No. 32 Mike's Hard Lemonade Chevrolet Silverado

A Homecoming of Sorts… Iowa Speedway marks the closest race to Steve Arpin’s native hometown of Fort Frances, Ontario. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) rookie grew up racing on the WISSOTA dirt circuit, winning championships throughout the Midwestern United States before stepping into the world of NASCAR.

After Two Starts… Arpin continued his solid run in the NCWTS at Kentucky Speedway in his second start this season. The Canadian driver qualified 13th and raced inside the top 10 for a good part of the evening before bringing home a strong 12th-place finish.

He’s Been Here Before… This weekend will mark the first time Arpin has competed at Iowa Speedway in the NCWTS, but it isn’t the first time he has logged laps at the .875-mile track. Arpin competed in one NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) event and a pair of ARCA Racing Series (ARS) events at the Newton, Iowa speedway, with his best ARS finish of eighth coming in 2009. In his lone NNS start at the track in 2010, he started 23rd and finished 18th.

This Week’s Silverado… The No. 32 Mike’s Hard Lemonade Chevrolet Silverado team will unload chassis TMS-008 for Saturday evening’s 200-lap event. This chassis last saw track action at Dover International Speedway, where the No. 32 team qualified 18th and finished in the 30th spot.

Back to Dirt Roots at Deer Creek… Arpin will return to his dirt roots on Wednesday evening when he competes in the “Gopher 50″ at Deer Creek Speedway. Arpin, the 2004 winner of the Gopher 50, got his start racing the WISSOTA series throughout Canada and the Midwestern United States. Arpin broke into the spotlight in Minnesota and Wisconsin by being the youngest driver to win the prestigious WISSOTA 100 at the age of 18. He went on to win track championships and prestigious awards from 1999 to 2008.

Working For Mike’s Hard Lemonade… Before he climbs aboard his No. 32 Mike’s Hard Lemonade Chevy Silverado,Friday morning Arpin will try his hand at delivering product. SPEED’s Ray Dunlap will join Arpin as the two have some fun and make sure the Fareway in Ankeny, Iowa is well stocked with Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

Chill with Arpin… Arpin will be making several appearances prior to his start at Iowa Speedway. On Tuesday (7/12), Arpin will be signing autographs at the Wicked Moose in Rochester, Minn. from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Fans can meet the No. 32′s Mike Hard Lemonade driver on Thursday (7/14) at Fareway in Boone, Iowa, from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. and later that evening at Toby’s Hideaway from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Arpin and Mike’s Summer Series… Arpin will pilot the Mike’s Hard Lemonade Chevy Silverado in five outings this summer. In addition to his previous starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway and this weekend’s event at Iowa Speedway, he will be behind the wheel of the No. 32 Chevy at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis and Chicagoland Speedway.

Steve Arpin

“I always look forward to coming back to Iowa Speedway, especially having grown up racing the dirt circuit in Canada and the northern midwest. I consider this my home race. Friends and family will be supporting me from the stands Saturday night, which will be cool to see! We also have a large contingent of Mike’s Hard Lemonade distributers, retailers and guests on hand this weekend to show their support. It’s definitely fun letting them be part of our race program. Plus, having Mike’s Hard Lemonade on hand always ups the enjoyment factor!”

- Turner Motorsports Press Release

Steve Arpin

It’s no good going so fast that you lose control. By the time you get straightened out, the racers who are driving methodically on pace and in a rhythm are going to pass you.

Same with finding sponsorship. Sending out a hundred cold-call proposals probably won’t work. But getting a foot in the door and then building a relationship could pay big dividends down the road.

So thinks Steve Arpin, the 27-year-old Fort Frances, Ont., racing driver who’s been setting the short-track world on its ear for most of the last 12 years and is now knocking on the door of NASCAR’s big leagues.

He’d like to bring the sponsor he’s been courting for years — Vancouver-based Mike’s Hard Lemonade — with him.

“This is something we’ve been working on since our dirt-tracking days back at Deer Creek Speedway (near Rochester, Minn.),” Arpin said during an interview last weekend at the Canadian Motorsports Expo in Mississauga, which he attended with his wife, Katrina.

- Toronto Star

Steve Arpin

His background in racing has helped steer him toward the potential rise to stardom. He accredits his life in the fast lane to dirt modified racing and his transition into the ARCA Racing Series with Venturini Motorsports.

While Arpin is currently racing in the 2010 ARCA Racing Series, he will never forget home and where he came from – dirt racing in Minnesota.

So before traveling to Des Moines, Iowa for the Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway on July 10th, Arpin will be going home to the dust and dirt of Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota to pay a tribute back to his loyal fans.

