PIT BOX: ARCA Menards Series East championship to be settled Thursday at Bristol

For just the fourth time, Bristol Motor Speedway will welcome the ARCA Menards Series this Thursday (6 p.m. ET on FS1) for the running of the Bristol 200.

The event, the 18th of 20 races on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series schedule, doubles as the final race of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East season. William Sawalich enters the race as the championship leader as he looks to deliver Joe Gibbs Racing its third straight East Series championship.

JGR has won two of the three ARCA national events contested at Bristol with Sammy Smith (2022) and Ty Gibbs (2021). Sam Mayer won the inaugural ARCA national event at the 0.533-mile concrete oval in 2020.

Tickets for Thursday’s Bristol 200 are available here. Below is everything to know about the event.

Bristol 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

The ARCA Menards Series East championship comes down to one night of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway.

William Sawalich, driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, enters Thursday’s Bristol 200 with a healthy, 20-point advantage in the East Series standings ahead of championship rival Luke Fenhaus, driver of the No. 28 Chevrolet for the Pinnacle Racing Group.

Both young drivers will be part of a stacked field of entries for Thursday’s race that will also include four entries from Venturini Motorsports. Leading the Venturini charge will be Jesse Love, who is chasing his 10th ARCA Menards Series victory of the season. He’ll be joined by ARCA Menards Series West championship leader Sean Hingorani, Conner Jones and Toni Breidinger, who is fresh off a career-best third-place effort at Kansas.

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Rev Racing will field three entries for the first time this season, with Andres Perez de Lara, Lavar Scott and Jack Wood all scheduled to compete. Dover Motor Speedway East Series winner Jake Finch will be in action, as will Landon Pembelton, who makes his first start of the year aboard the No. 3 Chevrolet for Mullins Racing.

Daytona winner Greg Van Alst is back for his first start since Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park last month, and West Series championship contender Landen Lewis joins the fray aboard the No. 97 Chevrolet for CR7 Motorsports. Frankie Muniz will look to rebound from a few of difficult weeks in the No. 30 Ford for Rette Jones Racing.

Other notable entries include Christian Rose, Zachary Tinkle, Andy Jankowiak, Caleb Costner, Tanner Arms, Ryan Roulette and Jon Garrett, among others.

The full entry list for Thursday’s Bristol 200 is available here.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA races at Bristol
• ARCA Menards Series drivers at Bristol

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Bristol 200 is limited to 27 starters plus provisionals. This event will run under the 2023 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: By timed session. All cars must make a qualifying attempt and all drivers must practice before they qualify.

RACE PIT STOP: Break pit stop procedure. Break at or near the conclusion of Lap 100. All cars will be required to make at least one pit stop prior to last 10 laps of race. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started. (Learn about all of ARCA’s pit stop procedures here.)

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, the maximum tire use at track (total, “from home” plus purchased at track) for the event is 12. Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race is eight (8).