Category: ARCA

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Toyota Racing Development driver Toni Breidinger will participate in the inaugural GR Cup by Toyota Gazoo Racing North America for the 2023 season as a full time driver for Nitro Motorsports, a Toyota Racing Development Team.

“I am grateful for Toyota Racing Development and Nitro Motorsports for having me as a full time driver for the inaugural season of GR CUP North America,” said Breidinger. “I grew up racing go-karts and when this opportunity was brought to me, I was so excited to take on the challenge and drive the Toyota GR86.”

Breidinger will drive in 14 races taking place over 7 weekends on road course circuits around the country including classic tracks such as Circuit of the Americas (Austin, TX), Road America (Elkhart Lake, WI), Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, CA), and others.

“When the GR CUP by Toyota Gazoo Racing North America was announced, we knew Nitro Motorsports needed to be part of the program. When considering possible drivers with Toyota Racing Development, Toni was suggested and we immediately knew she would be the perfect fit,” said Nitro Motorsports owner Nick Tucker. “We are thrilled to have Toni as part of Nitro Motorsports and are looking forward to working with her on the track in 2023.

Additional drivers for Nitro Motorsports will be announced at a later date.
Remainder of Breidinger’s 2023 schedule will be announced at a later date.

About GR Cup

The GR Cup is Toyota’s all-new single make racing series. 14 events will be held at 7 prestigious circuits across the United States where race fans and series participants will get to experience Toyota’s unmatched passion for motor racing and car culture.

Each GR86 will start as a complete factory vehicle before GR engineers in North Carolina transform them into reliable, high-performance race cars. This signature spec series will showcase the full power and potential of the GR86.

For More info visit Toyota.com/Racing

About Toni Breidinger

At just 23 years old, 19-time USAC winner Toni Breidinger is the first female Arab driver of NASCAR. Toni currently competes in NASCAR’s ARCA Menards series with Venturini Motorsports, a Toyota Racing Development team driving the #25 Toyota Camry. Breidinger currently sits 5th in points in her rookie season. Breidinger, a California native, began go karting at 9 years old at Sonoma Raceway with her twin sister Annie. Building a vast social media following of 2.8 million followers has made her one of the most powerful drivers in NASCAR on social media. Her success has not gone unnoticed with brands such as Free People, Huda Beauty, Lenscrafters, Sunny D, Sparco, and Bell Helmets partnering with Breidinger on the track. She has appeared on Ellen and The Today Show following her NASCAR debut at Daytona as well as in print in the New York Post, GQ, Marie Claire Arabia, People, and CNN.

Follow Toni:
instagram.com/tonibreidinger
twitter.com/tonibreidinger

BROOKLYN, Mich: After returning to top-10 status in the ARCA Menards Series’ most recent race last weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Greg Van Alst and his team trek to the Irish Hills of Brooklyn, Michigan looking to build more momentum in Saturday night’s Henry Ford Health 200.

Heading into last Friday night’s Reese’s 200, Van Alst raced at the famed Brownsburg, Indiana short track looking for a change of pace after a few weeks of struggle with his No. 35 Greg Van Alst Motorsports Ford Mustang.

Throughout the 200-lap race, Van Alst and his all-volunteer team treaded the waters of a very competitive short track race and moved inside the top-10 in the closing laps to earn his sixth top-10 finish of 2022.

“It was important for our team to get back inside the top-10 after a couple of tough races at Mid-Ohio and Pocono,” said Van Alst. “We’ve made some gains with our short track program throughout the year but we still have room for improvement.

“We are focused on getting to Michigan for Saturday afternoon’s race, but in the back of my mind, I’m thinking down the road what we have to do to be better for the stretch drive.”

The Anderson, Indiana native invades his Michigan return looking to duplicate or better his sixth-place ARCA finish at the 2.0-mile oval he achieved last summer. Michigan was one of three top-10 finishes he earned during the season in which he ran part-time.

Stepping up to the plate and running full-time this season, Van Alst has showcased a lot of speed in his intermediate and speedway program and the No. 35 CB Fabricating Racing team is eager to get back to Brooklyn, Michigan with the intentions of delivering their second top-five run of 2022.

