Venturini Motorsports has tapped a pair of ARCA Menards Series winners to pilot their No. 20 Toyota Camry in 2022, in the form of two-time ARCA Menards Series West champion Jesse Love, and runner-up in the 2021 ARCA Menards Series points, Corey Heim.
Looking to make a bid at the owner’s championship for VMS in 2022, Jesse Love will compete in 14 ARCA Menards Series events throughout the season, beginning at Phoenix Raceway.
The 17-year-old will also handle driving duties at Iowa, Berlin, Elko, Mid-Ohio, Pocono, Lucas Oil, Watkins-Glen, Springfield, Milwaukee, DuQuoin, Bristol, Salem, and Toledo. Love will also compete for Venturini Motorsports at Dover (ARCA East) and Phoenix (ARCA West).
The Menlo Park, California-native has accumulated a total of 14 ARCA Menards Series starts since 2020, capturing his first national-series victory at Salem Speedway last season.
“This is a great opportunity and very exciting time in my life,” said Love. “I’ve been really fortunate to have a lot of great support over the years and it continues this year again with Toyota and Venturini Motorsports.
Last year we made some huge gains at the end of the season but I’m still learning and making the transition to the ARCA Menards Series. I feel like I’m in a great position working with crew chief Shannon Rursch and getting to lean on Corey and my spotter for more help. Winning at Salem last year was a huge confidence booster – we will build off that momentum and hopefully start the 2022 season the same way we finished last year, with a win.”
Corey Heim – the runner-up in the battle for the 2021 ARCA title — will compete in the remaining six events at Daytona, Talladega, Kansas (Spring), Charlotte, Michigan, and Kansas (Fall), a schedule that allows the seven-time winner to focus on his 15-race slate for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
“I’m excited to be back with Venturini Motorsports,” said Heim. “We won a lot of races last season and had a great year overall. Although the goal of winning remains the same, I’m looking forward to taking on more of a leadership role with some of the other young drivers on the team. Sharing the twenty-car with Jesse (Love) is going to be a lot of fun.”
Shannon Rursch will continue his work as crew chief of the No. 20 Toyota Camry in 2022, as the team looks to capture another owner’s championship within the ARCA Menards Series.