Naake-Klauer Motorsports, Bradley Erickson unite for full ARCA Menards Series West season

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Naake-Klauer Motorsports co-owners Mike Naake and Tom Klauer have announce a strong racing program this year that includes entries in ARCA Menards Series West, Spears SRL Spears Pro Late Model Series, Trans Am Western TA2 championship series, as well as multiple local races.

The offseason was particularly eventful, with the team moving all late model, ARCA and TA2 racing assets into a new facility in Sacramento that is three times larger than their previous racing shop in Roseville, California.

Bradley Erickson, 16, from Phoenix, Arizona, will drive full-time in the ARCA Menards Series West with his sights set on the Bounty Rookie of the Year Award and the championship.

Erickson will be driving the Naake-Klauer Motorsports No. 88 Ford Fusion with Tony Caputo returning as his spotter and crew chief.  Mike Naake has found success with the No. 88 with other drivers including David Gilliland and hopes to continue to build upon that success in 2023.

Erickson made his West Series debut last year in the Naake-Klauer Motorsports No. 84 Ford Fusion. Erickson earned two top 10s in four races, including a seventh-place finish in the finale at Phoenix Raceway last November.

In addition to the full West Series season, Erickson will also drive a Naake-Klauer Motorsports Pro Late Model in select events.

Joey Iest, 20, is expected to return to the team in a second car later in the season. Details of that program are still being finalized.

Iest captured the 51-Fifty Junior Late Model Championship at Madera Speedway with Naake-Klauer Motorsports in 2019. He raced for Naake-Klauer Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series West for the last two seasons, earning his first series victory at Colorado National Speedway in 2021.

Naake-Klauer Motorsports has also established a logistical partnership with Canadian veteran David Smith to help him through his first full-time ARCA Menards Series West season, as well as preparing the No. 68 car for road races with Rodd Kneeland.

On the technical side, Naake-Klauer Motorsports has also benefitted from the support they have received from David Gilliland, a former driver and longtime friend of Mike Naake. The team has also acquired a new chassis from Gilliland’s team to complete its fleet of ARCA cars.

The 14-race ARCA Menards Series West season will begin in just more than two weeks on March 10 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.