PIT BOX: William Sawalich takes winning momentum to Elko Speedway for Shore Lunch 250

The shortest track on the ARCA Menards Series schedule, Minnesota’s Elko Speedway, is next for teams and competitors this Saturday night.

The Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints at the 0.375-mile asphalt oval in Elko, Minnesota presents one of the most unique challenges of the season for drivers looking to earn a trip to Victory Lane.

Saturday’s event marks just the 10th visit by the ARCA Menards Series to Elko dating back to 2012, when Brennan Poole led 148 laps on his way to victory driving for Venturini Motorsports. Since then, Frank Kimmel, Grant Enfinger, Austin Theriault, Gus Dean, Chandler Smith, Corey Heim, Sammy Smith and Jesse Love have scored ARCA wins at the track. So far, there have been no repeat winners in ARCA competition at Elko.

Tickets to the Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints are available here. Below is everything to know ahead of the 12^th race on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule.

Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints

There is no one hotter on the ARCA platform right now than Joe Gibbs Racing’s William Sawalich.

The 17-year-old has won three of the last four ARCA Menards Series races with victories at Indiana’s Salem Speedway, Michigan’s Berlin Raceway and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, as well as the event at Phoenix Raceway in March. He also has a standalone West Series win at Portland International Raceway and a standalone East Series win at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

Now Sawalich returns home to Minnesota to race at Elko Speedway, where he learned the ropes driving a quarter-midget at adjacent Little Elko Speedway.

A win on the big track would be a huge moment for Sawalich, but there are several drivers looking to stop him.

Chief among them are five Venturini Motorsports drivers headlined by Sean Hingorani and Isabella Robusto. They’ll be joined by Venturini full-timers Amber Balcaen, Toni Breidinger and Kris Wright.

ARCA Menards Series championship leader Andres Perez, who has finished second in the last two events at IRP and Berlin, will continue his pursuit of his maiden ARCA Menards Series victory alongside his Rev Racing teammate Lavar Scott.

Other notable entries include Greg Van Alst, Christian Rose, Ryan Roulette and Bryce Haugeberg, among others.

The full entry list for Saturday’s Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints is available here.

RACING REFERENCE

• Previous ARCA Menards Series races at Elko
• ARCA Menards Series drivers at Elko

RACE FACTS

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Shore Lunch 250 presented by Dutch Boy Paints is limited to 26 starters plus provisionals. This event will be run under the 2024 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: Two consecutive laps qualifying. No adjustments or repairs may be made on car after taking the green flag at Start/Finish line. All cars must make a qualifying attempt, and all drivers must practice before they can qualify.

RACE PIT STOP: Break pit stop procedure. Breaks at or near the conclusion of laps 75 and 175. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum number of tires for use in the event is 14. Maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race six (6).