PIT BOX: West Championship Race Coming In Hot At Phoenix

Jesse Love and Blaine Perkins have led by far the most laps in ARCA Menards Series West competition in 2020 — a combined 651. They also have won six of the 10 races run thus far this season, with three victories apiece.

So the 15-year-old Love and the 20-year-old Perkins naturally are the two drivers who have chances to leave Saturday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway with a West Series championship.

The Arizona Lottery 100, the 11th and final ARCA Menards Series West race of the season, is part of NASCAR championship weekend at the one-mile oval in Avondale, Arizona.

Saturday’s race will air live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold at noon MST / 2 p.m. ET. A radio broadcast will be available on MRN. Phoenix Raceway has limited tickets available for its INfield Hub reserved table seats or its Hillside options. Fans can call 866-408-RACE to purchase.

Arizona Lottery 100 at Phoenix Raceway

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

This one is all about the ARCA Menards Series West championship battle, which is down to two drivers because of the car count at Phoenix.

A total of 27 cars are entered for Saturday’s West finale, enough to pack the track with action but not enough to give Gracie Trotter a chance to win the title over Love and Perkins.

Trotter, the 19-year-old who is third in the West standings, enters the race 36 points behind the leader Love. To steal the title, she would have needed to win while Love finished worse than 31st and Perkins finished worse than 17th.

So Perkins, who enters the Phoenix race 14 points behind Love, is the only driver who can jump the current points leader for the title. And he is well within striking distance.

“I’ve been doing the same thing all year,” said Perkins after his third-place finish at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California, the last time the West Series was in action. “My focus is to win races.”

Love finished eighth at Kern County, marking the first time in 10 West races he has finished worse than fourth. The result allowed Perkins to gain a few crucial points ahead of the finale.

“Come Phoenix, who knows?” said Perkins. “We’re going for that P1.”

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In his first year driving the No. 19 NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota for Bill McAnally Racing, Love leads the series in top-five finishes (nine), General Tire Pole Awards (four) and laps led (369). His average finish of 2.9 is by far the best among drivers who have run all 10 West races in 2020.

Love has not finished worse than eighth all season, and he needs to finish eighth or better at Phoenix to clinch the championship regardless of where Perkins finishes.

Some good news for Love: He has some experience at Phoenix this year, as he ran the ARCA Menards Series race there back in March.

Some good news for Perkins: Love finished 16th in that race after a late incident. A similar result this time around would open the door for Perkins’ potential championship.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous West races Phoenix
• West drivers at Phoenix
• ARCA Menards Series West Standings

RACE FACTS

RACE CENTER | ENTRY LIST | Media Guide

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Arizona Lottery 100 is limited to 26 plus provisional positions. This event will be run under the 2020 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

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

RACE PIT STOP: A maximum four (4) crew members may service car. Break pitting procedure. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started. The Arizona Lottery 100 will be 100 laps (100 miles) and is to be run in two (2) segments. There will be a break at or near the conclusion of Lap 50.

The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race is 12 (12).