ARCA’s Return to Gateway Motorsports Park to mark Half-Way Point of 2018

The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Papa Nicholas Coffee 150 at Gateway Motorsports Park will mark the mid-point of the 2018 season. The Friday night, June 22 event will be race ten of the 20 event 2018 season. Through the first nine events, the 2018 season has seen six different winners, and four first-time winners.

MDM Motorsports has accounted for five of the nine wins, with Zane Smith leading the tour with three victories. Harrison Burton and Sheldon Creed have also won in MDM Toyotas. First time winners include Zane Smith, Christian Eckes, Sheldon Creed and Chandler Smith, the most recent winner on tour June 15 at Madison.

Round 6 of the General Tire SuperSpeedway Challenge

The Papa Nicholas 150 will also mark the 6th event for the General Tire SuperSpeedway Challenge, a Championship within the greater ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards overall championship. The General Tire Superspeedway Challenge is comprised of those events on the ARCA schedule at paved ovals greater than 1 mile in length. The nine-race series championship began at Daytona and will end at Kansas. Race points only are accumulated, with double points awarded at those events sponsored by General Tire. A separate point fund shared among the top ten car owners is distributed at the season ending Championship Awards Banquet.

Remaining events on the “big-track” series, sponsored by General Tire, include the June 28 “Scott 150” from Chicagoland Speedway; the July 27 “ModSpace 150” from Pocono, and the season finale from Kansas Speedway on October 20.

With his recent win at Michigan, MDM driver Sheldon Creed has raced to the top of the General Tire Superspeedway Challenge point standings. Riley Herbst has surged the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota into second, with strong runs at Michigan (second), Pocono (fifth) and Charlotte (second).

Michael Self and Christian Eckes have piloted the Bill Venturini owned No. 15 Sinclair Oil Toyota to third in Superspeedway Challenge Points. Self has a win at Daytona; a third place finish at Talladega and a disappointing 21st-place showing at Charlotte. Self earned some redemption with a third place finish at Michigan. Eckes drove the No. 15 to an 11th-place finish in his superspeedway debut at Pocono .

Austin Theriault, in the Ken Schrader Racing No. 52, earned the General Tire Superspeedway Challenge championship in 2017.

Schrader’s Return

Former NASCAR CUP Series regular and 2017 ARCA Championship Team Owner Ken Schrader will return to the drivers seat for the Papa Nicholas 150 at Gateway.

Schrader is an 18-time winner winner on the ARCA circuit. Schrader became the oldest ARCA winner in history at 59 with his win at Salem Speedway in April of 2015, surpassing the same mark he set by winning at 58 at DuQuoin in 2013. The Salem win is the last time the Fenton, MO driver found Victory Lane. Schrader will be 62 when he takes the green flag at Gateway.

In 82 ARCA starts since 1981, he has 18 career wins, 20 pole awards, 52 top-5 finishes, 65 top-10s and has led 2,736 laps overall in 44 races. He’s also made more than 700 NASCAR Cup Series starts with wins at Charlotte, Dover, Talladega and Atlanta. 2-time Bud Shootout winner at Daytona. 3-time Daytona 500 polesitter. Top-10 in Sprint Cup points 8 times. USAC Silver Crown Series champion ’82. USAC Sprint Car champion ’83.