Gase racing in ARCA Series at Iowa Speedway

The remainder of Joey Gase's racing season is uncertain, but he is assured of at least one more big opportunity this summer.

The 17-year-old race car driver recently separated from SS Green Light Racing, which signed the Cedar Rapids Xavier student, to a multi-series developmental program, but finds himself on the track for another big race in Newton.

Gase will be driving for Spraker Racing in the ARCA Series Prairie Meadows 200 on Saturday night at the Iowa Speedway. This marks the second time he's raced for Spraker, competing for the team in the NASCAR K & N Series Goodyear Dealers of Iowa 200 at the track in May.

A finish in the top 15, even top 10, is a possibility, according to the Cedar Rapids Xavier student.

"I'm just really excited," Gase said. "I'm hoping to do really well down there."

Gase placed 23rd, running 199 laps of the May race. He said he made an impression with Spraker and it could lead to more chances later this season. ARCA ranks among the best series Gase has participated.

"It's going to be like the K & N race. A little bit higher in competition, maybe," Gase said. "It's a really big opportunity."

The summer has been successful for the teenager driver. Gase earned four top-5 finishes, adding a sixth-place showing. He placed fourth and fifth in two Sunoco Tour races and reached the podium in two Pro All-Star Series events at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C., claiming third at the Orange Blossom Special 125 and the PASS Summer Sizzler 150 on June 26.

"That was the best race I have seen Joey drive," SS Green Light crew chief Butch Miller said on the team's website about the Summer Sizzler showing. "The last three laps were pretty exciting."

The remainder of Gase's schedule with SS Green Light was Sunoco Tour events, but lackluster car counts in those races led to eliminating the rest of the season. Gase said it was a mutual decision.

"There hasn't been very many cars showing up," Gase said about the Sunoco Tour races. "We didn't want to waste money doing that anymore."

The focus is on this weekend's ARCA race at a venue he enjoys to run. He has competed at the Iowa Speedway about five times the last couple years. Gase is more than familiar with the famed bump between turns 1 and 2 that can wreak havoc on drivers. He said you have to set the car up correctly and just deal with it.

"It can affect your car alot," Gase said. "If you hit it wrong it can just shoot you right up the track."

Gase said he will continue to race at Hawkeye Downs Speedway, where he became the track's youngest late model season points champion last year, when he's not traveling out of town to race. He won his first feature this season at the track last Friday, beating season points leader Tim Plummer to the checkered flag by .229 seconds.

For now, Gase will have to take it one week at a time, taking advantage of the opportunities to race when they become available.

"We might do some more ARCA races or NASCAR K & N races, but we might be doing more Midwest races, too," Gase said. "After this weekend, we don't really know what we're doing."