CONCORD, N.C.: Gus Dean, a formidable force in the ARCA Menards Series with three victories under his belt, is set to make his mark once again with Venturini Motorsports this weekend.
With a track record of two consecutive top-five finishes so far this season, Dean is poised to continue his streak in Friday night’s General Tire 150 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Returning to Venturini Motorsports for a part-time schedule for a third consecutive season, the Bluffton, S.C. native kicked off the 2024 season with a monumental win at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
Dean proved his mettle in a race that saw Toyota dominate by overcoming a mid-pack starting position to secure a noteworthy fourth place at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
This marked his 22nd career top-five performance in the fiercely competitive ARCA Menards Series, placing him among the top contenders.
Fast-forward to this week, Dean is excited about returning to Charlotte Motor Speedway with his potent team in his corner, looking for the opportunity to continue a strong ARCA season and contend for his fourth career ARCA victory.
“I’m excited to be back in action this weekend at Charlotte,” said Dean. “I’ve always loved racing at Charlotte, and with it being close to home for so many people in the racing industry, I think the fans will see one heck of a show to kick off this Memorial Day weekend of racing.
“Venturini Motorsports has always had fast race cars at Charlotte, and I expect Friday night to be no different. I expect the field to be really tight, though.
“I know that my Venturini Motorsports teammates will also have fast cars on Friday night; we just need to keep ahead of the adjustments, and I hope when the time comes, we’re in the hunt to battle for the trophy.”
Dean has three prior ARCA Menards Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, including last May, where he qualified sixth but finished 15th after encountering a flat tire late in the race.
In 2019, he finished third while competing full-time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series after starting 11th in an AM Racing entry. In his track debut in 2018, Dean also qualified on the front row.
“Charlotte is a fun race track,” explained Dean. “It is a high-speed track with a lot of characteristics. I am intrigued to see how our No. 55 Venturini Motorsports Toyota Camry will react from practice to qualifying and then the race.
“I have been talking to my crew chief Kevin (Reed Jr.) throughout the week, and I believe we have a good plan of attack for Friday night, and I’m ready to get back to work!”
For the second straight ARCA Menards Series race, Dean has picked up a new partner for the 100-lap contest on Friday night.
Driven Trackside is a lifestyle brand established in 2015. Offering a dynamic range of products tailored explicitly to the needs of the racing world, they prioritize every detail.
From team apparel to customized display materials, each product is crafted meticulously with the racers’ needs in mind. Our clients can attest to the quality products we provide in NASCAR, NHRA, World of Outlaws, and other major sanctioning bodies.
Driven continuously innovates and adapts to stay ahead of industry trends. Most significantly, they aim to establish themselves as a key partner for various sports markets and develop valuable programs to incentivize collaboration and recognize achievement within the racing community.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Gus Dean this weekend in Charlotte,” said Nick Thames, co-founder of Driven Sunglasses. “Gus is a proven winner, and the perfect person to showcase our Brand on track.
“A South Carolina brand teaming up with a South Carolina driver makes it that much better. We’re looking forward to a great race and the opportunity to introduce Motorsports fans to our affordable quality products!”
Added Dean, “I am stoked about representing a South Carolina brand and having Driven Trackside and Driven Sunglasses on our car this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Driven is doing a lot in the industry, and I am thankful for their support in our efforts to chase our second ARCA win of the season.”
In addition to Driven Trackside, Folds of Honor will serve as an associate marketing partner in the second intermediate track race of the season.
Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization that helps provide the families of fallen and disabled service members and first responders.
“I have a long time partnership with Folds of Honor, and this Memorial Day weekend, I thank them for their continued support and everything they do for not only Military families but also First Responders.
“I’d love nothing more than to put them in Victory Lane on Friday night alongside DRIVEN Trackside.”
Following Charlotte, Dean will return to the ARCA Menards Series at Iowa Speedway on June 14th.
Since 2016, Dean has 66 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit, two poles, three wins, 22 top-five and 39 top-10 finishes.
For more on Venturini Motorsports, please visit venturinimotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Venturini Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@venturinimotorsports) and X |Twitter (@VenturiniMotor).
For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com, like him on Facebook (Gus Dean Racing) and follow him on Instagram and Twitter (@GusDean).
The General Tire 150 (100 laps | 150 miles) is the sixth of 20 races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series schedule in the 72nd consecutive ARCA season. Practice begins Friday, May 24 from 11:40 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying in a timed session will begin a short time later at 12:40 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag later in the day shortly after 6:00 p.m. ET. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities.
About Venturini Motorsports:
Venturini Motorsports (VMS) is a highly touted fixture in the ARCA Racing Series, having claimed 99 ARCA victories and, most recently, the 2023 ARCA Championship and 2023 ARCA West Championships. The Concord, N.C.-based VMS is an official Toyota Racing Development team and is considered one of the early pioneers in NASCAR driver development programs.
VMS has gone onto assist many of the sports’ top driver prospects in pursuit of making it to the highest levels of stock car racing.
The growing list of drivers racing today in one of NASCAR’s top three touring series includes current Toyota drivers Christopher Bell, Chandler Smith, Bubba Wallace, Corey Heim, John Hunter Nemechek and Dean Thompson.
VMS Alumni also include Justin Allgaier, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Harrison Burton, William Byron, Christian Eckes, Todd Gilliland, Justin Haley, Brandon Jones, Erik Jones, Jesse Love, Zane Smith and Daniel Suárez.
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