Howe Chassis Approved for ARCA Trucks

Howe Chassis Approved For ARCA Truckers

TOLEDO OH (10-9-04) ARCA officials announced today a new partnership between it's ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series and renowned stock car racing chassis builder Howe Racing Enterprises beginning with the 2005 season.

As per the agreement, Howe Racing Enterprises will become an approved manufacturer/supplier of chassis for the touring Truck series, joining current approved chassis builders' Pate Manufacturing of Hamilton, OH, and Ed & Company of Cincinnati, both of which have been involved since the series' inception in 1999.

Howe Racing Enterprises, based in Beaverton, Michigan, is one of the most respected names in short track racing, and has been building winning race cars for more than 30 years, earning dozens and dozens of track and series championships throughout the United States.

"A lot of racing businesses have popped up during the past 30 years," said Ed Howe, HRE Founder & CEO. "What has always separated us from the rest is that we came to be in business from racing rather than to racing from business. We simply sell products that we make for ourselves. Helping our customers run faster and win races motivates us to keep building better products. Howe products are race-tested products that our customers can buy with confidence, knowing that we stand behind them. We look forward to participating with ARCA, and the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series."

Ed Howe, the company's namesake and founder, gained notoriety during the 1970s and 1980s racing and winning in major late model races throughout the Midwest, including the ARCA sanctioned tracks at Flat Rock, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio. Howe's winning reputation behind the wheel drove demand for Howe Chassis.

"Bringing a chassis manufacturer the stature of Howe to the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series is truly another huge step forward in the positive growth of the series," commented Joe Wells, ARCA Vice President of Competition.

ARCA officials recently announced a five-year contract extension with the Lincoln Electric Company for entitlement sponsorship of the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series, headed toward it's seventh consecutive season of competition in 2005. Lincoln Electric has been the title sponsor since the series' inception.

The series has become known for close championship point battles over the years, including the 2004 title fight that saw series veteran Chad Guinn and rookie Brett Rowe tied with 2615 points each following the Salem Speedway season finale. Guinn, by virtue of a better average finish throughout the year, was declared the series champion for the third consecutive season. Guinn also beat out Brian Rowe for the title in 2003 by just 30 points. Two-time series champion Robbin Slaughter nipped Guinn for the crown by 25 points in 2000 and held off '99 series champ Bill Withers for the championship by just 40 points in '01.

The ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series competes on both pavement and dirt tracks as well as road courses with the addition of the Virginia Int'l Raceway 1.1-mile Patriot road course in 2004.