Chris Bailey Jr. of South Park has been racing locally at Motordrome and Lake Erie Speedway for several years with moderate success.
Bailey and his parents operate the team on a relatively low budget by current racing standards. The question always was, where can he race to develop his skills behind the wheel for a future in auto racing?
The answer was the ARCA Truck Series. Drivers in the series compete on a local, yet national level, and gain experience and exposure.
ARCA, short for the Automobile Racing Club of America, has roots to short-track auto racing that dates to 1953 when John Marcum, an employee of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., got an idea to start a series in the Midwest.
The ARCA series has grown to the point where many NASCAR owners field development teams for new, up and coming talent. ARCA also has been a stop for drivers such as Pittsburgh’s Norm Benning Jr., because of the cost of competing in NASCAR.
Bailey ran one truck race in 2009 with the intent of pursuing the ARCA Truck Rookie of the Year title in 2010.
Bailey’s other victory came June 26 at Lorain Speedway, near Cleveland, when the rookie driver won a 100-lap race for his first win on the ARCA tour.
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