TOLEDO, Ohio — Officials from the Automobile Racing Club of America and Sioux Chief Manufacturing announced the rough plumbing components manufacturer has extended its support and sponsorship of the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge.
“Sioux Chief is pleased to extend our sponsorship for the 2019 season, continuing as the primary sponsor for the ARCA Menards Series Short Track Challenge,” said Joe N. Ismert, president of Sioux Chief Mfg. Co., Inc. “We are looking forward to another exciting season of great racing.”
The Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge is a series within the ARCA Menards Series, with drivers earning points toward a championship contested on tracks one mile or less in length. The eleven events that will make up the Short Track Challenge kick off with the ARCA Pensacola 200 at Five Flags Speedway on March 9 and will conclude at Lucas Oil Raceway in suburban Indianapolis on Oct. 5.
Other events include Salem Speedway on April 7, Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville on May 4, Toledo Speedway on May 19, Madison International Speedway June 14, Elko Speedway on July 13, Iowa Speedway on July 19, Illinois State Fairgrounds on Aug. 18, DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on Aug.31, and a second visit to Salem Speedway on Sept. 14.
Teams and drivers will race for the Short Track Challenge championship under a special race-only points system, and only a driver’s 10 best finishes count toward the championship. Each driver discards his or her worst finish if they compete in all eleven races.
“We’re extremely excited about all the great things happening in the ARCA Menards Series and the Sioux Chief Short-Track Challenge is another example of an ongoing partnership that’s working well for all of us with a like-minded company such as Sioux Chief,” said Jeff Abbott, promotions manager for Menards. “By the way, the short-track races are really competitive!”
Kyle Weatherman, 2015 Bounty Rookie of the Year, earned the inaugural Short Track Challenge title in ’15. Chase Briscoe, 2016 ARCA Racing Series national champion, captured the ARCA Short Track Challenge championship on his way to that season’s championship, as did Austin Theriault and Sheldon Creed, each of whom won the Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge on their way to overall season championships in 2017 and ’18, respectively.