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ARCA stands for Auto Racing Club of America and was founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The series later entered into a business relationship with NASCAR and Bill France, Sr. even requested that the series run at his Daytona International Speedway, which happened for the first time in 1964.
One of the most infamous incidents from that race unfolded when Bay Darnell, driving the No. 64 Ford, spun out and fell into Lake Lloyd, located in the track's infield.
Fast-forward to today and NASCAR and ARCA still have a thriving relationship. The two series often compete at the same track, letting the ARCA Series serve as an appetizer before Sunday's Cup race.
In 2018 it was announced that NASCAR would be officially acquiring the ARCA Series, adding it to the growing list of developmental series. In 2019 NASCAR made the announcement that the NASCAR K&N west and east series would be taking place under the ARCA banner.
Modern-day significance of ARCA
When it comes to what kind of cars are used in ARCA, the series has been notorious for running older NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series cars, as the top series moved on to newer models. Furthermore, with the onset of the Car of Tomorrow in 2008, many Cup Series teams sold their cars to ARCA teams for top dollar just to get rid of them.
That being said, the ARCA Series is an important rung in the ladder to NASCAR. It is arguably a step above the K&N West and East Series, but several steps below the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series. It is also a great chance to prove your talent, as several former greats came up in the series.
This includes Hailee Deegan, who parlayed her ARCA career into a Camping World Truck Series ride this year. The list also includes Joey Logano, who raced in the series during the mid-2000s, and ended up winning a championship in the Cup Series.
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