WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.: With his 2022 ARCA Menards Series season winding down, road course ace Parker Chase returns to the circuit in the final road course race of the season hoping to contend for his first career ARCA victory in Friday night’s General Tire Delivers 100 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
Returning to the seat of Venturini Motorsport’s No. 15 Vertical Bridge Toyota Camry, Chase is hoping his return to the Finger Lakes of New York offers an opportunity to rebound from Pocono Raceway, but also deliver a similar performance as his most recent road course race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course where he earned a career-best second-place finish.
“I’m glad to be back in ARCA competition and racing at a track that I’m familiar with,” said Chase.
“Every race is an opportunity and with only a handful of races left on my schedule this year, I’d love to keep progressing forward and showcase my road racing skills again with a trip to Victory Lane on Friday night.”
Chase has previous experience at the 2.450-mile road course earning a podium finish in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge division and hopes to carry that success to stock cars in the short 41-lap race on Friday night.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s a road course, superspeedway, short track or wherever, any type of experience at a track is beneficial,” added Chase. “With my experience and success at Watkins Glen in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge – I am hoping it will all pay off towards the bigger picture.”
Watkins Glen will showcase Chase’s third career ARCA start on a road course and with an average finish of sixth at his two previous road courses at the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Road Couse and Mid-Ohio, Chase knows the layout of Watkins Glen proves to be one of the friendlier venues.
“From a road racing background, Watkins Glen is definitely one of the easier road courses,” Chase explained. “It has some unique characteristics and there are plenty of trouble spots if you don’t pay attention – but as far as the technical element, it’s forgiving which makes my job a little easier behind the wheel.
“I just need to capitalize on that when it counts the most on Friday.”
With just three scheduled races remaining on his Venturini Motorsports slate in 2022, Chase aims to add his name to the winning roster of drivers for the veteran team.
“I really want to build some consistency with my Venturini Motorsports team over these next couple of races. Road course racing is a lot of fun and I know my team and crew chief Kevin Reed will bring me a fast No. 15 Vertical Bridge Toyota Camry, but I’m eager to win.
“I believe I can win for these guys and I would love to do it at a track that is an absolute blast to race at.”
Despite completing in only six of the scheduled 12 races, Chase sits a respectable 16th in the championship standings, 129 points out of 10th.
In addition to Watkins Glen, Chase will pilot a Venturini Motorsports Toyota Camry at a variety of race tracks in 2022, including Kansas Speedway and Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in September.
Since 2020, Chase has 11 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit with a career-best finish of second twice at Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 2022) and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (July 2022). Overall, he has earned three top-five and eight top-10 finishes and holds an average series finish of 9.6.
For more on Parker Chase, please visit ParkerChase.com, like him on Facebook (Parker Chase), Instagram (@parkerchase) and follow him on Twitter (@parker_chase19).
The General Tire Delivers 100 (41 laps | 100.45 miles) is the 13th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Friday, August 19, 2022, from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 4:25 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 and the Motor Racing Network beginning at 6:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).