“I had a blast at Michigan last year,” Van Alst said. “It’s a very wide track with a lot of character and brilliant speeds. I thought last year that Michigan was one of our best showings on a bigger race track and I’d love nothing more than leave the track on Saturday night with another top-10 or maybe even a top-five added to our tally.”

Van Alst has repaired the primary No. 35 CB Fabricating Ford Fusion the team attempted to utilize in last month’s General Tire Delivers 200 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, but after a practice crash – the seasoned driver was forced to revert to a backup short track car which resulted in a hard-fought 15th-place finish.

“A lot of hard work by the team has allowed us to get the Pocono fixed and ready to go this weekend and that’s amazing,” sounded Van Alst. “We had a hard hit at Pocono but we know that this car is one of the better cars in our fleet and luckily we were able to get the body and suspension fixed and I feel like we can go to Michigan and contend for our first top-five since finishing fifth at Charlotte in May.

“That seems like forever ago. We are getting to the point where it will be crunch time in the ARCA Menards Series. Three months of racing will go by fast. I wouldn’t say that we are out of the woods for the championship yet, but we need to pick up the pace considerably to catch the top three in points.

“We won’t worry about points though. We’ll stay focused on speed and a strong performance and hope that the points will take care of themselves as the season plays out. We conquered a lot of goals so far this year, so no matter what happens – I’m proud of our team, my guys for everything they have done and continue to do for me and our primary partner CB Fabricating.”

Chris Barkdull’s CB Fabricating, a longtime partner with Greg Van Alst Motorsports has boosted its commitment to the team and will continue its role as the primary marketing partner of Van Alst’s No. 35 Ford Fusion.

Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.

Their 26,000-square-foot facility allows them to service the needs of many different industries. Everything from the Automotive, agricultural, aquatic, medical, transportation, electrical enclosures, and much more.

“We are just past the halfway point of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season and the consistency we have shown over the last two months is the type of pace that will keep Chris and everyone on this team in it for the long haul,” expressed Van Alst. “Everyone left Lucas Oil Raceway relieved to get back inside the top-10 at a place that we had a lot of support.

“Michigan is another chance and another opportunity to turn heads. We have even bigger goals that we’d like to conquer in the second half of the season and I know that keeps Chris and I excited about the path and longevity of our team.

“With every race complete, even if it is not the finish we are hoping for, it’s a small victory for our team knowing the large mountain that is still left to climb. I’m thankful to have the support of Chris and CB Fabricating.”

In addition to CB Fabricating, Top Choice Fence, Norton Transport, KRJ Race Products and Lintz Creative will serve as associate marketing partners for Van Alst’s 23rd career ARCA start.

Entering Michigan, Van Alst sits a career-high fifth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, one point out of fourth and 74 markers in the arrears to championship leader Rajah Caruth.

“Step by step and with a little luck, I hope we will soon find ourselves a part of the championship picture,” sounded Van Alst. “We have eight races to propel ourselves forward and make an amazing comeback. It’s not going to come without some luck and strong finishes, but we are not going to go down without a fight. This is a tough series and we are still proud of where we are at.

“We still stay focused.”

For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).

For more on CB Fabricating, please visit CBFabricating.com and like them on Facebook (CB Fabricating).

The Henry Ford Health 200 (100 laps | 200 miles) is the 12th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Saturday, August 6, 2022, from 10:45 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 11:30 a.m. The event will be televised live on MAVTV and FloRacing beginning at 6:30 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

Friday, July 29
Track: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, .686-mile oval
Race: 11 of 20
Event: Reese’s 200 (200 laps, 137 miles)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Mustang

Start: 4th
Finish: 3rd

Taylor Gray qualified in the fourth position for the Reese’s 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway Park. The 17-year-old quickly jumped up the order, climbing to second place in the outside lane after the drop of the green. However, a lack of lateral grip and a tight condition hindered the Ford Mustang in the race’s early stages. Falling back to third by the first mandatory stage break, Crew Chief Chad Johnston called for track bar and spring rubber adjustments in the hopes of freeing up the No. 17. Nonetheless, the problems would persist throughout the duration of the race. The Artesia, NM native persevered, holding steady in third place and crossing the line with a podium finish.

