NOTEBOOK: Mandy Chick feels ‘good and prepared’ for second ARCA trip to home track Kansas Speedway

The last time Mandy Chick competed in the ARCA Menards Series, she scored a solid 12th-place place finish at Kansas Speedway, located just 20 minutes from her hometown of DeSoto.

In the four months that have passed since that race, Chick and her family-owned team have been working to ensure their car would be ready for Friday’s Sioux Chief Fast Track 150 at their home track. Chick is optimistic all that effort will result in another strong performance Friday evening (6 p.m. ET on FS1).

“I’m really excited going into the weekend,” Chick said. “We had a few things we wanted to work on after the spring Kansas race, and we have taken some time to work on those. We feel really good and prepared, so we’re very excited.”

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Chick’s goal for the 2023 season was to learn as much as possible, but she has been pleasantly surprised by the heights her small team has reached in its infancy.

The season-opener at Daytona International Speedway saw Chick stay inside the lead pack all day before making a late charge to earn a top-five finish in just her third ARCA Menards Series start. Although she was not able to duplicate that run at Talladega Superspeedway, Chick did manage to complete all the laps at Kansas in May.

Transitioning from Late Models to the heavier ARCA cars has been Chick’s biggest challenge in her five starts to date. There is plenty of information she is still taking in, but Chick feels more comfortable about her ability to perform in the ARCA Menards Series now compared to her first start at the Milwaukee Mile last season.

Kansas will serve as the first track Chick has visited twice since moving up to the ARCA Menards Series. The first trip there was far from a smooth experience for Chick as she battled issues with her cooling system. But the knowledge obtained from that race helped her team put together a setup that she believes will keep her competitive all night.

Chick is keeping her expectations realistic for the Sioux Chief Fast Track 150, but she would love to improve upon her showing at Kansas in May to enter the offseason with momentum on her side.

“Our goal is a top five or top 10 this weekend,” Chick said. “Kansas will round out our season. We want to end our season early and in a good position so we can focus on being ready to roll next year starting at Daytona.”

Dean Thompson seeking first ARCA Menards Series victory with Venturini Motorsports

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Dean Thompson made a strong first impression with Venturini Motorsports by finishing second to Jesse Love at Kansas Speedway in May.

Now set to return to Kansas in Friday’s Sioux Chief Fast Track 150, Thompson looks to finally breakthrough for his first ARCA Menards Series victory while simultaneously gaining experience for the Truck Series race later in the evening.

Thompson has not finished outside the top 10 once since his debut appearance with Venturini. His best performance to date came in the following race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he led 15 laps before finishing second to Love once again.

Love will be the biggest challenge standing in the way of Thompson’s maiden ARCA Menards Series win. Despite this, the speed Thompson showed at Kansas in May makes him one of the favorites to take the Sioux Chief Fast Track 150.

If Thompson were to win Friday, he would join a crowded room of winners at Venturini Motorsports this year that includes Love, Brent Crews and Sean Hingorani.

Carson Kvapil making ARCA Menards Series debut with Pinnacle Racing Group

A busy few weeks are ahead for Carson Kvapil.

Before he makes his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut with Spire Motorsports at Bristol Motor Speedway next weekend, Kvapil will get his feet wet in the ARCA Menards Series by running the No. 28 Chevrolet for Pinnacle Racing Group in Friday’s Sioux Chief Fast Track 150.

The son of 2003 Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil, Carson made three appearances with Bruce Cook in the ARCA Menards Series East back in 2021. Since then, he has found success with JR Motorsports’ Late Model Stock program, earning a championship with the organization last year.

Friday will serve as Carson Kvapil’s debut in the primary ARCA division. Pinnacle Racing Group has found plenty of success in its first year on the ARCA platform, having won two races with Luke Fenhaus at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and Iowa Speedway.

Kvapil is looking to win in his ARCA debut just like his father Travis, who accomplished this feat at Pocono Raceway back in 2005 with Penske Racing.

NOTES:

• Lavar Scott is set to take part in his first non-combination ARCA Menards Series race since the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway in February. Scott impressed many at Daytona by leading 14 laps and finishing fourth. He will look to keep a perfect top 10 streak on the year intact when he makes his first Kansas start Friday.
• Connor Mosack will chase his first ARCA Menards Series victory Friday in the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing. Mosack has been fast in his five starts with the organization so far, but his best finish has been second, which he obtained twice at Daytona International Speedway and Pocono Raceway.
• Cody Coughlin is bringing his familiar yellow and black No. 72 Ford to Kansas for the Sioux Chief Fast Track 150. Aside from a DNS at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Coughlin has finished top 10 in all his ARCA Menards Series starts this year, which includes a season-best of seventh at Kansas in May.
• Jake Finch is back with Venturini Motorsports for the fifth time on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season. Despite earning a win at Dover Motor Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series East, Finch is looking to replicate that performance in the main series, with his best finish being a ninth at the Milwaukee Mile.
• For the first time since the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, Ryan Huff is on the preliminary entry list driving the No. 12. Kansas was the site of Huff’s best career ARCA Menards Series finish, which was a fifth in last fall’s Kansas 150.