Very few drivers have had the success Robert Arch has had in his career.
Arch, 26, from Clayton, North Carolina, has been a dominant force in the Charger division at both Southern National Motorsports Park and Wake County Speedway. Last season, he picked up championships at both tracks after being sidelined for the majority of the two prior seasons due to an injury.
His journey to his second Southern National Motorsports Park champion didn’t start as a championship pursuit. He had only planned to race part-time while working with other drivers as a spotter in Super Late Models for most of the season, but he found himself with a point to prove early in the season.
“Last year we started the season only going to run a handful of races because of my busy schedule with spotting,” Arch said. “But a couple teams ran their mouths and that’s what changed my mind for me to run the whole year just so they couldn’t win. We ended up winning majority of the races, I think 11 of the 17 but I’m not sure. We won all 10 races at Wake County and won the championships at both tracks.”
The Charger division is known for being wild, and last season was no exception. Arch said somebody was mad every week, but he does not show up to the track to make friends, he shows up to win.
“It was to say the least a wild year,” Arch continued. “I don’t know what it is but there is always some kind of drama around. Every race someone is mad about something and it’s quite comical. A lot of people watch the Charger races to see who I’m going to make mad each week.”
This season, Arch won’t be seen piloting his no. 16 car. He has sold his Charger car and will compete in the U-CAR class in 2017.
“I wasn’t having any fun and it just honestly wasn’t a challenge so the boys in the class can have a share of winning,” Arch remarked. “I have built a little U-CAR to go play around with from time to time and my spotting and driving coach schedule is so busy and wide open that I don’t have time for much more. But none of 2016 would have been possible without Josh Van Winkle and Chris Wiggins. Those two were at the track with me for almost every race.”
Arch could be just as competitive in U-CAR racing. He won the track championship in the U-CAR division at Wake County Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2013 and won another championship back in 2010. His nearly-decade long career dates back to 2008.
“I started driving in 2008 when I turned 18,” Arch explained. “My mom wouldn’t let me race. She was scared I was going to get hurt after my dad passed. So, when I turned 18, I built a car and never told her I built it, I was just going to go racing. As I was pulling out the driveway she was pulling in the driveway and busted me. Boy she was mad, but she let me race. She came and watched and saw I was pretty good and going to be okay. I ended up winning my first race and I had to beat Bradley McCaskill to do it too.”
Arch had a long journey to his championship. He was injured at work in 2014, being sidelined for most of that season as well as for much of the 2015 season. He made his comeback in 2015 in the Charger feature of the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park, which he ended up winning.
Arch will race part-time in 2017.