Steve Arpin will be racing in the Napa Auto Parts Gopher State 50 in the USRA Modified division on Wednesday July 7th at Deer Creek Speedway. Arpin will be behind the wheel of the no. 55 Mike’s Hard Lemonade/Mike Sorenson prepared modified.

On race day at the dirt track, Steve Arpin will have a driver appearance signing autographs and hosting a question and answer session from 4:30pm-6:00pm. The Venturini Motorsports transporter and no. 55 Mike’s Hard Lemonade ARCA car will be on display for fans during the night.

“I am more excited than anyone can imagine to come back to Deer Creek, it has been way too long,” said Arpin. “It’s going to mean a lot to me to be able to get home and see everyone I used to race each and every week with and also all the fans that have continued to follow and support us as we make our way up through the ranks. I couldn’t pick a better situation to be able to get back on the dirt! The Gopher was the first race I won at Deer Creek years ago, hopefully we will have a shot to do it again.”

Steve has made sure to bring Billy Venturini along to show him his true roots behind the dust, dirt, and grime of modified racing.

“I have never had a chance to watch Steve in a dirt modified so that really gives me something to look forward to,” said Billy. “As for being nervous, absolutely not. I have all the confidence in Steve and his ability. Plus I don’t own this one. I am just there to have fun and enjoy the night.”

Steve Arpin has six career wins at Deer Creek Speedway with his first victory at the 2005 Gopher State 50. Arpin put on his dirt suit and gloves and see if he still remembers the way around the high dirt banks of Deer Creek Speedway to victory lane.

After the dirt race in Minnesota, Arpin will travel 173 miles South to Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA to compete with Venturini Motorsports in the 2010 Prairie Meadows 200 on July 10th. The green flag will drop at 8:00 PM CT for the 200-lap race and will be LIVE on SPEED.

- Venturini Motorsports Press Release

Eddie Sharp Racing Logo

Event: Prairie Meadows 200

Track: Iowa Speedway

Track length: 7/8-mile paved tri-oval

Coverage: ARCARacing.com live audiocast, 8:00 PM EST

Testing, testing

Though the ARCA RE/MAX Series had two weeks off from competition, the ESR camp remained busy at the track, participating in open test sessions at Iowa Speedway and Kentucky Speedway, in preparation for upcoming events at both facilities. All four ESR drivers, Justin Lofton, Steve Arpin, Craig Goess, Jr. and Tim George Jr. participated in the Iowa test last week while only Goess and George Jr. were scheduled for the Kentucky test earlier this week. Lofton was also on hand, hopping into George Jr.’s machine for a few laps of his own around the speedway.

Where there’s racing, there’s Arpin

Steve Arpin, driver of the No. 20 Toyota Camry, kept his plate full over the two-week spread in the ARCA schedule. First, he headed north of the border to his native Canada to attend his brother’s wedding. Then, he traveled to Iowa for the open test before heading to Minnesota for the Minnesota Modified Nationals at Viking Speedway Alexandria.

“Our dirt racing was a lot of fun over the 4th of July weekend. With it being our first time out in our new Taylor Chassis I was very pleased. We started eighth in the main event and were having a great battle for the lead, running third. It was an exciting race for both myself and the fans for sure. With around 16 laps to go, we broke a transmission,” Arpin said of his run.

Arpin again hit the track on Wednesday, running the Gopher 50, a charity event for modified and World of Outlaw Late Models, at Deer Creek Speedway, before heading to Iowa.

Giving back

In addition to Arpin participating in the charity race, Justin Lofton put on his poker face and participated in WAM (Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports) Poker Run on June 27th. Benefits of the Poker Run went to ESR crew member Matt Daniels, who is battling Guillan-Barre Syndrome (a disorder where the immune system attacks the central nervous system).

Also supporting a good cause over the Fourth of July weekend was Tim George Jr. George Jr. offered up an autographed photo while associate sponsor Chrome Heart contributed a pair of sunglasses to a charity auction dubbed “Boogies Bash for the Buddies,” benefiting the Buddy Program, a non-profit organization that pairs adults with children from broken homes, serving as a mentor/”big buddy”.

“I’m thrilled that I can help out with such a good cause through my racing business and sponsors. Chrome Hearts has been great,” George Jr. said of the participation.

Looking ahead

Steve Arpin, driver of the No. 20 Toyota:

“Iowa is going to be a great race for us. Our team has a little momentum behind us the past few races and we are just going to continue to improve. The car was pretty good at the test but Jefferson (Hodges, crew chief) knows what it’s going to take to make it better. I’m looking forward to posting our first top three this weekend.”

