Series ARCA Racing Series | ||
Owner(s) Bill Venturini
Billy Venturini Base Concord, North Carolina Car numbers 8, 14, 15, 20, 25, 28, 35, 47, 48, 55, 65, 66 Race drivers 15. Christopher Bell
25. Tom Hessert
55. Dalton Sargeant
66. Mark Thompson (racing driver) Sponsors 15. ARRIS
25. Menards/Ansell
35. N/A
55. JEGS
66. Energy Freedom | ||
Venturini Motorsports is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the ARCA Racing Series. Founded in 1982 by Bill Venturini Sr., Venturini Motorsports is the longest continually operated ARCA racing team in the United States. The team is based in Concord, North Carolina.
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History
Venturini Motorsports was formed by Bill Venturini, Sr., a former NASCAR driver, 2-time ARCA Racing Series Champion (1987 and 1991), and 1983 ARCA Rookie of the Year. Largely influenced by his father Tony Venturini, Bill founded the racing team in 1982. The team is family owned and operated, with various members of the Venturini family holding positions on the team, including CEO, CFO, General Manager, and Director of Marketing and Public Relations. In 2007, Bill's son Billy helped found the Venturini Driver Development Program, one of the largest such programs for ARCA drivers in the United States.
NASCAR
Bill Venturini drove the No. 35 Chevrolet with Rain-X as a sponsor to make its Cup debut at Michigan in 1989, where he started 38th and finished 37th. Between 1982 and 1995, the team had made select starts in the Winston Cup Series (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series), Busch Series (now Xfinity) and Craftsman Truck Series (now Camping World Truck Series) of NASCAR with owner Bill Venturini behind the wheel.
In 2013, the team made its return to the second-tier Nationwide Series (Now NASCAR Xfinity Series) with driver John Wes Townley and sponsor Zaxby's on the 25 Toyota Camry. The team planned to run at Bristol, Charlotte, and Talladega with the possibility of up to eight more races. Townley finished 17th in his debut at Bristol, crashed at Charlotte, and failed to qualify at Talladega.
It was announced in August 2014 that Venturini would return to the Camping World Truck Series on a part-time basis starting at Bristol Motor Speedway, with ARCA driver Justin Boston and his sponsor Zloop. Team owner Billy Venturini himself would serve as Boston's crew chief. Boston qualified 27th and finished 30th after a crash. The team planned to run the final three races of the season in preparation for a full-time effort in 2015, but those plans were scrapped when sponsor Zloop shifted their focus to the next season.
Boston and Zloop would move to Kyle Busch Motorsports for 2015. In addition, Venturini would field the No. 25 truck in select races for KBM driver Matt Tifft, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Cody Coughlin, and Venturini road course specialist Brian Wong. The team has not made any scheduled races in 2016.
ARCA Racing Series
Venturini Motorsports currently has ten active drivers, nine of which compete in the ARCA Racing Series, and one, John Wes Townley, who competes in the Camping World Truck Series as well as in ARCA. Various Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers, including Joey Logano, are former drivers for Venturini Motorsports.
Recent wins
Venturini Motorsports drivers have won 30 races between 2007 and 2017.