The ARCA Menards Series West, along with the entire ARCA platform, will formally wrap up an eventful 2023 campaign with Friday’s Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 at Phoenix Raceway (11:30 a.m. MT / 2:30 p.m. ET on FloRacing).
Even before the track started hosting races for the NASCAR Cup Series back in 1988, Phoenix had long been a staple on the West Series calendar. Seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty took three checkered flags between 1977-84, with other notable winners including Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough and Neil Bonnett.
The late 1980s and most of the 1990s saw the West Series run a combination event with the Cup Series at Phoenix before the race eventually branched off into a West Series standalone. Several of NASCAR’s top competitors still found their way to Phoenix’s Victory Lane in a West Series event after this change, with the list including Ken Schrader, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.
Now acting as the grand finale for ARCA in 2023, Phoenix will see competitors from both the East and West Coast coalesce in one last opportunity to obtain a victory this year before shifting their focus to offseason preparations.
Tickets for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 can be purchased here. Below is everything you need to know for Friday’s West Series finale.
Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 at Phoenix Raceway
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
Even though he did not lock up the ARCA Menards Series West championship at Madera Speedway, Sean Hingorani enters Phoenix Raceway in control of his own destiny.
Hingorani’s rookie year with Venturini Motorsports has been nothing short of efficient. The Newport Beach, California native has amassed four victories, two poles, six top fives and 385 laps led while piloting the No. 15 Mobil 1 Toyota.
The success has given him a comfortable, 30-point advantage in the West Series standings entering Friday’s finale.
Despite this, Hingorani and his team face an uphill battle in the fight for the West Series owner’s title. The No. 17 operated by Steve McGowan leads Hingorani and Venturini by 18 points following a strong end to the 2023 season that has seen that team win two of the last three races.
Kaden Honeycutt was responsible for those wins after taking over for Landen Lewis following the eighth event of the year at Washington’s Evergreen Speedway. Honeycutt is once again back in the No. 17 for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 as he looks to close out the owner’s title for McGowan.
RELATED: Watch the West Series finale on FloRacing
Joining Hingorani and Honeycutt for Phoenix will be plenty of familiar names from the other two ARCA divisions. Leading this group is 2023 ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich, who is looking to wrap up his stellar year by obtaining his first West Series checkered flag.
NASCAR’s Chief Hype Officer Dylan “Mamba” Smith is also on the preliminary entry list for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100. Also a part-time driver, Smith is making his West Series debut Friday piloting the No. 02 Flag Pole Buddy Chevrolet for Young’s Motorsports.
Other drivers set to compete at Phoenix this weekend include three additional Venturini cars driven by Dean Thompson, Toni Breidinger and Kris Wright, along with Lavar Scott, Sebastian Arias, Joey Iest, and veteran John Borneman III.
The complete entry list for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 can be found here.
RACING REFERENCE:
RACE FACTS:
| RACE | Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 |
| PLACE | Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona |
| DATE | Friday, Nov. 3, 2023 |
| TIME | 11:30 a.m. MT/2:30 p.m. ET |
| TV CHANNEL/LIVE STREAM | CNBC (Delayed, Nov. 11, 2 p.m. ET) / FloRacing (Live) |
| RADIO | ARCARacing.com |
| TRACK LAYOUT | One-mile paved tri-oval |
| LAPS | 100 |
CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 is limited to 30 starters plus provisionals. This event will run under the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.
QUALIFYING: Starting lineup set by speeds in the timed session, plus provisionals.
RACE PIT STOP: Break pitting procedure. Break at / or near the conclusion of Lap 50. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started. All cars will be required to make at least one pit stop prior to last 10 laps of race.
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum tire usage for this event (purchased plus from-home tires) is 10. Maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race = 4, 2 for break and 2 for emergency use; all emergency tire changes must be approved by ARCA official (EIRI).
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