Tim Richmond confirmed to Frontstretch that he will compete in up to four races in the ARCA Menards Series during the 2026 season. Richmond will drive his No. 27 car, which will once again be fielded by Empire Racing Group for the second consecutive year. His schedule includes events at several notable tracks, reflecting both ambitions and challenges ahead.
Track-by-Track Breakdown of Richmond’s 2026 Schedule
Richmond will make his first start at Daytona International Speedway, where he qualified 15th for the upcoming event. The 2.5-mile superspeedway is familiar territory, as Richmond has made six starts there, recording his best finish of fifth place in 2024. After Daytona, Richmond’s participation depends on that result, with plans to race next at Talladega Superspeedway, a track where he also has six appearances but has faced setbacks with four Did Not Finishes (DNFs).
Richmond, originally from Ottawa, Illinois, will then compete at Chicagoland Speedway on July 3, where the ARCA series returns after a hiatus. This is a home track for Richmond, who finished 12th there in the last ARCA race held at the 1.5-mile circuit back in 2019.
The season is expected to conclude for Richmond at Bristol Motor Speedway, a short track measuring 0.533 miles. His previous two events at Bristol resulted in two 16th-place finishes, demonstrating consistent but challenging results on this circuit.
Richmond’s Career and Performance Overview
Throughout his career in the ARCA Menards Series, Richmond has started 60 races, earning one top-five and two top-ten finishes. His rookie year in 2019 marked a strong showing with an eighth-place finish in the points standings. However, full-season participation has been limited, as 2019 and 2020 remain the only years in which he competed in at least half of the season’s races. This upcoming partial schedule in 2026 continues his selective approach to ARCA competition.
Implications and Outlook for Richmond’s 2026 Season
Richmond’s plan to run a focused slate of up to four ARCA Menards Series races represents a cautious but hopeful bid to make a measurable impact in select events. Racing at tracks where he has prior experience provides both opportunity and risk, particularly with the superspeedways’ history of DNFs. Success or struggles in early races like Daytona and Talladega could influence the extent of his participation. Fans and observers will be watching to see if Richmond can build on past performances and how his partnership with Empire Racing Group evolves in 2026.