For more on Eddie Sharp Racing, please visit http://www.TeamESR.com

- Activ8 Communications Press Release

Steve Arpin

‘We’ve gotten ready for Iowa this Saturday night in our ARCA car,’ notes Arpin. ‘Last week’s practice helped us gain on our goals for this week and I’d really like to get our first win at Iowa Speedway, but we are also going to have fun tomorrow night in our modified at Deer Creek in the open wheel portion of the Gopher 50,’ Arpin said. It’s a big show for race fans up here in Minnesota, Wisconsin and across the border. We had a good run going last weekend at Viking Speedway and were good enough to win that one again before the transmission broke,’ Arpin noted on last Saturday nights run. ‘Jeff Taylor had a great car prepared for us and I think I’ve got a good feel of his new Taylor Chassis cars so we hope we can win one for our friends at Pinewood Sports in front of a lot of our fans on Wednesday night. It’ll be a packed house with the World of Outlaws there.’

Arpin is currently ranked in the seventh spot in the season-long ARCA RE/MAX series championship standings and seeks to move up in the championship standings this weekend as Pinewood Sports leads the backing for the Taylor Motorsports entry into Iowa Speedway. With continuing partners Lo-N-Bro Enterprises teaming up to help lead the Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota team, Arpin is hungry for the checkered flag on the legendary touring series. This past weekend Arpin attempted to defend his 2007 title in the Minnesota Modified Nationals at Viking Speedway. After winning his heat race in the Taylor Chassis prepared machine Arpin found himself in the thick of a battle for the win at the midpoint of the event. While running in third place, slicing and dicing for the lead with two other competitors Arpin fell off the pace and was sidelined with transmission problems.

Mark your calendar for Steve Arpin’s next ARCA run for the winner’s circle in the ‘Prairie Meadows 200’ at Iowa Speedway on July 11th at 8:00 p.m. (Central). The ARCA Racing Network will be covering all the on-track activity for the ARCA RE/MAX Series from Newton, Iowa. Listen and watch live streaming audio and video of practice, qualifying at ARCAracing.com inside the ARCA Nation. Arpin’s Open Wheel Modified carries a number unique to Arpin’s Canadian roots, the ’00 eh’ with horsepower provided by Tim’s Automotive. Stay in tune with Steve Arpin Racing efforts from this Wednesday night battle in the Gopher 50 from Deer Creek Speedway as the talented Canadian racer takes his Pinewood Motorsports Minnesota Modified Nationals efforts and next weekend’s Iowas Speedway run on the internet at www.steveaprin.net. To contact Steve Arpin Racing, send an e-mail to teamesr@hotmail.com.

About Pinewood Sports & Marine

Since 1977 Pinewood Sports offers a complete line of products to help you enjoy the great outdoors. Our business is built on Service and continues to grow and propser due to our policy unequalled customer service and competitively priced product lines that represent the very best recreational products in the world. We also offer many services to seasonal residents such as boat pick-up and delivery along with storage.

About Taylor Motorsports

Located at 3501 E. Parker Road in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Jeff Tayor Motorsports manufactures and delivers Taylor Chassis racecars and quality performance.

Phone: 870-910-0555

About Lo-N-Bro Enterprises, Inc.

Paul and Jon Leach, brothers and Sun River, Montana Natives, started the business in 1998 while only 21 and 18 years old respectively. In that first stage, the entire staff was made up by the two of them. In 2001 they took their “baby” to the next step and transitioned from being an LLC to becoming a formal corporation. One of their first major projects was to build a 10,000 square foot shop on their property in Sun River that formed the base for their operations. Since that time, they have grown into a company that employs over 85 people and generates revenue of over $5,000,000.00 annually.

Paul and Jon are always looking for ways to expand their business, while also filling a niche’ within the respective areas of contracting. One of the prominent areas that they give their employees credit for is how they have helped to build Lo-N-Bro into what it is today. The quality of people that are hired, as well as retained, reaches far beyond the industry standard. Paul and Jon genuinely value each and every individual employee and want the best for them as well as the best out of them. Employees are dynamic members of the family, and thus are offered incredibly competitive wages and benefits, as well as opportunities to advance within the company.

About Eddie Sharp Racing

Eddie Sharp earned racing stripes on sea and land, behind the wheel and on the pitbox, from race-to-race and year-to-year building the dream that is now the reality known as Eddie Sharp Racing. For those drivers who have become part of the fabric and family, the business is simply called Team ESR. At Eddie Sharp Racing, it’s all about the team.Eddie Sharp set up shop in 2005 after several years of transforming young, talented drivers into ARCA championship contenders. Today, Eddie Sharp Racing has evolved into the rite of passage for any serious upcoming driver with an ambition for professional stock car racing.

- Victory Lane Communications Press Release