ARCA Dumps Midgets

ARCA Ends Sanctioning of Midget Series

TOLEDO OH (11-15-02) ARCA, in an effort to concentrate its efforts on
its core racing activities, has announced that the recently completed
2002 season would end its sanctioning of the ARCA Midget Series.

“Given the time and effort that it takes to properly administrate our
Midget Series in the motorsports community today, we felt we were not
doing justice to the series,” said ARCA president Ron Drager. “It’s been
a good 23-year run, and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished in the
series through the years. Certainly, part of our decision is based on
the ability of our teams to utilize their equipment in other
professional, quality sanctioned midget series in this region, most
notably USAC and NAMARS; so our teams at least have options.”

The ARCA Midget Series was initially founded as WWAR (World Wide Auto
Racing) in 1980 by club founder Dave Bruce. The traveling Midget Series
came under the ARCA sanction in 1988 upon the blessings of Bruce whose
health was failing. Since then, ARCA has crowned a Midget touring season
champion each season, most recently, in November of 2002 when Ottawa
Lake, Michigan driver Dave Baumgartner took top honors.

ARCA Midget champions over three decades also include the late Les
Scott, NAMARS founder Jack Calabrase, all-time ARCA Midget winner (38)
Jim Hettinger, Don Schilling, Rick Harrell, Jerry Nemire and Gene Lee
Gibson to name a few. Former ARCA Midget Series winners include Mike
Fedorcak, Rich Vogler, Mel Kenyon, Nick Fornoro, Jr., Sarah Fisher, Ryan
Newman, Tom Bigelow, Ken Schrader, Kenny Irwin, Mack McClellan, the late
Perry Younce and Eddie Horne among many others.

ARCA will continue in its commitment to sanction the ARCA RE/MAX Series
and Lincoln Welders Truck Series as well as Toledo and Flat Rock
Speedways in 2003 and beyond.