Streaking Chandler Smith Looking for Two in a Row at Madison in ARCA Return
Chandler Smith will make his triumphed return to the ARCA Menards Series on Friday, June 14 in the Shore Lunch 200 at Madison International Speedway. A year ago, Smith, a Toyota Racing Development driver, etched his name into the ARCA record books notching his first career series win at the Wisconsin half-mile track.
“You never forget your first win,” said Smith with a smile. “I’m really excited to go back to Madison and work with Billy (Venturini) and the twenty guys this week. They’ve been really solid this year. The entire organization has been good. Madison is a great track. It’s got great characteristics, it’s a racers track – it’s really worn out and you find yourself racing the track more than anything else. We’ve got one goal this week – and it’s to win.”
Driving for Venturini Motorsports, winners of six of the first nine series races of the 2019 season, Smith retakes the reigns of the series’ leading (Owner Points) No.20 Craftsman Toyota. One of four drivers to pilot the twenty-car throughout the season, Smith will run the lions share with 11 of 20 races in the seat.
Smith, seemingly on a perpetual hot streak comes into this week’s race looking to add to his impressive career numbers. In just thirteen ARCA series starts the teenager from Talking Rock, GA has won three times, tallied ten top-five finishes and never finished outside the top-10. A threat every time out, Smith has notched six General Tire Pole Awards and has led 1,020 laps in limited action since making his series debut in 2018.
Already with a series winner in 2019, Smith dominated in his last outing back in May driving to victory lane at Toledo Speedway. Unable to compete in the full ARCA Schedule due to minimum age requirements, Smith leads the Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge, a series within a series that awards a championship for races held on tracks one mile in length and under.
In addition to Madison on Friday, Smith will make his NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series debut with Kyle Busch Motorsports on Saturday at Iowa Speedway. This will mark the first of three truck series starts in 2019 for the talented young driver.
Practice for the Shore Lunch 200 at Madison International Speedway is scheduled for 1:15 CDT on Friday, June 14, with General Tire Pole qualifying set for 5pm CDT. The 200-lap event will be televised live on MAVTV starting at 8pm CDT.