Joey Iest
Joey Iest climbs out of his car after winning the NAPA Auto Parts Colorado 150 for the ARCA Menards Series West at Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, Colorado, on July 31, 2021. (Chet Strange/ARCA Racing)

Joey Iest, Jesse Love split ARCA’s special awards at Colorado

www.arcaracing.com August 3, 2021

Joey Iest’s luck through the first six ARCA Menards Series West races of his career was nothing short of rotten. He qualified in the top five three times, but a series of mechanical problems left him with a best finish of just 11th.

That seemed to change when a strong day at California’s Irwindale Speedway on July 3 paid off with a career-best finish of third, giving Iest a strong wave of momentum to ride coming into Colorado National Speedway.

Iest continued to trend in the right direction as he paced the ARCA Menards Series West special awards winners at Colorado thanks to his NAPA Auto Parts Colorado 150 victory.

Saturday’s inclement weather in Dacono, Colorado, canceled General Tire Pole Qualifying and threatened the race, as well. The lineup was set by points, and Todd Souza held the tiebreaker over Dean Thompson to earn the pole.

The race did not see much action early, as a caution flew on the second lap for a spin by Hiroyuki Ueno. On the ensuing, Lap 7 restart, Cole Moore beat Souza back to the stripe and held the lead for the next 25 laps until teammate and defending series champion Jesse Love took command.

Love locked down the lead for the next 101 laps, earning Richmond Water Heaters Halfway Leader and Valvoline Lap Leader honors along the way.

After looming in second for a number of laps, Iest got his preferred angle on Love and took the race lead permanently on Lap 133. He led the remaining 18 circuits.

Iest’s pass for the win was voted the Reese’s Sweet Move of the Race.

Though he was relegated to second at the checkered flag, Love made huge gains in the yearlong Valvoline Lap Leader standings, as he jumped to third with 107 laps led. Love ranks only behind Dean Thompson (144 laps led) and Ty Gibbs (124 laps led) in the seasonlong tally.

Iest became the 11th different driver to lead an ARCA Menards Series West race in 2021, already topping the 2020 season total after just four events.

Iest was named the Bounty Rookie of the Race with his victory. He is attempting to claw his way back into the Bounty Rookie of the Year chase in which he now trails leader Moore by only 15 points. Jake Drew is second, seven points back of Moore, and Thompson is third, nine points out.

The ARCA Menards Series West will return to action Saturday, Aug. 21 at 10 p.m. ET for a 150-lap event at Irwindale Speedway, the second of two races on the 2021 schedule at the half-mile oval outside of Los Angeles.

NBC Sports Gold’s TrackPass will carry live coverage of the race, and NBCSN will air an edited broadcast on Sunday, Aug. 29 at 4:30 p.m. ET.