2023 Season Kicks Off with Media Day at Flat Rock and Toledo!
2023 Season Kicks Off with Media Day at Flat Rock and Toledo!
Big names headlined a big Flat Rock and Toledo Speedway media day on Tuesday, with a great number of guests from local and national outlets coming to Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways to ring in the new season.
A First Visit to Flat Rock
Media day began with a quick visit to a cold and damp Flat Rock Speedway, where Rev Racing ARCA Menards Series drivers got the opportunity to tour Metro Detroit’s Home Track and give media a preview for a wild race coming on May 20th. ARCA Menards Series East driver Lavar Scott got to walk the track for the first time in anticipation of the Dutch Boy 150 on May 20th, a race he will be competing in as part of the Rev Racing team.
Following this, a large press conference was held at Toledo Speedway as an official kick-off to the 2023 season.
Season Kick-Off at Toledo
ARCA President and Speedways owner Ron Drager introduced the press conference, highlighting the diversity of all drivers in attendance, including ARCA Menards Series driver Andrés Pérez de Lara, ARCA Menards Series East driver Lavar Scott, and USAC Silver Crown and 500 Sprint Car Tour driver Taylor Ferns, who represent a number of the touring series visiting the tracks over the coming months.
“We’re really proud of what has transpired in our sport” Drager said at the beginning of the press conference “Our sport has become a very welcoming sport. When I was a kid, I probably shouldn’t say this but women weren’t allowed in the pits. We’ve become much more welcoming and open, and we’re really proud of that. We’re glad to have that participation. We feel good about the sport going forward.”
Scott Schultz discussed the new era of Flat Rock and Toledo Speedway management going into the 2023 season, as well as introducing the great crowd in Toledo Speedway’s Bar and Grill.
Sponsors in Attendance
In attendance included representative from a litany of partners and sponsors of both tracks, including:
- IFL Innovative Fluids
- Destination Toledo
- Monroe County Business Alliance
- Courtyard by Marriott
- S&G Convenience Stores
- Marco’s Pizza
- Monroe Asphalt
- Safety Kleen-Clean Harbors
- Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club
- Floral City Beverage
- Monroe Superstore
2023: A Brand New Racing Schedule
Upcoming in 2023 at Flat Rock is a wide and exciting schedule, covering near every weekend of the summertime. Schultz pointed out specific highlights in this year’s schedule, including:
May 20, 2023 - 07:00 PM EDT Flat Rock Speedway
Dutch Boy 150: ARCA Menards Series East Stock Cars--150 laps, plus Figure 8, Street Stocks. Racer's Reunion. NIGHT RACING BEGINS!
- May 20th:
- For the first time since the year 2000, ARCA National Series stock car racing returns to Metro Detroit with the ARCA Menards Series East Dutch Boy 150. The 150 lap feature will be the main event of this big night of racing at the Level Pebble. Also featured will be DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock racing, as well as R&M Recycling Figure 8 action from the local divisions in the heart of southeast Michigan. Advance sale tickets for the Dutch Boy 150 ARCA Menards East race at Flat Rock Speedway are on sale now
DTS Drive Train Specialists Joy Fair Memorial 100; Outlaw Super Late Models-100 laps, plus Midwest Modified Tour & Figure 8's. (Rain Date Sun. 5-28 at 2 p.m.).
May 27, 2023 - 07:00 PM EDT
Flat Rock Speedway
- May 27th:
- A big doubleheader at Flat Rock Speedway includes the DTS Drive Train Specialists Joy Fair Memorial 100, as well as action from the Midwest Modifieds Tour for the first time on the Level Pebble. This Joy Fair Memorial 100 lap feature remains one of the most important races on the Flat Rock schedule, and it will prove to be a unique challenge for many Late Model drivers throughout the region. This memorial day race will be a first-time event, also featuring action from the R&M Recycling Figure 8 division.
CNV Enterprises School Bus Figure 8: Online Ticket Presale SOLD OUT.
June 10, 2023 - 07:00 PM EDT
Flat Rock Speedway
Dunwell Dry Goods School Bus Figure 8: plus Street Stocks, Figure 8's, Factory Stocks, Flag Pole, Figure 8 Boat Race! 6 P.M. Start.
September 02, 2023 - 06:00 PM EDT
Flat Rock Speedway
- June 10th and September 2nd:
- The School Bus Figure 8 is BACK at Flat Rock, as the heavily-anticipated CNV Enterprises School Bus Figure 8 returns in June, as well as the Dunwell Dry Goods School Bus Figure 8 to close the 2023 racing season in September. These events, some of the hottest tickets in speedway history, have proven to provide some of the best action events in Metro Detroit. In 2022, Flat Rock Speedway’s biggest online sell-out occurred on the day of the September school bus race, as tickets ran out at 4:15 PM on race day for a 6:00 PM race start. You can get your tickets today these wild races and skip the will call lines.
Toledo Speedway also is looking to provide a great deal of entertainment this year, with many of the biggest touring series in the country coming over the course of this summer.
