Lupton Returns to ARCA Competition at Watkins Glen International

Career Milestone for Driver

Longtime ARCA Menards Series driver Kenzie Ruston returns to the series at the famed Watkins Glen International for the first time since 2020. While the series ventured to Iowa Speedway this season, Ruston, from Pulaski, Tennessee, returns to the famed road course for the first time since finishing eighth there in 2020. The 27-year-old currently ranks 12th in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings as he prepares to make his fifth start of the campaign Saturday.

Ruston at the Glen

Ruston finished a career-best eighth at Watkins Glen in 2020. That was just his third career ARCA Menards Series start on a road course following a pair of starts at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course earlier in his career. The performance at the Glen marked his fourth consecutive top-10 finish at the time. "We've had some time off since our last race and I'm ready to get back behind the wheel," Ruston said. "I feel like we're making progress each race, and we're hoping to continue that at Watkins Glen. "We've had some good runs on road courses in the past, so I'm confident that we can have another strong run this weekend."

Ruston’s lone top-five finish of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series campaign came at the season-opening Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. He led two laps in the season-opening race and also paced the field 13 laps in the ARCA Menards 200 at Kansas Speedway.

Ruston will pilot the No. 17 Ford Fusion for David Gilliland Racing at Watkins Glen. The team is owned by former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver David Gilliland and will have sponsorship from Prevent Child Abuse America and Coble & Hart Attorneys at Law during the ARCA Menards Series race weekend.

The ARCA Menards Series race at Watkins Glen is set for Saturday, August 12 at 1:00 p.m. ET. The race will be televised live on MAVTV and streamed on FloRacing.