawalich and Daytona winner Gus Dean. Both are not competing full time on the main circuit but will continue to be threats as the year goes on and Dean is the only driver in the field to have won at Talladega in ARCA, back in 2016. Indiana’s Isaac Johnson rounds out the top 10 and unfortunately, will not be competing at Talladega due to a lack of sponsorship, but he is trying to piece together sponsorship to run multiple races later in the season with the hopeful goal of getting enough for a full season in 2025.
PC: gregvanalst.com
Starting Grid
As a result of there being no qualifying and just practice, the field will be set by 2023 owner points. Some teams did make purchases of owner points from others. Jake Finch will be starting on the pole as the #20 from Venturini Motorsports is the reigning owner points champion.
- 20 Jake Finch
- 18 Tanner Gray
- 2 Andres Perez
- 25 Toni Breidinger
- 15 Kris Wright
- 32 Christian Rose
- 30 TBA
- 11 Bryce Haugeberg
- 99 Michael Maples
- 10 Ed Pompa
- 12 Ryan Roulette
- 03 Alex Clubb
- 06 Con Nicolopoulos
- 48 Brad Smith
- 55 Gus Dean
- 6 Lavar Scott
- 69 Scott Melton
- 31 Casey Carden
- 73 Andy Jankowiak
- 01 Cody Dennison
- 35 Greg Van Alst
- 97 Jason Kitzmiller
- 8 Sean Corr
- 22 Amber Balcaen
- 93 Caleb Costner
- 63 John Aramendia
- 88 A.J Moyer
- 98 Dale Shearer
- 68 Jeff Scofield
- 44 Thomas Annunziata
- 87 Chuck Buchanan
- 7 Eric Caudell
- 27 Tim Richmond
- 57 Hunter Deshautelle
- 36 Ryan Huff
- 0 Ben Peterson
PC: Dustin Chambers/arcaracing.com
Notable Entrants
Amongst the entries include Venturini’s 5 car lineup of Kris Wright, Jake Finch, Amber Balcaen, Toni Breidinger and Gus Dean. The latter of which is the only former winner in the ARCA Menards Series at Talladega in Saturday’s field. Eric Caudell is also back after withdrawing from Daytona which helped get Shane Van Gisbergen into the field. The Piedmont, Oklahoma has gained a lot of notoriety for his runs at Talladega in past years even leading a few laps in last years race. Ed Pompa is also back after unfortunately having to miss Five Flags due to a back injury. He is joined by Fast Track teammates Bryce Haugeberg, Ryan Roulette, Michael Maples and Cody Dennison. Daytona runner-up Thomas Annunziata from New Jersey is also entered again in the #44 for Jeff McClure Racing, will he be able to translate that into a win this time? West Virginia’s Jason Kitzmiller also notably has 10 time ARCA Menards Series champion Frank Kimmel as his crew chief this week. Kitzmiller has started to put on some successful runs at the plate tracks too like Caudell so with the experience at the pit box, this could help him out even more. Other notable entries include Andres Perez, Lavar Scott, Sean Corr, Tanner Gray, Tim Richmond, Christian Rose, Greg Van Alst, Scott Melton, Andy Jankowiak, and Caleb Costner.
PC: Dustin Chambers/arcaracing.com
Prediction To Win
My prediction to win is going to be Lynn Haven, Florida’s Jake Finch. Finch led 65 laps at Daytona and was in position to win before getting wrecked out in a final lap melee which put him back in 11th. I think this time at Talladega, he will get his redemption worth and come out as a winner at Talladega. While Finch is driving in a full Venturini Motorsports entry, his father James Finch won as a team owner at Talladega in 2009 with Brad Keselowski driving in a controversial fashion. Jeff Purvis also won this race back in 1994 driving for Finch. I think that Jake will add onto his fathers legacy at this big old Talladega Superspeedway and give the Finch family another win here.
PC: dovermotorspeedway.com
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