Rise Racing Owner Tim Goulet Suspended Indefinitely Due To Active Criminal Warrant

The ARCA Menards Series garage is no stranger to tension, but major disciplinary action is rare. That changed this week when ARCA officials issued one of the strongest penalties available in their rulebook. Rise Racing owner Tim Goulet has been indefinitely suspended, a move that immediately sent shockwaves through the series’ tight‑knit paddock.

The official penalty notice cited a violation of 2026 ARCA Rulebook Section 12‑8.1, which governs member conduct. ARCA did not elaborate beyond the rule reference. When asked for clarification, ARCA Communications Manager Charles Krall said the posted penalty “speaks for itself” and offered no additional details.

Behind the brief statement, however, is a complicated and deeply personal situation that has spilled from private life into the racing world. The fallout didn’t start in the garage, but it’s landed there with full force. What was once a private dispute is now shaping the future of an entire race team.

A Racing Partnership Unravels

To understand the suspension, you have to look at the collapse of a once‑unified racing operation. Tim and Rita Goulet previously co‑owned and operated Rise Motorsports as a married team. Between them, they fielded entries in 51 ARCA Menards Series races, earning five top‑10 finishes despite operating on modest budgets.

Their team was known for grinding through adversity, piecing together cars, and showing up at tracks across the country. But the partnership went off track, and the fallout has now reached the series itself. According to statements provided to reporters, the incident that triggered ARCA’s action stemmed from a dispute over racing equipment.

Rita said she traveled to South Carolina to retrieve team assets she claimed Tim had hidden. During that encounter, she alleges that Tim assaulted her. That allegation resulted in an active criminal warrant for assault in South Carolina. Tim has strongly denied the accusation.

He says the situation is a marital dispute that has escalated into what he calls defamation. He claims Rita is attempting to damage his reputation and take control of their remaining racing assets. Regardless of the conflicting accounts, the existence of an active warrant forced ARCA’s hand.

Rita clarified that the suspension was issued solely because of the outstanding criminal charge, not because of their civil disagreements. She also expressed hope that Tim receives the help she believes he needs. Tim has stated he is traveling to South Carolina to address the warrant.

Impact on the Track: A Team in Limbo

The timing of the suspension could not be worse for Rise Racing. The 2026 season was supposed to mark a clean break for both sides. After dividing their assets, Tim launched Rise Racing as a standalone operation, switching from the familiar No. 31 to the No. 89. He signed Bobby Dale Earnhardt, grandson of seven‑time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, to run full‑time.

For a small ARCA team, having an Earnhardt behind the wheel brings attention and expectations. Earnhardt opened the season with promise. After two national‑tour races, he sits 11th in driver points. His best run so far came at the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished ninth in a chaotic draft‑heavy race.

The No. 89 team currently ranks 13th in owner points. Now, the team faces a major leadership vacuum. Independent ARCA teams rely heavily on their owners for logistics, sponsorship communication, travel coordination, and day‑to‑day operations.

With Tim suspended indefinitely and barred from the garage, the No. 89 team’s immediate future is uncertain.Earnhardt, who is trying to build momentum early in the season, now faces the possibility of arriving at Kansas Speedway for the next main‑series event without a clear organizational structure.

A New Operation on the Other Side of the Split

While Tim launched Rise Racing, Rita partnered with Brian Weber to form Integrity Autosports. That team fields the No. 13 Toyota in the ARCA Menards Series East, with Weber driving. Their schedule focuses on regional tracks such as Hickory Motor Speedway and Rockingham Speedway, with an emphasis on grassroots development.

The two operations were supposed to move forward independently. Instead, the legal fallout has now placed one of them in jeopardy. The split that was meant to bring clarity has only deepened the turmoil. What should have been a fresh start has turned into another layer of instability.

Why ARCA Acted Quickly

ARCA has long positioned itself as a developmental series where young drivers, small teams, and future NASCAR talent can compete in a professional environment. The series has little tolerance for off‑track issues that could compromise the integrity of the garage.

An active criminal warrant, especially one involving alleged assault, leaves the sanctioning body with limited options. The indefinite suspension is one of the strongest penalties ARCA can issue, and it signals that the series intends to protect its paddock from becoming entangled in unresolved legal matters.

What This Means

The biggest question now is whether Rise Racing can continue operating without its owner present. Small ARCA teams often rely on a single individual to handle everything from ordering parts to towing the hauler to the next track. Losing that person, even temporarily, can cripple an operation.

For Earnhardt, the timing is brutal. He is trying to establish himself in the series, and the No. 89 team has shown early signs of competitiveness. Without stability, his season could quickly unravel.

For ARCA, the situation is a reminder of how fragile independent teams can be. The series thrives on grassroots operations, but those teams must meet professional standards both on and off the track.

What’s Next

The indefinite suspension of Tim Goulet is more than a disciplinary action. It’s the unraveling of a once‑promising grassroots racing effort. What began as a husband‑and‑wife team chasing top‑10 finishes has devolved into a legal battle involving assault allegations, hidden equipment, and a fractured organization.

As Tim heads to South Carolina to address the warrant, the ARCA community waits to see whether Rise Racing can weather the storm. For the crew members and drivers caught in the middle, the hope is simple: that the situation stabilizes before the season slips away.