Next event: General Tire Delivers 100 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York on August 19 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Daniel Dye, No. 43 KIX Country, Solar-Fit Chevrolet

START: 6TH

FINISH: 4TH

Quote: “It was great going back to a short track tonight. IRP is one of those famous places I’ve heard a lot about, so I’m glad we were able to get a top-5 finish and rebound the way we did. Cool to have KIX, Solar-Fit, and Daytona Beach International Airport on the car tonight.”

ABOUT GMS RACING:

GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series operating the No. 23 and the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs, as well as the ARCA Menards Series with the No. 43 Chevrolet SS. Since the team was formed in 2012, GMS Racing has won five titles across multiple series, including the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, the 2015 ARCA Menards Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championships. GMS has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. including operations for GMS Fabrication. The GMS Racing campus also houses operations for Petty GMS, a two car full-time NASCAR Cup Series team formed in 2021.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

BROWNSBURG, Ind: Never give up.

That is the attitude from ARCA Menards Series driver Christian Rose and his Cook Racing Technologies (CRT) team as they invade Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for Friday night’s Reese’s 200.

Last week at the breathtaking Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Rose impressed aboard his No. 42 West Virginia Tourism Chevrolet SS, but the team endured an electrical issue that ended their General Tire Delivers 200 after just 32 laps and left the team much more to be desired.

A week later, Rose and his team will have a chance to rebound in the 11th ARCA Menards Series race of the season and the opportunity for Rose to showcase his short-track skills once again – this time just outside the heart of Indianapolis.

“I’m so ready to get back to the track with our No. 42 West Virginia Tourism Chevrolet SS,” said Rose.

“Pocono was hard to swallow for me and our team – because we made such huge strides with our race car and for me as a driver and we really don’t have anything to show for it.

“Yes, we were able to overcome some adversity at the start of the race and march ourselves inside the top-10, but at the end of the day, we endured some more crazy bad luck. Hopefully, that’s over with for the last time this season and we can focus forward with a strong run under the lights at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday night.”

With a pair of top-10s to his belt in 2022, Rose and his Bruce Cook-owned team are focused on making improvements from the first lap of practice to the checkered flag in the 200-lap race.

While Rose does not have any previous laps at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, he has used other resources available to him with the intention of his studying will pay off with hopefully his career-best ARCA finish under the lights.

“I am doing my best to prepare myself for Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park,” sounded Rose. “From studying photos, watching old ARCA and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, I feel like I’ve been doing my part to help curve any disadvantage I may have.

“I am also lucky enough to have other drivers I can go up and talk to and get advice and bounce thoughts and whatnot not only with the other drivers but my Cook Racing Technologies team too. I think it’s going to be a tough race on Friday night but a fun one.”

The first half of Rose’s partial 2022 schedule is complete, the Martinsburg, West Virginia native is focused on making the second half much better than the first which includes better results while also building a bigger fan base off the track.

“We are not leaving anything untouched,” added Rose. “There is no question that we have had speed in our No. 42 West Virginia Tourism race cars this season, but unfortunately for a variety of reasons we have not been able to deliver the results that we expect as a team for our partners.

“We are working hard to deliver big results for all our partners and even more fun with the fans this season. We have a few surprises on deck and can’t wait to roll it all out in the coming weeks and months ahead.”

This season, Rose who will compete in all three of ARCA’s national platforms, the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East and the ARCA Menards Series West will continue to strengthen a relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism.

The West Virginia Department of Tourism promotes West Virginia as a leading four-season travel destination and a top state to live, work and retire.

Known as the Mountain State, West Virginia is one of the most scenic states in the United States and home to thousands of acres of parks and public lands, including America’s newest national park and 45 state parks and forests.

