ARCA Menards Series standings: Breaking down the top 10 in points after at Pocono

The battle for the ARCA Menards Series championship got even tighter following Friday’s General Tire Delivers 200 at Pocono Raceway, as the top three drivers in the series standings all garnered top-10 finishes.

Rajah Caruth remains the ARCA Menards Series championship leader following a fourth-place finish at the Tricky Triangle, but his Rev Racing teammate Nick Sanchez gained a few points on him following a runner-up result. Daniel Dye also remains in the mix following a fifth-place result.

RELATED: Complete Pocono Raceway results

Sanchez is now only three points in arrears of Caruth, with Dye remaining nine points back in third. The day started with Caruth holding a six point advantage on Sanchez.

Behind them, several other drivers within the top 10 in the ARCA Menards Series standings enjoyed solid days.

Below is a breakdown of the how the top 10 drivers in the standings fared in the General Tire Delivers 200, as well as a complete look at the ARCA Menards Series standings.

1. Rajah Caruth: 480 points

Caruth was in the hunt throughout most of Friday’s General Tire 200, running as high as fourth during the the early portion of the event. However, he got buried in the field after coming in to top off his fuel tank during a caution period near Lap 40. He was forced to work his way back through the field, eventually making it back to fourth by the time the race was called due to encroaching darkness. It was his fifth top-five finish this year.

2. Nick Sanchez: 477 points

Sanchez had a shot to earn his third ARCA Menards Series victory of the season Friday at Pocono. After starting fifth, he made his way to the lead shortly after a restart on Lap 39. He held that spot until he made a pit stop for fuel with 29 laps left in the scheduled distance. Unfortunately, Sanchez ran out of time to challenge eventual race winner Taylor Gray when the event was called after 64 laps due to darkness. He settled for second, his third top-five finish of the season.

3. Daniel Dye: 471 points

Dye was never in contention during Friday’s General Tire Delivers 200, but he stayed out of trouble to keep himself in the hunt for the ARCA Menards Series championship. He ultimately finished fifth to earn his fifth top-five finish of the season for GMS Racing.

4. Toni Breidinger: 416 points 

A quiet and uneventful day was exactly what the doctor ordered for Breidinger, as the Venturini Motorsports driver kept her No. 25 Toyota clean throughout Friday’s race. She narrowly avoided a multi-car pileup with 31 laps left and was able to cross the finish line 10th to earn her fourth top-10 finish of the season.

5. Greg Van Alst: 408 points 

It wasn’t a good weekend for veteran racer Van Alst, who crashed his primary car during Thursday’s pre-race practice at the 2.5-mile speedway. His team pulled out the backup car and Van Alst was able to solider through the General Tire Delivers 200 to earn a 15th-place finish.

6. Amber Balcean: 392 points

Luck has not been on the side of Balcaen lately, and that continued Friday evening. She was running at the back of the top 10 when she was collected in a four-car crash at the exit of Turn 2 that destroyed her race car. She was unable to finish the race and was credited with a 21st-place finish.

7. Brad Smith: 344 points 

It was a quiet and otherwise uneventful day for Smith, who started 26th in the 28-car field and was able to advance nine positions to finish 17th by the time the race was called after 64 laps.

8. Sammy Smith: 309 points

A winner of two ARCA Menards Series events already this season, Smith raced within the top five for much of the General Tire Delivers 200. However, he was forced to the pits with 25 laps left in the scheduled distance due to a flat left-rear tire. He was unable to make up the lost ground when the race was declared official moments later, leaving Smith to finish 12th after starting from the pole.

9. Taylor Gray: 298 points 

Friday was an up-and-down day for Gray that ended on an upswing. Gray took the lead at the start of the General Tire Delivers 200 but found himself a lap down near the midway point of the race after a slow pit stop. He was able to get back on the lead lap and, thanks to perfect strategy from crew chief Chad Johnston, got back to the lead shortly before the race was declared official after 64 laps due to encroaching darkness. It was his series-best third ARCA Menards Series victory of the season.

10. Jesse Love: 276

Love appeared to be in position for a top-five finish during the General Tire Delivers 200, but contact late in the race sent him spinning between Turns 2 and 3. The spin dropped him to 13th, one lap off the pace of race winner Gray, when the race was declared official.

ARCA Menards Series standings