Officials from the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards have released the 2018 Bill France 4 Crown championship schedule, and it includes Talladega Superspeedway’s General Tire 200 on Friday, April 27.
As a snapshot of the tour’s diversity, the Bill France 4 Crown provides a link to ARCA’s roots by featuring a diverse combination of tracks in any given season. This year’s four-race spectacular – where Bill France 4 Crown points are distributed based on race finishing positions only – kicks off the in-series competition at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway – a mainstay in the series since the track’s opening year of 1969 – and will continue with the half-mile Madison Int’l Speedway short track on June 15, before heading to the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway on July 27 before concluding at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds dirt mile on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3.
“Bill France Sr. is an institution in motorsports, especially here at Talladega Superspeedway,” said Grant Lynch, Chairman of Talladega Superspeedway. “After all, Mr. France created this iconic venue in 1969, and one of the events held that initial year was with the ARCA Racing Series, the race then called the Vulcan 500. We are extremely proud to be a part of this year’s Bill France 4 Crown program, a grand salute to Bill France, Sr.”
ARCA President Ron Drager added, “It’s especially appropriate that Talladega is a part of the 4 Crown. Bill France, Sr. brought Talladega Superspeedway from a concept to reality in the late 1960s, and ARCA raced there in the inaugural season of 1969. His vision included the eventual construction of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (located next door to TSS), where the ARCA Hall of Champions recognizes each series champion from 1953 to present.”
Talladega Superspeedway’s first ARCA race – the Vulcan 500 – was on October 26, 1969 with Jim Vandiver as the winner, driving for legendary car owner Ray Fox. Notable drivers who competed that day included original Alabama Gang member Red Farmer, as well as future Talladega winners in NASCAR’s premier series’ events – Benny Parsons & Harry Gant. The defending champion of the General Tire 200 is Justin Haley.
Davey Allison, who hailed from Hueytown, AL, won the first Bill France 4 Crown championship in his rookie season in 1984 when he also claimed a victory at Talladega. Ten-time ARCA Racing Series champion Frank Kimmel is the all-time Bill France 4 Crown champion with seven titles (2013, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2002, 2001, 1998). Austin Theriault is the most recent recipient, winning in 2017 driving for Ken Schrader Racing.
Each season the Bill France 4 Crown champion is honored on stage at the year-end awards banquet. ARCA Bill France 4 Crown Award Champions include the following:
1984 – Davey Allison
1985 – Lee Raymond
1986 – Lee Raymond
1987 – Grant Adcox
1988 – Grant Adcox
1989 – Tracy Leslie
1990 – Bob Keselowski
1991 – Bobby Bowsher/Bill Venturini (Tie)
1992 – Bobby Bowsher
1993 – Bob Keselowski
1994 – Bob Hill
1995 – Harris DeVane
1996 – Tim Steele
1997 – Tim Steele
1998 – Frank Kimmel
1999 – Bill Baird
2000 – Tim Steele
2001 – Frank Kimmel
2002 – Frank Kimmel
2003 – Jason Jarrett
2004 – Brent Sherman
2005 – Frank Kimmel
2006 – Blake Bjorklund
2007 – Frank Kimmel
2008 – Frank Kimmel
2009 – Parker Kligerman
2010 – Joey Coulter
2011 – Chad McCumbee
2012 – Chris Buescher
2013 – Frank Kimmel
2014 – Grant Enfinger
2015 – Cunningham Motorsports (Kyle Weatherman/Blake Jones)
2016 – Chase Briscoe
2017 – Austin Theriault
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