In addition to its majestic mountains and rolling hills, West Virginia is full of rich historic sites, enchanting art galleries, charming towns and an immense sense of belonging found only in its heaven-like landscapes.

In West Virginia, let country roads lead you far away from everything. And a little closer to heaven.

“My relationship with the West Virginia Department of Tourism is everything to me,” added Rose.

“Without them, I would not be able to race at Lucas Oil Raceway. It is my goal throughout the year to spread the mission of everything the West Virginia Department of Tourism means.

“It goes without saying that we have had a lot of speed with our West Virginia Department of Tourism race cars this year and I’m hopeful we can climb that ladder of consistency during the summer stretch.

“We are seeing a great amount of response from the fans about their experience in West Virginia and that’s part of why we are building this program. Indianapolis is another next in the journey and I look forward to proudly representing my home state and continuing my mission.”

Before turning attention to the race on Friday, Rose will join a slew of his ARCA competitors, media personalities and NASCAR drivers in the Reese’s Celebrity Pro-Am Go-Kart Challenge at Speedway Indoor Karting on Thursday, July 28. The first race of the night will go green just past 8:00 pm ET.

College baseball star-turned-racecar driver Rose has announced his participation the star-studded event that will see professional drivers take on members of the media, local celebrities, and race fans in a series of “qualifying races” that will see the three fastest professionals, the three fastest media members and celebrities, and the three fastest race fans all compete in a special “feature event.”

All winners will receive a special prize pack from ARCA, Speedway Indoor Karting, and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Fans can participate in the Reese’s Celebrity Pro-Am Go-Kart Challenge for just $32 per race. Proceeds from the night’s activities will benefit Paws and Think.

Speedway Indoor Karting is located at 1067 N. Main Street in Speedway, Indiana.

“I am looking forward to Thursday night’s Reese’s Celebrity Pro-Am Go-Kart Challenge,” sounded Rose.

“It will be a great opportunity to raise some money and have a lot of fun.”

Following Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Rose and CRT plan to compete in the ARCA Menards Series Sprecher 150 at The Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile on Sun., Aug. 28.

For more on Christian Rose, please like him on Facebook (Christian Rose Racing) or follow him on Instagram (@christianroseracing) and Twitter (@CRoseRacing).

The Reese’s 200 (200 laps | 137 miles) is the 11th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 29, 2022, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 2:15 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and the FOX Sports App beginning at 6:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

About The West Virginia Department of Tourism:

The West Virginia Department of Tourism promotes West Virginia as a leading four-season travel destination and top state to live, work and retire.

Known as the Mountain State, West Virginia is one of the most scenic states in the United States and home to thousands of acres of parks and public lands, including America’s newest national park and 45 state parks and forests.

In addition to its majestic mountains and rolling hills, West Virginia is full of rich historic sites, enchanting art galleries, charming towns and an immense sense of belonging found only in its heaven-like landscapes.

BROWNSBURG, Ind: After a tough outing at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway last weekend, Greg Van Alst and his team look to his hometown race of Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for an opportunity to return to normalcy in Friday night’s Reese’s 200.

Van Alst returned to the 2.5-mile triangular track of Pocono last weekend hoping to leave a dreadful 2021 experience in the past, but after producing strong practice results on Thursday, the black cloud returned over the team’s head on Friday which left the team scrambling to put a backup car together and complete in the General Tire Delivers 200.

A long race that was cut short by darkness left Van Alst with a less than pleasing 15th-place finish – but the trouble did not stop in Long Pond.

Trying to return home, Van Alst’s truck which hauls his No. 35 CB Fabricating Ford Fusion broke down costing the team precious time and even more frustration.

Remaining cool, calm and collected through it all, Van Alst has had some time to reflect and is poised to stay focused and humble when the bad days try to overtake.

“It hasn’t been a good few days, so I’m hoping that Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park will be a lot kinder to us because we deserve it,” said Van Alst. “I am excited to be going to a track I am very familiar with.”

