PIT BOX: ARCA Menards Series West set for return to Shasta Speedway

After an eight-year absence, the ARCA Menards Series West will return to the 0.375-mile Shasta Speedway oval located in Anderson, California.

Shasta hosted its first event for what was then the NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Series in 1967 before becoming a mainstay on the schedule in the late 1970s through the mid-1980s. Three-time series champion Jim Robinson led all drivers with three Shasta victories, while other winners included Bill Schmitt, Jimmy Insolo and 1990 Daytona 500 champion Derrike Cope.

The most recent ARCA Menards Series West event at Shasta took place in 2015, which was the first race at the facility since 1993. Two dozen cars took the green flag on a night that saw Chris Eggleston pass James Bickford with six laps remaining to score his second and final win on a championship season.

A fresh crop of drivers and veterans are heading to Shasta on Saturday evening for an opportunity to win at the historic track themselves and build momentum during the second half of the ARCA Menards Series West season.

Tickets to the Shasta 150 are available here. Below is everything to know about the event.

Shasta Speedway

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Sean Hingorani will return to the driver’s seat at Shasta Speedway this weekend after serving a one-race suspension for intentionally crashing Venturini Motorsports teammate Dean Thompson at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

That incident is the only major blemish on Hingorani’s solid rookie season to date. Consecutive victories at Irwindale Speedway and Kern County Raceway Park currently have him just 14 points behind Landen Lewis in the ARCA Menards Series West standings.

Both Hingorani and Lewis will have some additional competition this weekend from Jake Drew. The defending ARCA Menards Series West champion has only made just one start this year in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, but he looks to pick up from where he left off in 2022 while driving the No. 41 for Lowden-Jackson Motorsports.

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With Drew now in the flagship car for Lowden-Jackson, Tyler Reif moves over to pilot the No. 13 owned by veteran driver Todd Souza. Reif opened the year with a surprising victory in the ARCA Menards Series West season-opener at Phoenix Raceway, but he has only registered one Top 5 finish since then.

Souza, who is in the middle of his final full-time ARCA Menards Series West campaign, is fielding a second No. 3 entry for himself at Shasta Speedway. Joining him for the series’ return to Shasta is the usual group of full-time competitors that include Bradley Erickson, Tanner Reif and the most recent winner at Irwindale in Trevor Huddleston.

The complete entry list for the Shasta 150 will be released later this week.

RACING REFERENCE:

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

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Shasta 150 is limited to 20 starters plus provisionals. The event will run under the 2023 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: Starting lineup set by each car’s fastest recorded lap in General Tire Pole Qualifying (single car/2 laps)

RACE PIT STOP: Pitting during any caution period for the Shasta 150 will be for adding fuel, making repairs or adjustments only. No tires can be changed unless approved by ARCA Officials. Positions will not be gained or lost among those pitting on same lap unless they are under penalty or go down a lap on pit road.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: The maximum race day tire usage for the Shasta 150 (total “from home” plus purchased at-track) is 8. Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race is two (2).