After sitting out most of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series season, Landon Pembelton is set to make his triumphant return.
The 18-year-old will be teaming up with ARCA Team Mullins Racing to drive the No. 3 entry in the upcoming ARCA/ARCA East combination race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 14th.
The team made the announcement in a video shared to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, August 28th.
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We want to extend a big welcome to 2021 ValleyStar Champion @lbpem0 to the team.
We are excited to get to The World's Last Great Colosseum, @ItsBristolBaby on Thurs, Sept 14th for the @ARCA_Racing Bush's Beans 200. pic.twitter.com/d4Uis5TPO3— Mullins Racing (@mullins_racing) August 28, 2023
Pembelton originally joined up with the team back in January for the preseason ARCA test at Daytona.
So far in 2023, Pembelton has been continuing his late-model racing throughout Virginia at tracks like South Boston and Langley Speedway.
The Amelia, Virginia native made a name for himself in the local short-track scene after winning the 2021 ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Pembleton says that win opened up a great opportunity for his 2022 season, allowing him to make several starts in the ARCA Menards Series with Venturini Motorsports from the 2022 season with a career-best of third at Elko Speedway. In his rookie season across the ARCA Platform, Pembelton has five career starts with an average finish of third.
In the past, Pembelton has credited his strong relationship with Mullins even before his big ValleyStar 300. He says he’s known the family through the Virginia short track scene and Mullins’ time spent at Dominion Raceway, where they race and do media work for several drivers.
So far this year, Mullins Racing has only entered the season opener. The team entered two cars at Daytona with owner Willie Mullins and fan favorite Brayton Laster. Mullins returned to Elko Speedway in June, partnering with FastTrack Racing to provide cars for both he and rookie Davey Callihan.
The ARCA Menards and ARCA Menards East Series return to the Bristol Motor Speedway on September 14th at 6 PM ET, where we will crown an East Series Championship. You can catch the race live on Fox Sports 1.