While the immensely popular half-mile short track returning to the ARCA Menards Series schedule for the first time in a few years, Van Alst will be one of a few drivers who have prior experience at the half-mile oval and he is hoping his Super Late Model success will transition to a 3,400-pound stock car on Friday night.

Thinking back to prior tracks the popular ARCA driver has turned laps in Super Late Models before, Van Alst’s first reaction was to rewind back to Winchester Speedway last summer where he earned a career-best runner-up finish in the ARCA Menards Series.

“Last year at Winchester, I felt like my experience at the track was better than having a good car,” added Van Alst. “We were able to work on car set up immediately versus me getting used to the track and it showed up in the end results, so that is our plan of attack this weekend.”

Just past the halfway point in the ARCA Menards Series schedule, the Anderson, Ind. native realizes that there is still plenty of racing left, but he wants results to coincide with the remaining races and the 200-lap race on Friday night is a prime opportunity to hit the reboot button.

“We are struggling through this rough patch of races and circumstances, but we will persevere,” sounded Van Alst. “All we can do is work a little harder and a little more. We need to get back to our top-10s and I think Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is a great place to reboot our season.

“After the last few races, I just need a solid race. A top-10 is what we need and all we need to get back on track. If we can also gain ground on our short track program it will be a success.”

Chris Barkdull’s CB Fabricating, a longtime partner with Greg Van Alst Motorsports has boosted its commitment to the team and will continue its role as the primary marketing partner of Van Alst’s No. 35 Ford Fusion.

Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.

Their 26,000-square-foot facility allows them to service the needs of many different industries. Everything from the Automotive, agricultural, aquatic, medical, transportation, electrical enclosures, and much more.

“We are just past the halfway point of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season and the consistency we have shown over the last two months is the type of pace that will keep Chris and everyone on this team in it for the long haul,” expressed Van Alst. “Yes, the last two races have been a little rocky, but it’s very hard to have a perfect season without any bumps in the road.

“We have even bigger goals that we’d like to conquer in the second half of the season and I know that keeps Chris and I excited about the path and longevity of our team. With every race complete, even if it is not the finish we are hoping for, it’s a small victory for our team knowing the large mountain that is still left to climb. I’m thankful to have the support of Chris and CB Fabricating.”

In addition to CB Fabricating, Top Choice Fence, Norton Transport, KRJ Race Products and Lintz Creative will serve as associate marketing partners for Van Alst’s 22nd career ARCA start.

Entering Indianapolis, Van Alst sits a career-high fifth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, eight points out of fourth and 72 markers in the arrears to championship leader Rajah Caruth.

“Step by step and with a little luck, I hope we will soon find ourselves a part of the championship picture,” sounded Van Alst. “We have nine races to propel ourselves forward and make an amazing comeback. It’s not going to come without some luck and strong finishes, but we are not going to go down without a fight. This is a tough series and we are still proud of where we are at.

“We still stay focused.”

Before turning attention to the race on Friday, Van Alst will join a slew of his ARCA competitors, media personalities and NASCAR drivers in the Reese’s Celebrity Pro-Am Go-Kart Challenge at Speedway Indoor Karting on Thursday, July 28. The first race of the night will go green just past 8:00 pm ET.

The star-studded event will see professional drivers take on members of the media, local celebrities, and race fans in a series of “qualifying races” that will see the three fastest professionals, the three fastest media members and celebrities and the three fastest race fans all compete in a special “feature event.”

All winners will receive a special prize pack from ARCA, Speedway Indoor Karting, and Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Fans can participate in the Reese’s Celebrity Pro-Am Go-Kart Challenge for just $32 per race. Proceeds from the night’s activities will benefit Paws and Think.

Speedway Indoor Karting is located at 1067 N. Main Street in Speedway, Indiana.

“I’m always down for some good competition and Thursday night’s Reese’s Celebrity Pro-Am Go-Kart Challenge is definitely going to provide that,” Van Alst mentioned. “It’s for a great cause with a lot of good people, so I hope the race fans turn out and help make it memorable.”

For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).

For more on CB Fabricating, please visit CBFabricating.com and like them on Facebook (CB Fabricating).

