Marine Corps veteran Josh White makes return to ARCA at Charlotte Motor Speedway

It was a long road for Josh White back to the ARCA Menards Series, but as a former member of the United States Marine Corps, the 31-year-old West Virginian doesn’t give up that easily.

On Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, White took a massive step forward on his road back to ARCA.

White, who last raced in the ARCA Menards Series in 2015, returned to ARCA competition aboard car owner Alex Clubb’s No. 03 Ford during the General Tire 150 at Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend.

Unfortunately, White’s race came to a premature end on the third circuit. According to White, a stuck throttle led to an unexpected meeting with the outside wall and a quick retirement from the race.

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“The throttle got stuck, and there wasn’t anything I could do,” White said Friday after the crash. “It pushed in the center, and there wasn’t anything I could do and hit the wall. By the time I realized the throttle was stuck, it was just too late.”

Despite retiring from the race in the opening laps, White still has a lot to be proud of after making his first ARCA Menards Series start in more than six years.

Prior to Friday, White had made 19 ARCA Menards Series starts between 2013-15. He earned a best finish of 21st during that time. He also made his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in 2016, but after that, funding dried up. White was forced to go on a racing hiatus.

“I haven’t really had the means or the sponsors to get back in a car until now,” White said. “It’s been really tough and a long, long, long, excruciating road. I haven’t given up, and I’ve made it a point that everybody knows that I’ll never give up.”

Giving up is simply not in White’s DNA. For the last several years, White had been pursuing sponsors that would allow him to return to active competition, but until recently he had struck out.

This year he finally found the sponsors he needed, with supporters like Kanawha Ammunition, Fish Fin, Bub ’n Mutha’s, Raysir Apparel, Military Java Group and Patriot Popcorn Company helping open the door for White to secure a three-race deal with Clubb to compete in the ARCA Menards Series.

“I’ve had a lot of learning to do the past several years on what I’m doing wrong and what I’m doing right and on what I’m plain just not doing,” White explained. “It took some learning, and finally we figured out what works and what works for our partners coming on board and being able to keep them.”

Many of White’s sponsors are connected to the Armed Forces, making White the ideal fit to represent them as a former member of the United States Marine Corps.

White said there were a number of factors that led to him joining the military. A key one was the job market in his home state of West Virginia.

“If you know anything about West Virginia, it’s coal country,” White said. “Coal has been on the decline for a really, really long time, and so the economy here just plain sucks.

“Coming out of high school back then with no job experience, you can’t find a job, man. It sucks. The best thing you can probably get is fast food. My first job was at Bob Evans as a host, and I wasn’t making but $7.25 an hour.”

After welcoming his first child, White knew he needed to do something that would guarantee a steady paycheck to support his newborn. Joining the military stood out to White as an ideal way to do that.

“Two days after I walked for my high school graduation I had my daughter Isabella,” White said. “I kind of had to grow up really quick, really fast and become dad. Me being out here in the job market fresh out of high school, fresh being a new dad, I had to do something.

“What better way to support my family and serve my country.”

White never saw active duty during his time with the United States Marine Corps, though he was briefly activated to go to Afghanistan before those orders were rescinded.

Despite never seeing active duty, White’s time in the military is something he’ll forever cherish.

“I’m proud of what I did. I loved being a Marine,” White said. “Once a Marine, always a Marine. I’m still a Marine. It’s one of those things that I’m proud that I did and it’s the best thing I ever did.”

White has two more races on his schedule with Clubb following last Friday’s General Tire 150. His next race is scheduled for Aug. 21 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. He’ll close out his three-race schedule at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 15.

It’s a diverse three-race schedule, which White said was done purposefully.

“I actually hand-picked those (races),” White said. “My primary sponsor, Kanawha Ammunition, they didn’t care where we went. They just wanted three races and left it up to me to pick them.

“The reason why I picked them is because it gives me a good diverse schedule even though it’s a small schedule. Three races isn’t a lot, but it gives me some diversity to be able to propel myself and give me some momentum going forward for next year.”

White’s hope is that after his three-race schedule this season he will be able to put together the sponsorship to contest the entire schedule in 2023. It’s a tall order, but White believes he has the passion and drive to make it happen.

“The reason I came back to racing is because I love the sport,” White said. “I’m very passionate about it. I love it. It’s more or less a way of life for me because it’s the only thing I have to relieve stress, to have an out. It’s cars and going fast. It’s a big love of mine in my life.”

While his return to ARCA competition may have gotten off to a disappointing start, White said there are still plenty of positive takeaways from Friday’s General Tire 150 that he can use to push himself forward.

“I’m going to take away from this weekend that I can do it. I know I can do it now. I have the confidence,” White said. “Maybe we’ll have some better luck at Springfield.”