As Venturini Motorsports handed over its reins to Nitro Motorsports, it closed a defining chapter in ARCA this year, leaving behind a 43-year legacy that was built on grit, loyalty, and love of the sport. And that kind of love for the sport makes even a small victory-lane ritual more than a ritual; it becomes part of the team’s DNA and a signal of what the program stands for.

Among those rituals is a simple, repeatable gesture that Bill Venturini has been using as a tradition since 2006. And that is a kiss to the driver in victory lane, which carried meaning inside a family team and beyond. What looks small on the surface is threaded through family, respect, and racing lore, and the origin behind it is worth unpacking.

Unpacking the victory lane embrace

On a recent episode of the Victory Lane podcast with Davey Segal, Bill Venturini Sr. peeled back layers on one of ARCA‘s most wholesome traditions: his signature post-win kiss for drivers in the victory lane. “First of all, my grandfather, a strong Italian from Italy, made it a point growing up that for a man to kiss a man, it’s very proper to show respect,” Bill explained.

🚨 Victory Lane, Episode 289 🚨

🌟 Guest: Bill Venturini 🌟

🏁 End of an era after 4+ decades
🏆 Why @ARCA_Racing all these years?
😘 Origin of his patented smooch
📈 Confident in the state of ARCA
🥹 At peace with moving on
❤️ Family pride

🎧 → https://t.co/UxXWaSZXje pic.twitter.com/9VnfzzUBVF

— Davey Segal (@DaveyCenter) October 15, 2025

“I hate to say that, but so that was first bred into me when I was growing up.” Rooted in deep respect, this ritual echoes his upbringing, flipping a cultural norm into a badge of triumph that turned victory lanes into a wholesome moment into a true sense.

The tradition kicked off in 2006 when Billy notched his lone ARCA win at Salem Speedway. “Well, Billy wins his first race in Salem. Well, Dad kisses his son, right? Not thinking anything of it. Well, somebody makes the comment about, oh, look at the veterinary Italian kiss, the Andy Granatelli kiss,” Bill recalled.

From there, it snowballed; Billy started practicing this ritual with the winning teams, a simple act that bonded crews and racers. Drivers like Jesse Love now lean in eagerly, yelling, “Lay one on me, Pops!” It wasn’t forced; it just fit a family outfit that treated wins like shared feasts, not solo glory. Even as the team sells out to Nitro Motorsports, this touch lingers as a testament to their nurturing style, one that honed nine wins for Corey Heim and a championship for Love.

Reflecting after the last race at Toledo, where ARCA honored Bill and Cathy with lifetime Gold Cards, Venturini Sr. summed up his era: “I never thought this day would come, but… it’s time. I’m okay.” He and Cathy, who innovated racing’s first all-female pit crew named “The Ultra Blue Crew” in 1987, leave a legacy of perseverance

Joey Logano, who grabbed his debut ARCA checkers with them in 2008, nailed it: “They’re just very passionate people, very emotional.” That passion helped in grooming many cup stars who are now dominating the cup grid, proving small gestures could help in building big dynasties.

Yet amid the farewells, the Venturinis spot fresh promise in talents they’ve shaped, like one driver whose prep work sets him worlds apart.

Venturinis spotlight Heim’s simulator mastery

Corey Heim’s 2021 full-time stint with Venturini Motorsports yielded nine ARCA triumphs, laying the groundwork for his Truck Series dominance at Tricon Garage. But it’s his behind-the-scenes edge that Bill Sr. and Billy rave about most. “My wife called him the robot,” Bill Sr. recalled.

“When he puts his helmet on, totally different person the minute that helmet went on.” Heim’s character switches like he enters in a portal the moment he wears that helmet, channeling laser focus that turns practice laps into real race-day feels—a trait born from endless sim sessions that sharpened his instincts without the track’s chaos.

Billy doubles down on what elevates Heim: “I think the very best one for how he preps using sim and everything else is Corey Heim. Corey is the best sim driver I’ve ever seen.” That virtual wizardry doesn’t stay on screens; it translates to real-world wins, like his truck pools and playoffs.

Billy adds, “I believe he’d win a Cup race as a rookie. That’s how strong I think he is. He’s unique.” In a sport demanding split-second calls, Heim’s methodical grind echoes the Venturinis’ own blueprint, pouring hard work behind the closed doors into visible success, ensuring their lessons keep revving on long after the sale.