ARLA

The American Racing League of America (abbreviated ARLA) is a Midwest-based North American motorsport sanctioning body founded by Henry Walker in 1973. The current CEO of ARLA is Jen Walker, granddaughter of Henry Walker. It is generally accepted that the redundancy is the league's name is due to Henry Walker's self-described excessive patriotism.

ARLA is popular for hobbyists and young drivers (some as young as 14) looking to make a name for themselves. The league has recently enjoyed an explosion in popularity due to attention from teams based in the higher echelons of racing and extensive TV coverage.

Founding
In December of 1972, 13 Midwest short-track drivers rented the Rockford Speedway for a day and held a scrimmage race. The total attendance was less than 250, but Texas businessman and racing fan Henry Walker was among the spectators. After the race, he approached the drivers and pitched the idea of creating a national tour for low-budget teams. They agreed to it, and in January 1973, Walker officially established the American Racing League of America.

The inaugural 10-race season only saw approximately 25 cars (including 11 of the original 13 drivers from the Rockford scrimmage) show up at most of the events. The first race was held at the Daytona International Speedway, which at 2.5 miles, was a new challenge for teams accustomed to racing on short tracks. That race was won by Jeb Klinger, with Bjorn Green taking the championship when the season wrapped up at Rockford.

Current divisions
ARLA currently sanctions three different classes of racing.

The ARLA Elite Series Presented by Smash Beer is the most popular ARLA division, boasting the highest car counts (more than 70 cars show up at every race) and a calendar that features events outside of the United States. Most Elite Series events are held with a twin-race format that splits the entry list into two races held on the same day.

The Elite Series is also the only division whose races are all televised live. Races have been broadcast on OEN since 2003.

A brand-new car with an engine costs approximately $50,000. The current technical regulations for the Elite Series car, introduced in 2012, mandates 6-cylinder carbureted engines with approximately 550 horsepower, as well as an offset chassis (similar to a modified) with a wheelbase of 105 inches. The car must weigh 2700 pounds without the driver and be fitted with an 8-inch translucent polycarbonate spoiler. The offset chassis, small dimensions, and the tall spoiler translate to much higher cornering speeds than cars under the previous regulations. The new car has come under fire from some of the older drivers such as Brenda Riggs and Andy Pearson, who claim that the new car is too easy to drive.

The ARLA Tornado Alley Truck Series is the second-highest ARLA division, which advertises itself as a low-cost alternative to the Elite Series. Most teams use secondhand Elite Series cars with truck shells, making the series and attractive starting point for new teams. The Truck Series has not yet phased in the chassis currently used in the Elite Series.

Most of the races on the Truck Series calendar take place on short tracks in the "tornado alley" region of the United States, giving the inspiration for the title of the division. This series does not use the twin-race format seen in the Elite Series because of significantly lower weekly car counts.

The ARLA Street Stock Series is the grassroots division of ARLA. There are two classes within this division; Regional and Local. The Regional class is divided into East and West championships, and these consist of higher-budget teams that can easily travel from state to state. The Local class is made up of individual track championships that have received sanctioning from ARLA, and must follow a common rulebook.

The East and West divisions hold an annual National Championship race at the Rockford Speedway at the end of their respective calendars. This race consists of the top 10 drivers from both series, and the driver with the most points at the end of this race is crowned the National Champion.

Defunct divisions
ARLA has sanctioned other divisions over the years, but the divisions listed below are either no longer operated, or they are now sanctioned by different promoters.

Formula Overdrive sanctioned by ARLA (2011) was an independent open-wheel series when it was formed in 2008, but it folded after only one year. ARLA resurrected the series in 2011. Kiriki Hetsuno won the championship in that season, but Hanmore bought the series from ARLA afterwards. The series is now known as Hanmore Formula Overdrive.

The ARLA Special Stock Series (2006-2009) was a spec series established in order to provide opportunities for drivers with mental disabilities. The series only lasted for 4 years before it was cancelled due to extremely negative PR and excessive driver incompetence.

The ARLA Modified Series (1985-2005) was a division for modified racing that held events in the New England region. The series was bought by Falkner Auto Racing Championship Enterprises after the 2005 season and continues to run under the FARCE banner.

The MotorBrawl Tour Presented by ARLA (2001) was a demolition derby series that utilized cars fitted with weapons, inspired by robot fighting leagues. The series was cancelled after a year due to concerns about driver safety.

International involvement
ARLA has enjoyed recent growth in the international market. The 2012 ARLA Elite Series schedule has 3 Japanese races, and formerly raced in Europe in 2008 as a four-race exhibition, and in 2009 as part of the actual schedule. However, the league has regularly held races in Canada since 1974, with occasional races in Mexico as well.

ARLA races are broadcast in approximately 15 countries, with commentary in several different languages. Japan in particular boasts a large ARLA fanbase, reportedly because of the participation of Japanese drivers such as Akira Tsukari (the 2009 Elite Series champion, the first female and Japanese driver to do so), Seiju Dejao, and Nami Mura.

See also: List of ARLA champions.