The Power of Social Media Propels Greg Van Alst to Third Daytona ARCA Start
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.: The power of social media is real. Sponsorship drives motorsports competition and the ARCA Menards Series is no different. And for both driver and car owner, without the help of CB Fabrication, the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season would not have been possible.
However, with anything racing-related, money buys speed and additional resources that allow any organization to improve and Greg Van Alst Motorsports is no exception.
After another successful ARCA Menards Series preseason test at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in January injected another good vibe across the underfunded team with the Anderson, Ind. native asking himself an even bigger question, how could he make his third straight trip to the “World Center of Racing” actually happen?
Having to allocate personal funding that he poured into his racing dream last season, Van Alst knew if he wanted to keep his ARCA team intact for the bigger picture, he needed help in the way of sponsorship.
Seeing time and time again where companies across the country have stepped up to help others in similar situations through social media, Van Alst decided to take the same approach.
The response was more than Van Alst could have ever imagined.
“I want our Greg Van Alst Motorsports team to succeed and I knew the only way to make that happen was to get additional funding not only for Daytona but for other races this season,” said Van Alst. “I’m thankful and appreciative to have the ongoing support of CB Fabricating but the power of social media is real.
“It worked for us and in a bigger way than we could have ever imagined. I heard from people from my hometown to companies from across the country who just wanted to be a part of our continued journey. It’s awesome and somewhat overwhelming, but I am incredibly grateful and hopeful this is just the start of great things.”
Verns Concrete, CB Fabricating, Sam Pierce Chevrolet have taken the primary roles of sponsorship for Van Alst’s No. 35 Chevrolet SS, but 17 other companies have all pledged their support in the opening race of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season.
“EKAN Crude LLC, MVP Purchasing, CBT Detail, Borchers Sheet Metal, Hertz Law Firm, Johnsons Family Plumbing, Norton Transport, Lintz Design, FCS Underdog Racing Podcast, Brandon Barcus Racing, Lonestar Racing, Garnet Valley Jaguars, Ranch Road Fencing, Martin Exotics, Knightstown Family Fitness, Riggins Innovations and Top Choice Fence have all also been instrumental in helping keep my motorsports dream alive.
“Without these 20 companies, our participation in Saturday afternoon’s BRANDT 200 would not have been possible. For me, there is only one way to thank them properly and that’s putting our No. 35 Chevrolet in Victory Lane.”
Working a full-time job, spending countless hours in-between and at night doing what has to be done to keep Greg Van Alst Motorsports on the race track, the former CRA | ARCA champion is in the process of launching a special page on his site where companies can recruit their newest marketing initiative through the veteran ARCA racer.
“We are planning to run the full 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule and the more support the better for us this year,” Van Alst added. “I know we can do this economically and if we can drum up as much support for most of the season as we did at Daytona, it is going to be a great year.” Van Alst turned the seventh fastest lap in practice and qualified seventh Friday afternoon for his 32nd career ARCA start.
For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).
The BRANDT 200 Supporting Florida FFA (80 laps | 200 miles) is the first of 20 races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule. The season-opener for the 71st consecutive ARCA season is set for Feb. 18th, 2023, and will take the green flag shortly after 1:30 p.m. 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.