TOLEDO, Ohio — Shore Lunch is returning as an event entitlement sponsor for the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), but will move its branding to the series’ championship finale at Toledo Speedway on October 8.
The Shore Lunch 200 will mark the first time in eleven years that the champion will be determined at the series’ home track.
“The ARCA Menards Series and Toledo Speedway have a long and rich history together,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “ARCA was founded about 15 minutes from where the track is and since 1963, we have raced 81 times at Toledo Speedway. When the NASCAR series made some schedule realignments, we were in a position to look for a new location within the Menards retail footprint for our championship finale. There is no better place to do it than our home track and we’re very pleased to have Shore Lunch on board with us.”
The Shore Lunch 200 will close the 70th season of the ARCA Menards Series. Founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum, ARCA’s home base has always been in the metro Toledo area.
A special bond has been formed between the sanctioning body and local race fans over the years, so Drager expects a strong turnout to see a champion crowned.
“Our fans have always turned out in big numbers to ARCA Menards Series races at Toledo Speedway and we expect another big crowd for the Shore Lunch 200,” he said. “We’re already working hard on creating some fun value-added experiences for our fans. We’re inviting former series champions as well as other former drivers. We think we’re going to have a very compelling battle for the championship. There will be plenty of excitement and we look forward to fans from throughout the Midwest joining us.”
Shore Lunch first partnered with ARCA series sponsor Menards in 2016. The business-to-business relationship between Menards, the country’s third-largest home improvement retailer, and Summit Hill Foods, a leading food company, brings opportunities to showcase the entire line of the company’s brands to the Toledo area’s customer base and racing community.
“When we heard the championship finale was moving to Toledo Speedway for 2022, we raised our hands and said we’d love to see our name as the entitlement partner for the race,” said Steve Goodyear, president of Summit Hill Foods. “Toledo Speedway has a reputation for excitement and Toledo is a great market for Menards. There are a lot of fishermen in and around the area and that’s a great fit for us too.”