Steve Arpin led the ARCA Racing Series with three victories in 2010.
He has competed in the series just once since then, instead pursuing opportunities in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Trucks Series.
But the former Rochester resident will be back in an ARCA car this weekend, and back in a state he called home for several years. Arpin will pilot the No. 66 car for Venturini Motorsports on Saturday in the Akona 200 (8 p.m.) at Elko Speedway, which sits about a half-hour south of Minneapolis, just west of Interstate 35.
Saturday's race at Elko is a first for the ARCA Series and for Arpin, who grew up in Fort Frances, Ontario, just across the border from International Falls. He raced a Modified for several years at Deer Creek Speedway before moving on to
"It's right in my backyard," Arpin told ARCARacing.com. "I used to race at Deer Creek Speedway near Rochester and over in Princeton, and it's kind of where my roots are in racing. I've developed so many friends and have family in that area, and there are a ton of people from Canada and the Rochester area coming out."
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Arpin had three victories and 10 top-five finishes in 28 ARCA races for Venturini's team in 2010.
The Elko Speedway is not only new to the ARCA series, but also to Arpin.
"I've never seen it," he said. "I've never been there before."
According to an ARCA Series press release, Arpin will also drive for Venturini Motorsports in ARCA races on Aug. 19 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and Sept. 3 at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds
Arpin has competed in two Nationwide Series races this season, finishing 10th at Texas Motor Speedway in April, and 16th at Iowa Speedway on May 20.
Free mulligans for WMDTC
Area Modified drivers who are certain they are going to enter the Second Annual World Modified Dirt Track Championship might want to get their registration in in the next 10 days.
The WMDTC is scheduled for July 25-28 at Deer Creek Speedway, but any driver who registers by June 10 will receive a free mulligan. After June 10, mulligans will cost $100.
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Mulligans are useful to a majority of the field for the four-day event. Drivers may choose to qualify on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of the WMDTC week. If they don't like how they've qualified on their first try, they may use a mulligan to attempt to qualify in a better position for Saturday's finals.
Drivers are slotted into a series of feature races on Saturday based upon how they qualified during the week. Each driver who qualifies for the 30-car A Main on Saturday is guaranteed $1,500, with a $20,000 prize going to the winner.
Rochester's Brad Waits won the inaugural WMDTC last year.
As of Wednesday, only five drivers have registered for this year's event: Stormy Scott (Stewartville, Mo.); Chris Brown (Spring, Texas); Kelly Shryock (Fertile, Iowa); Eric Dailey (Armstrong, Iowa); and Bob Gierke (Westport, Minn.).
Speedbumps …
The Corn Belt Clash Late Models Series stops at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., tonight. The winner will take home $3,000, with all drivers who make the 24 -car A Main field earning at least $300. … The annual Mike Guttormson Memorial Race at Chateau Raceway in Lansing has been postponed until July 6. it was originally scheduled to take place this past Friday, in conjunction with the USMTS visiting the track, but rain wiped out the show. … Vintage Stock Cars will make their return to Dodge County Speedway on Sunday, after having their first appearance of the season rained out.
