Ryan Unzicker: Winning DuQuoin, the Reese’s Sweet Move of the Year and looking ahead to 2023

Ryan Unzicker’s victory in the Rust-Oleum Automotive Finishes 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on Sept. 5 is the gift that keeps on giving.

Not only did the victory come in team owner Bill Hendren’s final race before retirement, but Unzicker’s incredible battle with Jesse Love to retain the lead late in the race was recently selected by ARCA Menards Series fans as the Reese’s Sweet Move of the Year.

“I didn’t even know I was up for that award until my wife called me and said she saw it on the ARCA Facebook page,” Unzicker admitted. “Then it became real. We shared it on our social media. I was texting all my friends, texting everybody that had anything to do with the ARCA race team.

“It became a moment to look back and reflect on that race. I think it was just really the moment that whole weekend was about. That Hendren Motorsports team, it was their last race. They were selling out after that. Just to be able to win the race, to have that Sweet Move of the Race, to be able to capitalize on that, it was a pretty special moment.”

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Hendren and Unzicker began working together in 2003. Of the 24 ARCA Menards Series races Unzicker has entered, he competed in 23 of them while driving cars owned or co-owned by Hendren.

Unzicker knew going into the race at DuQuoin that he would have a chance to win following a strong performance a few weeks prior at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. It was just a matter of capitalizing on opportunities.

“When Bill upgraded his car two years ago back in 2020, we didn’t know what the new car was going to bring us,” Unzicker said. “We knew we upgraded to a better car from what we’d been running. Going into that year we knew we had something better, and of course we went out and won the very first night out in that car at Springfield.

“We’ve had good success since then. We had a good run at Springfield this year. Going into DuQuoin, absolutely I felt like we could win anytime we went out on the race track.”

Winning the Rust-Oleum Automotive Finishes 100 is a moment Unzicker says he won’t soon forget. Winning the Reese’s Sweet Move of the Year for his battle with Love, Unzicker says, is a nice cherry on top.

“I’m just thankful that the Hendren Motorsports team gave me those opportunities throughout the year to race their car and race with their program,” Unzicker said. “I’m thankful that the ARCA Menards Series, those people always welcomed me. Being kind of an outsider, only racing two races a year, they were still welcoming every time we showed up.

“I’m really proud to be able to look back and give Bill that last win. It’s something that I’ll remember for my lifetime.”

With the Hendren Motorsports team now officially closed, Unzicker says he isn’t sure if or when he’ll return to ARCA competition. The only item he owned from the ARCA program was the seat in the car, which he removed prior to all the equipment being sold.

While his focus will be on his dirt late model program in 2023, Unzicker is hopeful his phone will ring and he’ll land an opportunity to return to ARCA action next year at DuQuoin or Springfield.

Have seat, will travel, as they say.

“I do have my seat, so that’s good, so if I did get a phone call I would be able to transfer that over,” Unzicker said. “I’m available. If there is a team out there that wants to do some ARCA racing, that opportunity is on the table for us, for sure.”