Josh Williams won’t hide the fact that when the 2015 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards took the green flag at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February, the intention was his family owned team to run a partial schedule this season.
Then he finished ninth.
Then came a third at Mobile (Ala.) International Raceway then a seventh in his debut at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds. Before he knew it, the team found themselves second in the championship standings.
Quitting wasn’t an option.
Of course surging ahead, there’s been a few bumps along the way, but heart, passion and drive has kept the engine running and with four races remaining on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule, the Port Charlotte, Florida native is eager to make magic happen for the car owned by his mother, Theresa Williams.
“In theory, we’re not supposed to be sitting second in points,” said Williams. “When we started the year, we knew at most we would be doing 10 races. The big ones. The races that would allow us the opportunity to shine. But the strong finishes kept coming and we dug deep, counting the dollars, doing whatever we could to make sure we kept coming to the track.”
Through 16 races Williams has finished a season-best third, three times, but the question has become a matter of when, not if, the 22-year-old will make it into Victory Lane.
And on the heels of four consecutive top-six finishes, including a fourth-place effort on the dirt of the Illinois State Fairgrounds two weeks ago, Williams heads to DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds for the annual Labor Day tradition with some of the biggest confidence he’s had all season.
“Hey, I’m excited about DuQuoin on Monday,” added Williams, whose career ARCA season has included finishing inside the top-10 in 13 of the 16 races this season. “I love the dirt. It’s a cool experience and provides the opportunity for us to have another shot at the win. We finished fourth there in Springfield a couple weeks ago and we were coming at the end, just ran out of laps. We’re bringing the same car – just need a little luck and maybe, just maybe – our time to celebrate in Victory Lane is just days away.”
But, even if Williams can’t direct himself towards his first career ARCA win in his 78th career start, the Floridian still thinks championship in the back of his mind.
Sitting just 150 points behind championship leader Grant Enfinger, Williams knows there’s still plenty that can happen that could put him right back in the title pipeline.
“Grant had some issues at Springfield and we were able to make a dent. You never want to wish misfortune on anyone, but if bad luck strikes him again and we can capitalize on it, the championship could go to Kansas Speedway in October.
“We’ll see. That’s our motivation to keep going. This is racing. It’s unpredictable and it would be such a blessing and reward for this “little team that could” to rise above. No matter what happens though, it’s been a hell of a season.”
The team’s hard work has paid off though.
While struggling to find sponsorship for the last several years, Musselman’s Applesauce has stepped up for the final two ARCA races of the season at Kentucky Speedway and Kansas Speedway respectively.
“I can’t thank the folks at Musselman’s Applesauce enough for their belief in our team,” added Williams. “We were fortunate enough to partner with them earlier this year for a couple races and to now have their full-blown support for the end of the season will allow us to attack those races like never before.
“We have the ARCA Ilmor 396 for Kentucky and Kansas and we’ve learned a lot since acquiring this engine earlier this season.”
Of course, Williams also keeps friend Anya Cale Harvey close in his heart and on his mind.
Earlier this season, JWM hosted 5-year old Anya Cale Harvey in the season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Last November, she was diagnosed with Leukemia and has undergone treatment since. Their friendship has quickly blossomed with Williams determined to bring awareness to her story and other children battling Leukemia.
“She’s my girl,” Williams said with a smile. “I try and check on her as much as I can. She’s a fighter and I’m proud of her for the progress she has made. Hopefully, we can get her back to a race before the end of the year. If not, once the off-season starts, I’m going to go spend some time with Anya. I’m her number one fan!”
Josh Williams PR
- Ankrum Moves to Fifth in Points Standings at Kansas - May 5, 2024
- Heart of America 200 – Race Results - May 5, 2024
- Smith Earns Best Finish of 2024 with Runner-Up at Kansas - May 5, 2024