Michael James Maples Sr. (born December 5, 1963) is an American professional

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

driver. He competes full-time in the

ARCA Menards Series The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car racing, stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into ...

and the

ARCA Menards Series East The ARCA Menards Series East (formerly known by other names) is a regional stock car racing series owned and operated by the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). Races are h ...

, driving the No. 99

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...

for Maples Motorsports, and part-time in the

ARCA Menards Series West The ARCA Menards Series West, formerly the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, NASCAR AutoZone West Series, NASCAR Winston West Series, NASCAR Winston Transcontinental Series and NASCAR Camping World West Series, is a regional stock car racing series ow ...

driving for the same team.

Racing career

Maples first began racing in 1993, driving asphalt late model races at Madera Speedway. Maples returned to racing in 2019, driving in an IMCA Southern Sport modified after taking a sabbatical that began in 1998 due to familial reasons. Maples also competed in series such as the Sooner Limited Modified Series, and the Touring Outlaw Modified Series from 2019 to 2023. left, Maples' No. 99 car at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 2024 In 2024, Maples participated in the pre-season test for the

Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, about north of Orlando, Florida, Orlando. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race ...

, driving the No. 99

for

Fast Track Racing Fast Track Racing (also known as Fast Track High-Performance Racing or Fast Track Racing Enterprises) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes full time in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series East, fie ...

, and placed 53rd in the overall results between the two testing days. Several days after the test, it was announced that Maples will run the full main ARCA and

schedule for Fast Track, driving the No. 99. In his debut in the main ARCA series at Daytona, Maples qualified in 35th and finished one lap down in 21st despite being involved in a crash between Scott Melton and

Willie Mullins William Peter Mullins (born 15 September 1956) is an Irish racehorse horse trainer, trainer and former jockey. He is a nineteen-time List of Irish National Hunt races, Irish National Hunt Champion trainer. Mullins is the most successful traine ...

with twenty-three laps to go. He would finish 8th in the final points standings, with a best finish of eleveth at

Berlin Raceway Berlin Raceway is a long paved oval race track in Marne, Michigan, near Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids. The track races weekly as part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. It has also held touring series events on the ARCA Menar ...

and Salem Speedway. In the East Series, he would finish seventh in the points after getting a best finish of twelfth in three of the first four races of the season. In 2025, it was announced that Maples will form his own team, Maples Motorsports, whilst still running full-time.

Motorsports career results

ARCA Menards Series

( key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series East

ARCA Menards Series West

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Maples, Michael 1963 births Living people ARCA Menards Series drivers NASCAR drivers Racing drivers from Oklahoma People from Choctaw, Oklahoma