ARCA Menards Series team owner Mike Bursley is calling it quits.
The successful Berlin (Mich.) Raceway promoter announced Saturday night that he is ceasing operations of his ARCA Menards Series program, effective immediately.
In a Facebook post on the team’s KBR Development page, he stated, “In the 20+ years that I’ve been involved in motorsports as either a team member, driver, crew chief, a manufacturer, owner, or representing an organization in the sport, I’ve been blessed to have worked side by side with a number of great people along with a lot of the past and present industry leaders.
“Over those years, together we have won our fair share of races all while losing our share. We’ve set records, battled through many sleepless nights rebuilding cars and traveling, been involved in different rivalries and altercations, and along the way met a number of great people | friends.
“Through all that, I’ve been blessed to have either been crowned or part of a number of different Championships but like most things eventually they come to an end.”
Transitioning KBR Development from a successful Late Model program, the team saw results instantly in the ARCA Menards Series in a limited schedule in 2018 with teenager Carson Hocevar.
In three starts, the 15-year-old earned one pole, two top-fives and three top-11 finishes.
The team continued to post impressive results again in 2019 with a variety of drivers including 2018 ARCA champion Sheldon Creed, Hocevar, Canadian standout Raphael Lessard, Stefan Parsons and former ARCA winner Brandon McReynolds.
Hocevar continued to deliver strong finishes with one pole, four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 12 races.
Lessard, now a NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series rookie for Kyle Busch Motorsports nearly won in his team debut at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway but had to settle for an eighth-place effort.
He finished fourth in his second outing for the organization at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway later that summer.
In December 2019, KBR Development hired 10-time ARCA champion Frank Kimmel to oversee the operation as general manager and moved its operation from Michigan to Statesville, N.C. on the GMS Racing campus as a satellite operation.
Unfortunately, the tenure would be short-lived for Kimmel, the 80-time ARCA winner.
World of Outlaws superstar David Gravel made his transition to stock cars with KBR in 2020 for the season-opening race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February.
After an impressive showing in January’s preseason testing, Gravel qualified ninth and finished 12th in his series debut despite being swept into one of the race’s multicar accidents.
KBR had hoped to continue their presence in the ARCA Menards Series this season, but the coronavirus has put the ARCA Menards Series season on a hiatus after two races.
Bursley gave thanks to those responsible for making KBR Development a reality.
“To all the past and present team members, the number of different drivers, the variety of marketing partners, customers, to my family and the people that have supported & cheered along over the years, I want to say THANK YOU, it’s been fun and was quite the ride.”
Hocevar is slated to run a limited schedule in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series this season with Niece Motorsports.
NASCAR has been idle since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Truck Series hopes to reboot later this month at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 26.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
