Joins NASCAR’s ARCA Menard Series West to enhance visibility of both organizations
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (April 15, 2024) – The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame will join NASCAR’s ARCA Menard Series West in 2024 to enhance the visibility of both organizations.
The Hall of Fame, which dates to 2001, is the most significant of its type in the western United States. It counts among its inductees stars of the post-war stock car racing series which became NASCAR Grand National West in 1954. Most of its previous champions have been enshrined in Hall, including three-time champion Eric Holmes whose induction will be celebrated on June 6.
The Automobile Racing Club of America, founded in 1953 as Midwest Auto Racing Club by John Marcum, was purchased by NASCAR in 2018. The NASCAR West Series, as well as the organization’s East Series, came under the ARCA Menards Series umbrella in 2020. As a part of NASCAR’s national touring footprint, ARCA has produced a number of NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series stars.
Ken Clapp, West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame chairman and CEO, is a retired NASCAR Senior Vice President of Western Operations. A part of stock car racing since 1951, Clapp has promoted nearly 200 NASCAR West events.
“Stock Car racing – particularly the West Series – has been a part of my life since I was in high school,” said Clapp. “Our Hall of Fame celebrates the legacy of well over 100 famous competitors, not only from stock cars but also other forms of nationally and internationally sanctioned events. It was an easy decision to become more involved in the sponsorship and other promotional activities with NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series West which we believe will aid and grow our charitable outreach.”
“The West Series and its member tracks are graduating many young people into national racing series, including 2023 ARCA Menards Series champion Jesse Love, a now Xfinity Series competitor for Richard Childress Racing. Love is a graduate of Madera Speedway’s Jr. Late Model program.”
“Ken Clapp and the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame have been great supporters and partners of the ARCA Menards West Series, with a history that reaches back to long before the ARCA brand became involved,” said Ron Drager, ARCA president. “We respect and appreciate what the Hall represents and its ongoing efforts to recognize and raise up its inductees and the sport, and welcome the benefit it provides to the tracks, race teams and entire community of the West Series of today.”
The 2024 ARCA Menards West Series schedule consists of 12 events including a March 8 National/West combination race at Phoenix Raceway, won by William Sawalich. The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame will sponsor the July 6 150-lap race at Irwindale Speedway and will be the presenting sponsor of April 20 and October 26 races at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, as well as Irwindale’s July 4 NAPA Auto Parts 150 and the Oct. 5 event at All-American Speedway.
2024 ARCA Menard Series West Series Schedule
- March 8, Phoenix Raceway General Tire 150 Winner: William Sawalich
- April 20, Ken Harvick’s Kern Raceway MMI Oil Workers 150*
- May 31, Portland International Raceway
- June 7, Sonoma Raceway General Tire 200
- July 4, Irwindale Speedway NAPA Auto Parts 150*
- July 6, Irwindale Speedway West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame 150#
- July 27, Shasta Speedway
- August 10, Tri-City Raceway
- September 28, Madera Speedway
- October 5, All-American Speedway*
- October 26, Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway NAPA Auto Parts 150*
- November 8, Phoenix Raceway
*Presented by West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame
#Presented by NAPA Auto Parts
All Series races will be live-streamed by FLO Racing and will be broadcast on a delayed basis by the USA Network.
The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame will celebrate its 2024 inductions, presented by World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, on Thursday, June 6 at Sonoma Raceway’s Turn 11 Club in Sonoma, Calif.
Members of the Class of 2024 are the late Dick Cobb, Las Vegas, Nev., winner of eight track championships over a 45-year racing career in Nevada and California; Eric Holmes, Escalon, Calif., winner of three NASCAR West (now ARCA Menards Series West) titles; Jimmie Johnson, El Cajon, Calif., seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion; Jimmy Vasser, Canoga Park, Calif., 10-time Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) winner, Indianapolis 500 co-owner champion and 2023 IMSA GTD championship co-owner; and Calvin (Cal) Wells III, NASCAR Cup Series race winning team owner, Off-Road Hall of Fame inductee and current chief executive officer of Legacy Motor Club.
The 2024 Heritage class, which also will be inducted, is comprised of the late Joe Huffaker, San Francisco, Indianapolis car builder and Sports Car Club of America owner’s champion; Steve Lewis, Colton, Calif., 10-time United States Auto Club National Midget car owner’s champion; Emmett Malloy, Inglewood, Calif., builder of famed Carrell Speedway in Southern Calif. and son Tom Malloy, Villa Park, Calif., two-decade historic car competitor and USAC midget team owner; Paula Murphy, Granada Hills, Calif., first woman licensed by the National Hod Rod Association to drive a nitromethane-fueled car and land speed record holder; and Greg Pickett, Alamo, Calif., only driver to win SCCA Trans-Am races in six decades and as team owner two American Le Mans Series driver/owner titles.
The organization’s first Pioneers of Speed will be enshrined in June. They are Johnny Boyd, Jack Dill, Fred Frame, Ted Horn, Frank Lockhart, Rex Mays, Jimmy Murphy, Bob Swanson, Ernie Triplett and Louis Vermeil.
Highlights of the induction ceremonies will be broadcast later this summer, network, air dates and broadcast times to be announced.
The event also will be highlighted by presentation of the 4th Annual Knockin’ Doorz Down Philanthropist of the Year Award presented by 51FIFTY.
About the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame:
The West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame was conceived in 2001 as a means of recognizing significant contributors and contributions to the sport of stock car/motorsports competition. The mission of the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame is founded to preserve history and heritage of the important role west coast stock car and motorsports figures have played in the sport’s development and continuation and to recognize, through annual enshrinement, of outstanding individuals and groups within the sport such as, but not limited to, designers, engineers, mechanics, drivers, race track owners, promoters, publicists and members of the motorsports media.
The Hall is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, dedicated to supporting a variety of organizations and groups from coast to coast. The Hall has raised nearly $1 million during the past 6-1/2 years for youth, health and safety, hospitals, animal rescue, military and other charitable causes.
For more information on the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame visit: www.WestCoastStockCarHallofFame.com
Media Contact:
Owen A. Kearns
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