Ty Gibbs
Ty Gibbs, driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, in action during the Herr’s Potato Chips 200 for the ARCA Menards Series at Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio, on May 22, 2021. (Nic Antaya/ARCA Racing)

Ty Gibbs, Sammy Smith to race as teammates at Iowa Speedway

www.arcaracing.com July 5, 2021

The most dominant drivers in the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East in 2021 have filed the first entries for the Shore Lunch 150 at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 24.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Ty Gibbs and Sammy Smith have been nearly unstoppable this season, and both look to continue their dominant ways at the World’s Fastest Short Track.

Gibbs is the grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, who has been inducted into both the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s been a history-making season for the 18-year-old from Huntersville, North Carolina, so far. He not only has won five times in the ARCA Menards Series, but he has already won twice in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including his series debut on the road course at Daytona International Speedway.

Gibbs has dueled throughout the season with fellow 18-year-old Corey Heim, who has won three times. Gibbs also rewrote the history books on May 29 as he earned his second Xfinity Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the afternoon, then won the ARCA Menards Series race later in the evening.

Heim, who drives for two-time ARCA Menards Series champion Bill Venturini, is also expected to file an entry at Iowa.

Smith, a native of Johnston, Iowa, has been equally dominant in the ARCA Menards Series East, scoring three wins in the first five races of the season. Smith transitioned to the Joe Gibbs Racing ARCA program after spending a year racing super late models for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2020. He will make his first career appearance at Iowa Speedway, located about 45 minutes from where he grew up.

The Shore Lunch 150 at Iowa will be a combination event for the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, meaning all drivers will score championship points in both series. The race is also Round 5 of the 2021 Sioux Chief Showdown.

It was previously announced that four former ARCA champions with deep roots in Iowa — Ramo Stott, Ron Hutcherson, Larry Clement and Mason Mitchell — will be honored prior to the Shore Lunch 150.

Advance discount tickets are available at Menards locations throughout Iowa. The green flag is expected to fly shortly after 8 p.m. CT. The race will be televised live on MAVTV Motorsports Network and streamed live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

The complete entry list for the race will be released Tuesday, July 20.