Detailed Race Review
"Not too bad for the West drivers!"
March 12, on a cold Friday night race on the Phoenix Raceway at Avondale, AZ, Ty Gibbs won the General Tire 150, a combination race between the national ARCA Menards Series and the regional ARCA Menards Series West.
An eventful race with accidents, aggressive overtaking and the little personal touch offered by Mother Nature!
Following the cancellation of the qualifying session due to the rain, per ARCA rule books the result of the practice was used to establish the starting grid. Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) securing the “pole” ahead of Daytona race winner Corey Heim. Zane Smith is the best representative of the West Series in 8th position. There are a total of 14 drivers flying the "West Series" flag out of the 30 participants in the race. I suggest that you analyze the race of our friends in the West Series driver by driver, taking into account their finish position.
Trading in my @ToyotaRacing Tundra for a Camry this week! Excited to get back behind the wheel of an ARCA car with @BMR_NASCAR on Friday night.
— Derek Kraus (@derek9kraus) March 11, 2021
The @ArtofFast No. 19 is gonna be fast🏁 pic.twitter.com/SlQhdiYgKU
-5th = Derek Kraus (# 19)
I invite you to read the article dedicated to him and available on my Facebook page (Click Here).
-6th Jesse Love
The 2020 champion lives up to his status as champion and favorite to his own succession by being the best representative of the drivers who will make the full season in the West Series this year. After a tire puncture early, he continuously held a position in the top 10 and managed to resist Drew Dollar, who had one of the 3 fastest cars in the race, on the last restart to finish in 6th position. He's virtually the leader of the West Series championship as the drivers preceding him in the standings will not make the full season.
-8th Todd Souza
10th during the practice, he maintained himself in this position easily until contact with the wall at the exit of turn 2. Benefiting from the free pass during the 5th yellow flag, he patiently climbed back into the peloton to join the top10 again around the 90th lap. The strategy even allows him to be in second position during the restart on the 134th lap. Unfortunately, he made his tires spin a little too much and lost many positions. But the Ford is fast and especially Todd is very consistent lap after lap. This allows him to obtain an excellent 8th position.
-10th Trevor Huddleston
A real rescue! Because Trevor had a fast car but he suffered a problem early in the race causing him to lose 2 laps on the leaders. Already compromising his chances in the championship against Jesse Love? You would have thought so because while Jesse was riding "quietly" in the top 10, Trevor had to fight to move up the rankings. He will never be able to benefit from the free pass and will thank the Lord for the misfortunes of his opponents. This allows him to save a top10 and to be only 4 points behind in the championship against Jesse.
-11th Paul Pedroncelli, Jr.
We were surprised to see him on the entry list and he almost did the feat of getting a top10. As in Sonoma during his last race in West in 2019, he finished at the door of the top10 and this in the greatest discretion! The TV did not find it "useful" to offer him screen time when he well deserved it! The presence of Ty Joiner as crew chief has shown its effectiveness.
-12th Cole Moore
The 2nd full time BMR team rider lacked performance compared to his teammates Derek Kraus and Jesse Love. He was new to the track, but he was never really able to aim for a top10. But let's give it time to find its bearings.
-15th Dean Thompson
Quite simply, lack of speed. But a studious race and big points in the optics of the title of best rookie against Jake Drew.
-16th Joey Iest
Definitely there is a curse hanging over Joey in the West Series. He shows once again that he's fast but a spin late in the race puts definitively an end to his hopes for a good result. While in the East Series he's 100% of the time in the top5, he still hasn't achieved a top 10 in West in 5 races. Incomprehensible. A real mystery.
-17th Tony Toste
A little rusty? Let's be honest, as much as I love PP1M, there is one thing that didn't work here in Phoenix because the #77 was one of the slowest cars on the track if you don't factor in the Fast Track Racing turtles...
-18th Jake Drew
A good start to the race but the second half was more complicated. A good learning session for the Bruncati Racing rookie.
-22th Bridget Burgess
The only girl under the checkered flag. The other two haven't even completed the first lap. Unfortunately the #88 Chevrolet was delayed too long due to a technical problem. Once back on track, it was only for fun and to get information that will be useful for the next races.
-23th Takuma Koga
It’s the disappointment of the race. Because Takuma was driving very well and he was in 9th position when unfortunately he had an accident. Bodes well for the rest of the season.
-24th Bobby Hillis, Jr.
Only one lap during the practice following an accident ... And the lack of rolling was felt. An unstable car that will end its race in the wall.
-28th Zane Smith
Nothing to say except that it's bad luck. Very fast during the practice, it was unfortunately hit from the 1st turn by Gracie Trotter. Race over when he was a candidate for the top 5 or even better.
We'll have to be patient because the next West Series race will take place on the Sonoma road track on June 5…! An eternity ...
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