Representatives from ARCA and Track Enterprises, the race promoter, made the announcement at today’s ARCA Racing Series press conference in advance of tonight’s Championship Awards Banquet at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.
Akona Manufacturing’s home base is in Maple Plain, Minn., which sits just west of Minneapolis and under 50 miles from the 0.375-mile Elko Speedway. The company manufactures sweeping compounds, concrete sealers, and oil liquid absorbents.
“We’re fortunate to bring a corporate sponsor on board for ARCA’s first trip to the state of Minnesota and first trip to Elko Speedway,” said Bob Sargent of Track Enterprises, the company which also promotes races at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, and in 2011 ushered the ARCA Racing Series back to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
Sargent highlighted a number of impressive new amenities at Elko Speedway, including improved parking and grandstand seating.
“We’re excited to deal with the active corporate community and the population base in the Minneapolis metropolitan area, which looks to make a win-win situation,” said Sargent. “This will be a good race for ARCA’s teams, and the fans at Elko will enjoy watching a nationally-recognized sanctioning body. Anybody that follows motorsports nationally will enjoy this event.”
Akona’s involvement with ARCA is part of a business-to-business vendor program with series presenting sponsor Menards. The manufacturer joins Ansell, Messina Wildlife Management, and Herr’s, all companies who connected in-store presence at Menards to participation in the ARCA Racing Series through marketing relationships, contingency programs, and race sponsorships.
“Menards has asked ARCA to consider an event in the Minneapolis area for the last several years, as it’s the second-largest retail market in their footprint,” said Mark Gundrum, vice president of marketing and communications for ARCA. “A combined effort by ARCA, the track, event promoter Track Enterprises, and Menards to introduce a new vendor partner allows this to happen this summer.”
Though Akona’s relationship with the ARCA Racing Series is new for 2012, the company has previously been involved with Menards in other motorsports programs.
Founded in 1950, Akona’s mission was based on the development of a unique patented product, a water-proofing cement-based coating. That innovation, along with unparalleled customer service and technical support, continues to drive the company today. The basis of Akona’s future growth is focused on spec blended construction products. Akona’s premium concrete repair products serve both homeowners and professional contractors.
The ARCA Racing Series has never raced in Minnesota, adding significance to the June visit to Elko and establishing the North Star State as the 29th visited by ARCA’s premier national tour since 1953.
The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards featured 19 events at 16 tracks on its 2011 schedule. The series has crowned an ARCA national champion each year since its inaugural season in 1953, and has toured over 200 race tracks in 28 states since its inception. In 2011, the series has tested the abilities of drivers and race teams over the most diverse schedule of stock car racing events in the world, visiting tracks ranging from 0.4 mile to 2.66 miles in length, on both paved and dirt surfaces as well as a left- and right-turn road course.
The full 2012 ARCA Racing Series schedule is currently available at ARCARacing.com.
Founded by John Marcum in 1953 in Toledo, Ohio, the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is recognized among the leading sanctioning bodies in the country. Closing in on completing its sixth decade after hundreds of thousands of miles of racing, ARCA administers over 100 race events each season in two professional touring series and local weekly events.
- Automobile Racing Club of America Press Release
