PIT BOX: Wine country awaits ARCA Menards Series West field at Sonoma Raceway

The 2023 ARCA Menards Series West season continues this Friday afternoon with one of the most traditional stops on the series schedule, Sonoma Raceway.

The 1.99-mile road course will welcome the series for the 44th time with the running of the General Tire 200. The series first visited Sonoma Raceway in 1969, with Ray Elder and Jack McCoy splitting a pair of events that season.

The series returned in 1978, and the track became a regular fixture on the West Series schedule with the exception of a brief hiatus from 1999-05.

Among the drivers to earn West Series victories at Sonoma are NASCAR Hall of Famers Hershel McGriff, Rusty Wallace, Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt and Mark Martin. Other familiar faces to visit Victory Lane in West Series competition at Sonoma include Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, Ricky Rudd, Ernie Irvan and Geoff Bodine.

Jake Drew, the reigning West Series champion, is the most recent series winner at Sonoma.

Tickets to Friday’s General Tire 200 are available here. Below is everything to know about the event.

General Tire 200 at Sonoma Raceway

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Sonoma Raceway is one of those tracks where experience matters. That’s why the ARCA Menards Series West events at the venue typically feature several NASCAR stars who are looking to gain valuable track time.

Friday’s General Tire 200 will be no different, as no less than six competitors from the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series are scheduled to compete.

Headlining that list is Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece, who will make just his second start in the West Series in the No. 9 Ford. His only other West Series start also came at Sonoma in 2019.

Sammy Smith makes his return to the West Series after winning the 2022 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. He’ll be aboard the No. 81 Toyota owned by Shigeaki Hattori.

MORE SONOMA: Buy Tickets | Event Schedule

Returning for their second consecutive events with the West Series after racing last Friday at Portland International Raceway will be Cole Custer, Riley Herbst, Kyle Sieg and Parker Retzlaff. Custer had a strong weekend at Portland, finishing second in the West Series event before winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series race the following day.

It won’t be an easy task for any of those drivers to visit Victory Lane at Sonoma, as they’ll be battling the best the West Series has to offer. Leading the charge will be championship leader Landen Lewis, who bested Custer to win his first race of the year last Friday at Portland.

Sean Hingorani and Trevor Huddleston will look to rebound from a last-lap incident at Portland that dropped them both outside of the top 10. Dale Quarterley will pursue another strong run after a third-place finish last Friday evening.

Other notable entries include William Sawalich, Jack Wood, Sebastian Arias, Bradley Erickson, Kyle Keller, Todd Souza, Tyler Reif, Tanner Reif and Nick Joanides.

The complete entry list for Friday’s General Tire 200 is available here.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA races at Sonoma
• ARCA Menards Series West drivers at Sonoma

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the General Tire 200 is limited to 26 starters plus provisionals. This event will run under the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West rules, procedures, regulations, and specifications.

QUALIFYING: Starting position will be set by each car’s fastest recorded lap per the Timed Session qualifying procedure, plus provisionals.

RACE PIT STOP: There will be a scheduled caution at or near lap 32. Pitting during any caution period in this event will be for adding fuel, making repairs and adjustments only, no tires can be changed unless approved by ARCA officials. Positions will not be gained or lost among those pitting on the same lap unless penalty or going a lap down on pit road. All cars will be required to make at least one pit stop prior to last 10 laps of race. (Learn about all of ARCA’s pit stop procedures here.)

The maximum tire allotment available for this event is as follows: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum tire usage for this event (purchased plus from-home tires) is eight (8). Maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race = two (2) for emergency use only.