Colombian driver Sebastian Arias to make ARCA debut at Irwindale

LOS ANGELES — The ARCA Menards Series West will see a new driver on Saturday, Aug. 21st, when Sebastian Arias makes his debut at Irwindale Speedway with Bill McAnally Racing.

Arias is a first-generation race car driver from Bogota, Colombia. At 21, he is the next Colombian driver hoping to rise through the ranks of NASCAR following Juan Pablo Montoya.

Arias began his racing career at age 11, when he expressed an interest in karting. His natural ability for driving propelled him through the ranks and opened doors for him.

His desire and motivation to be a champion compelled Arias’ father Nestor Arias to sell the family home in Bogota to finance Sebastian’s journey. The money helped him get where he is today, though it ran out years ago. Now it is Arias’ driving ability, humility and perseverance that must take him all the way to the NASCAR Cup Series.

Beyond the race at Irwindale, Arias plans to compete in two more West Series races this year, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and at Phoenix Raceway. He hopes to move to a full-time schedule in the ARCA Menards Series in 2022.

Arias will race at Irwindale with sponsorship support from BradyIFS.

“I feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity with BradyIFS,” he said. “I want to thank the team at BradyIFS for not only believing in my abilities to drive a race car, but also for helping me advance my career. I look forward to meeting BradyIFS’ employees and customers at their headquarters in Los Angeles the day before the race, and at the track.

Added Arias: “I also want to thank Bill McAnally for giving me this opportunity to drive one of his cars. He has built the best team in this series and has 10 championships to prove it.”

Since teaming up with his management company InterPhase Entertainment earlier this year, Sebastian has gained sponsorship from BradyIFS, Wiley X, BeyondEnergy, SPARCO, NextLevel Racing and Thrustmaster.

“Sebastian is the next-generation Colombian driver breaking into the ranks of NASCAR,” said Ryan Johnston, Arias’ manager. “He used to watch Juan Pablo Montoya race in NASCAR with his family on the couch from their home in Bogota, Colombia.

“The fire in Sebastian to reach his goals are evident with his willingness to learn and adapt, which is crucial in this competitive business. Sebastian had wanted to work with us for over five years, and my thoughts on him were accurate. Sponsors are taking notice.”

The race at Irwindale is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 21. It will be shown live on NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass.