PIT BOX: ARCA Menards West Returns For Round 2 In Vegas

The ARCA Menards Series West got its season rolling in February at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and will return to the track to begin its championship drive.

The General Tire 150 kicks off a stretch of four races that will culminate in crowning the champion at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 7.

Jesse Love held off a fierce challenge from Blaine Perkins the last time out – at Colorado National Speedway on Saturday Sept. 26. That pushed Love’s lead to seven points, as the two have three wins apiece. The only race one of the two didn’t win? The Bullring, where Sam Mayer took home the honors. But Love and Perkins finished second and third, and with Mayer not returning, the doors wide open.

The General Tire 150 will stream live on TrackPass on NBC Gold, and air on delay on NBCSN.

General Tire 150

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Love made an impressive debut in the No. 19 NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota back in February, leading 12 laps before eventually settling for a runner-up finish. Since, he’s won three times and finished no worse than fourth.

Love is also coming off an impressive fourth-place run in his first race with Venturini Motorsports this past weekend at Winchester Speedway in Indiana in the ARCA Menards Series.

Love also ended Perkins’ two-race win streak with his victory at Colorado, in a race where the two exchanged plenty of contact. Back on the tight confines of The Bullring before heading to a pair of California short tracks, racing space will be at a premium.

It’s getting wild. @jesselovejr1 takes the lead back from @BlainePerkins21 just as @Holley_Hollan loses it! pic.twitter.com/mIequqPWsR

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 22, 2020

Love’s Bill McAnally Racing teammate Gracie Trotter has been inching closer to her first win. She finished fourth at The Bullring in February, is coming off a fourth at Colorado and in the interim, became just the fourth female to win a Late Model Stock Car race at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.

After winning twice last year, Perkins’ Sunrise Ford Racing teammate Trevor Huddleston will look to get back on track. He was fifth at The Bullring, and sits fourth in the standings — five back of Trotter and just two ahead of BMR’s Gio Scelzi.

Former Sunrise Ford driver Dylan Lupton will return to the series as part of a deal with DGR-Crosley that includes three NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series truck starts. Lupton had 32 career West starts between 2011-2014, including a pair of wins.

I’M BACK!

3 truck races with @DGR_Crosley at @LVMotorSpeedway @TXMotorSpeedway and @phoenixraceway 🤘🏻🤘🏻 pic.twitter.com/a2cZEqrWmp

— Dylan Lupton (@LuptonDylan) September 21, 2020

RACING REFERENCE: Previous ARCA Menards West Series races at LVMS Bullring | ARCA Menards West Series drivers’ career stats at LVMS Bullring | 2020 ARCA Menards Series West Standings

RACE FACTS

RACE CENTER | ENTRY LIST | RACE EVENT GUIDE

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the General Tire 150 is limited to 24 starters plus provisional positions. The first 20 drivers will secure starting positions based on qualifying for the General Tire 150. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. This event will be run under the 2020 ARCA Menards Series West rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: Starting position will be set by each car’s fastest recorded lap in the qualifying session.

RACE PIT STOP: Restricted pitting procedure in effect for this event.

The General Tire 150 will be 150 laps (56.25 miles) and is to be run in one (1) segment.

The maximum tire purchase at track for the event is as follows: 4 tires for practice, an additional 4 tires for qualifying and to begin the race.

A team representative must designate qualifying and race tires to ARCA Officials at the designated time.