- May 12th:
- The first school bus Figure 8 at Toledo Speedway comes on a big Friday night, as the CNV Enterprises School Bus Figure 8 takes over T-Town at a 7 PM start time. NASCAR Alumni Ken Schrader looks to take his first Toledo Speedway School Bus win, or his first school bus flip. Stephanie Bradley looks to come back and win again in a big and wild race. This will be in addition to ARCA Salenbien Excavating Late Model Sportsman and ARCA Safety Kleen Factory Stock action.
- June 18th:
- Trevor Berry stole headlines last time the Midwest Modifieds Tour came to Toledo, as he set a new track record in qualifying in a modified at the Speedway. Blake Rowe ended up taking an exciting win on a great day of racing. This year, The Modifieds tour returns on a special Fathers Day Sunday of racing, with a double header of open-wheel touring series action on the fast half-mile. The 500 Sprint Car Tour will return to Toledo, with a great crop of drivers looking to participate including Taylor Ferns, Davey Hamilton Jr., Trevor Berry, and others! Also in competition will be ARCA Salenbien Excavating Late Model Sportsman and ARCA Safety Kleen Factory Stock action.
- August 5th:
- The Hemelgarn Racing/SuperFitness Rollie Beale Classic will return to Toledo Speedway on a wild night of open wheel racing. Kody Swanson has dominated the last number of events at Toledo Speedway, repeatedly finding ways to win on the big track despite an extremely competitive group of drivers in the field for the USAC Silver Crown division. Swanson has won four consecutive USAC Silver Crown races at Toledo, winning five of six in his races at Toledo since 2015. He looks to make it five in a row in August.
- September 16th:
- The 35th Running of the Glass City 200 Presented by DTS Drive Train Specialists and Courtyard by Marriott roars to life under the ASA STARS National Tour banner in Toledo on Saturday, September 16th. The near-perennial event has provided some of of the most memorable moments in Ohio pavement short track racing history over the past fifty-five years, with local and national stars taking part in this historic event. New in 2023, the return to the 200-lap feature will also prove to be a new endurance test for many of the top drivers in the country.
- October 7th:
- The ARCA Menards Series crowns a champion on Saturday, October 7th with the Shore Lunch 200 at Toledo Speedway. This historic race has created many memorable moments over the years as a season finale, with big finishes and a high amount of action.
Eleven touring series will visit Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways throughout the year.
New General Manager
The new general manager of Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways, Brandon Hamby, was introduced as a part of this event at the Toledo Speedway Bar & Grill. Hamby discussed his new position, and discussed his excitement for the upcoming racing season. “I’m fully committed to ensuring the health and the longevity of motorsports and especially short track racing, which is the foundation of the sport itself.” Hamby, the incoming General Manager, said “I’m excited to get started, and continue in the future!”
Touring Series Driver Roundtable
A roundtable with a number of drivers who were on hand provided media and partners a chance to learn more about the drivers coming to Flat Rock and Toledo over the course of this year’s racing schedule. Lavar Scott is a rookie in the ARCA Menards Series East, competing under the Rev Racing banner in a Chevrolet. He will be competing in a historic race at Flat Rock on May 20th, as the ARCA Menards Series returns to Flat Rock for the first time since May of 2000, a gap just shy of 23 years. Scott discussed his mindset heading into this race, saying “I’m very excited - it’s going to be an aggressive and long race, but I’m up for the challenge.” He will be part of a very hungry field as part of the ARCA Menards Series East Dutch Boy 150, just three Saturdays away.
Taylor Ferns is an open-wheel racing driver, who, outside of the car, is also a team owner and a Wayne State University law student. The Detroit native has an impressive resume, already the highest-finishing female driver in the history of the Silver Crown division. She will be competing at Toledo twice this summer, once on June 18th for a big Sunday Fathers Day Special at Toledo Speedway as part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour’s inaugural trip to Toledo Speedway, and once on August 5th in a return with the USAC Silver Crown division for a big night of action to kick off the back half of the 2023 Toledo Speedway schedule. When asked about her key to success in racing at Toledo, Taylor said “When it comes to the silver crown race, just staying up front, being consistent, and patience [is important], because with the big silver crown cars,[it’s about] just maintaining composure, and making the right moves at the right time. [...] And then on the side of the sprint car [...] just being consistent, and just keeping my nose in there.” Taylor is hopeful for this season, and will be a familiar face around Toledo Speedway this summer.
Andrés Pérez de Lara is a rookie in the ARCA Menards Series, who came to Toledo Speedway for the season kick-off press conference fresh out of his first superspeedway race at Talladega over the April 19th weekend. He’s very much looking forward to a big season in the ARCA Menards Series, and is focused on racing both the ARCA schedule as well as the NASCAR Mexico Series over the course of this year. “I’m going to try and do my best in the car every day so I can be in [championship] position here at the end of the year in October”, as a long schedule is coming up for the ARCA Menards Series that ends this October 7th in Toledo, with the Shore Lunch 200 presented by CGS Imaging. Tickets are available now for this event, as well as many of the other events discussed, using the “tickets” page on the Toledo Speedway and Flat Rock Speedway websites.
The season-opening press conference provided a great opportunity to get an opening look at what will be a very extensive schedule for the 2023 season at both tracks. From May to October, a full season of action is just around the corner. 2023 promises to be a racing season like none before it!