Greg Van Alst Returns to ARCA Menards Series Scene Ahead of Double Duty Bristol Motor Speedway Weekend - Speedway Digest

With his final ARCA Menards Series appearance of the season on deck at Kansas Speedway this weekend, Greg Van Alst would like nothing more to end his 2024 season the same way he started it in Friday night’s Reese’s 150.

Flashing back to February at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Van Alst survived an ARCA overtime restart and carnage on the backstretch to secure a third-place finish at the “World Center of Racing” and great early season momentum for what the team had hoped would be a full season of competition.

Unfortunately, the full season did not materialize, but with Van Alst competing in 75 percent of the series’ schedule in 2024, his family-owned Greg Van Alst Motorsports has certainly left its mark.

“It’s hard to believe that this is our last race of the season,” said Van Alst who does not plan to participate in the season finale at Toledo Speedway next weekend. “The season has certainly been a rollercoaster filled with highs and lows, but I’m just thankful we’ve had the opportunity to compete at 15 of these ARCA Menards Series races this season, and we’re looking forward to closing out our season with a strong finish.”

For Van Alst, Kansas Speedway has been one of his best intermediate race tracks on the circuit. In 2021, Van Alst secured his first top-10 finish in ARCA Menards Series competition at Kansas Speedway and has since been able to capture two additional top-10 finishes.

After finishing 12th at Kansas Speedway in the spring, the former ARCA | CRA Super Series champion, the team is invading the Midwest race track with a completely different mindset and mentality, while bringing the same No. 35 Ford Mustang that they finished sixth with at Michigan International Speedway last month.

With just one top-five this year at Daytona, the respected driver–owner is looking to capitalize on their strong Michigan performance with a stellar 100-lap Friday night fight at Kansas Speedway.

“Kansas has been good to us for the most part,” recalled Van Alst. “The fall race in 2022 did not go according to plan, but we have been working hard since then to make sure we’re mounting laps and contending for at least a top-10 finish.

“Kansas is definitely a momentum track. You need to have the speed and handling to fight off the turns to propel you down the straightaways. Jim (Long, crew chief) and my entire Van Alst Motorsports have diligently been working to make sure we can arrive at Kansas and have one of our best races of the season.

“I think it’s important for everyone that we leave Kansas with the race car intact and a strong finish to be celebrated.”

For the fifth time this season, Van Alst Motorsports will field a second ARCA Menards Series entry for the penultimate race of the season.

Fellow Indiana native Isaac Johnson will return to drive the team’s No. 34 Ford at Kansas Speedway and eye his third consecutive top-10 finish – on the heels of top-10 finishes at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and most recently at Salem Speedway respectively.

“I’m proud of our second car efforts,” said Van Alst. “We’ve been able to put a competitive car on the track with Isaac doing his job and competing for top-10s. We will continue to build on this program not only at Kansas Speedway but during the offseason and look ahead to 2025.”

This weekend, the family-owned team welcomes back CB Fabricating as the primary partner of the team’s No. 35 Ford Mustang for the 19th ARCA Menards Series race of the season.

Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.

“I could not have done this season without Chris (Barkdull) and CB Fabricating,” sounded Van Alst.

“Without him, we would likely not be here still racing in ARCA. I appreciate his support and investment in our racing program, along with our other partners who believe in the same vision that CB does. I am super blessed.”

Following Friday night’s ARCA race, Van Alst is scheduled to compete in the final three Xfinity Series races of the season at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway for SS-GreenLight Racing.

Since 2002, Van Alst has 52 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit, one win, five top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.

For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on X | Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).

The Reese’s 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the 19th of 20 races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Friday, September 27 from 12:10 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying follows beginning at 1:10 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag later that afternoon shortly after 4:30 p.m. CT (5:30 p.m. ET). The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire day’s festivities.

Greg Van Alst PR