The Reese’s 200 (200 laps | 137 miles) is the 11th of 20 races on the 2022 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins on Friday, July 29, 2022, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. General Tire pole qualifying kicks off at 2:15 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) and the FOX Sports App beginning at 6:00 p.m. ARCARacing.com will also stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (ET).

Friday, July 29
Track: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, 0.686 mile short oval
Race: 11 of 20
Event: Reese’s 200 (200 laps / 137 miles)

Schedule

Friday, July 29
Practice: 12:30 p.m. ET
Qualifying: 2:15 p.m. ET
Race: 6:00 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1)

Taylor Gray, No. 17 Ford Performance Mustang

• Taylor Gray makes his second career ARCA Menards Series start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis (Ind.) Raceway Park, his seventh ARCA National appearance this season.
• The 17-year-old is coming off back-to-back wins, leading 38 laps en route to a darkness-shortened victory at Pocono Raceway. Gray currently leads the ARCA Menards Series in wins this season with three, taking the checkered flag at Phoenix Raceway, Mid-Ohio, and Pocono Raceway.
• The Ford Performance driver will pull double duty with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making his fifth start in the No. 17 Ford F-150 this season at IRP.
• Following last week’s victory at Pocono Raceway, the Artesia, NM native has an average finish of 4.8 through the 2022 season.

LONG POND, Pa. (July 22, 2022) — Friday was an up-and-down day for Taylor Gray, but it ended on an upswing.

The 17-year-old driver from Denver, North Carolina, was declared the winner of the ARCA Menards Series General Tire Delivers 200 at Pocono Raceway on Friday when the race was called 16 laps early due to encroaching darkness.

While Gray led more than half of the event, he lost a lap during the first of two scheduled race breaks after a slow pit stop meant he didn’t beat the pace car off pit road. He would be forced to race his way back onto the lead lap.

A timely caution for the stalled car of Parker Chase on Lap 46 allowed Gray to get back on the lead lap. Gray’s crew chief Chad Johnston wisely called his driver to pit road to top off with fuel during the caution period while the leaders stayed out.

“All props to Chad Johnston for making a good call,” Gray said following his series-best third ARCA Menards Series victory this year. “Heck of a call by Chad being able to make it on fuel.”

Gray then avoided a multi-car crash involving Amber Balcaen, Andy Jankowiak, Sean Corr and Ed Pompa between Turns 2-3 that brought the caution back out with 31 laps left in the scheduled distance. Following a lengthy red flag for clean-up, all of the leaders that opted not to pit during the previous caution made their pit stops for fuel.

That gave the lead to Gray, a position he held for the remainder of the race. The event was ultimately called after 64 laps following a caution flag for a spin by Jesse Love.

“Whenever we went a lap down, I definitely didn’t think we’d end up here,” Gray said after a celebratory burnout on the frontstretch of the 2.5-mile speedway. “There is no quit in us at DGR, and I can’t thank all my guys enough.”

Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez was within a second of Gray in the final laps, but the caution for Love’s spin ended his hopes of scoring his third ARCA Menards Series victory of the season.

“We just pitted and kind of covered ourselves on tires,” Sanchez said. “Restarted I think fourth and got to second. Just kind of ran out of laps. I don’t know what lap we ended on, whether it be 60 or 65, I think if it went the distance our car would have come in and we would have gotten him.”

NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Brandon Jones crossed the finish line third, followed by ARCA Menards Series championship points leader Rajah Caruth in fourth and Daniel Dye in fifth.

Connor Mosack, Jake Finch, Kris Wright, Jason Kitzmiller and Toni Breidinger completed the top-10 finishers.

Saturday brings another day of jam-packed racing in Pocono, including the CRC Brakleen 150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (noon) and the Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 NASCAR Xfinity Series (5:30 p.m.). The NASCAR Cup Series hits ‘The Tricky Triangle’ for practice (2:35 p.m.) and qualifying (3:20 p.m.). The M&M’SⓇ Fan Appreciation 400 NASCAR Cup Series main event is slated for Sunday at 3 p.m.