PIT BOX: ARCA Menards Series’ short track stretch continues at Berlin

Call it the summer of short track racing for the ARCA Menards Series, or at least the July of short track racing.

A week after Corey Heim stunned observers when he pushed Ty Gibbs out of the way to win at Elko Speedway, the series visits another paved oval smaller than a half-mile in length.

Saturday night’s Zinsser SmartCoat 200 at the 7/16-mile Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan, marks the third short-track race of the 2021 season for the ARCA Menards Series. The event is the second of four consecutive short track races on the schedule through the end of the month; the series also will visit Iowa Speedway on July 24 and Winchester Speedway on July 31.

Tickets to Saturday night’s race at Berlin are available. The event will broadcast live on MAVTV Motorsports Network starting at 8 p.m. ET with a live stream available on NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass.

Zinsser SmartCoat 200 at Berlin Raceway

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Because of what happened at Elko, all eyes at Berlin will be on Heim and Gibbs.

Heim as a result of his fourth victory of the season, coupled with Gibbs’ fourth-place run last week, has a seven-point lead over his rival in the championship standings entering the 10th of 20 races on the schedule.

The 19-year-old Venturini Motorsports (VMS) driver viewed his aggressive move in the closing laps at Elko as a bit of revenge for what he deemed hostile driving by the 18-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver earlier in the race. We will soon find out whether Ty Gibbs views Saturday night’s race at Berlin as a chance to get his revenge on Heim.

Gibbs and Heim are among the ARCA Menards Series regulars on the entry list for the Zinsser SmartCoat 200. Thad Moffitt and Nick Sanchez, the drivers who rank third and fourth in points, respectively, also are entered.

Heim’s win at Elko led a podium sweep for VMS, as part-time drivers Jesse Love and Gracie Trotter finished second and third, respectively, each setting a new career best.

Both Love and Trotter are entered again for VMS at Berlin. Love, the defending ARCA Menards Series West champion, will make his third ARCA Menards Series start for the team. Trotter will make her sixth start for VMS.

Love and Trotter were teammates as full-time competitors in the West Series for Bill McAnally Racing (BMR) last season, when the latter became the first female to win a race on the ARCA Menards platform (Las Vegas Bullring in September). Love still races full-time for BMR in the West Series and is looking to repeat as champion.

Our Fearless leader @JeffStriegle said it! @CoreyHeim3 vs @TyGibbs_ Part 2!! Bring it ON!!! https://t.co/qA9XhBJWnL

— Berlin Raceway (@BerlinRaceway) July 12, 2021

Taylor Gray, the 16-year-old David Gilliland Racing driver who was sidelined from ARCA Menards competition for 13 weeks as he recovered from injuries sustained in an April street car accident, made his return to the platform last week at Elko and finished fifth. He will race again at Berlin.

The Berlin event marks the second of five consecutive ARCA Menards Series races in which Gray plans to compete.

Two drivers who made their series debuts last week at Elko are back in the field for Saturday night’s race at Berlin. Daniel Dye (seventh at Elko) will run his second AMS race for GMS Racing. Adam Lemke (10th at Elko) is back in the seat for Rette Jones Racing.

The complete entry list for Saturday’s Zinsser SmartCoat 200 at Berlin Raceway can be viewed here.

RACING REFERENCE:

• ARCA Menards Series Points
• Previous races at Berlin
• ARCA Menards Series drivers at Berlin

RACE FACTS

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Zinsser SmartCoat 200 is limited to 24 plus provisional positions. This event will be run under the 2021 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: : Two consecutive laps qualifying. No adjustments or repairs may be made on car after taking the green flag at start/finish line. All cars must make a qualifying attempt, and all drivers must practice before they can qualify.

RACE PIT STOP: Break pit stop procedure. Breaks at or near the conclusion of Laps 75 and 125. All cars will be required to make at least one pit stop before the last 10 laps of the race. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started.

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 six (6).