PIT BOX: William Sawalich seeks redemption as East Series returns to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

A trip to the Music City is in store for the ARCA Menards Series East this weekend in its penultimate standalone event of the season.

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway boasts a proud history of racing that spans more than 100 years, with the ARCA Menards Series now a key part of that culture. The premier division has raced at Nashville six times, while the East Series is preparing to compete there for the fourth consecutive season.

Before the East Series became sanctioned by ARCA, Rogelio Lopez and 2008 champion Matt Kobyluck each scored a victory at Nashville. Under the ARCA banner, names like Grant Enfinger, Zane Smith, Christian Eckes, Sammy Smith and Josh Williams have all visited Nashville’s Victory Lane.

Last year’s East Series race at Nashville featured an incredible finish that came down to an overtime restart. Defending champion William Sawalich led 202 laps in the Music City 200, only to get passed for the win by Luke Fenhaus following a bad restart.

Sawalich will have to fend off a fresh group of East Series competitors Saturday evening if he wants to deliver another Nashville triumph for Joe Gibbs Racing, which has won at the facility twice.

Tickets to Saturday’s Music City 150 can be purchased here. Below is everything to know ahead of the third race on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series East calendar.

Music City 150 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

The good news for William Sawalich is he will not have to deal with Luke Fenhaus this year in pursuit of a Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway win.

Despite this, Pinnacle Racing Group is coming prepared to the Music City with Connor Zilisch back behind the wheel of their No. 28 Chevrolet. Zilisch and Sawalich previously came together at Dover Motor Speedway in late April, which resulted in Sawalich crashing and Zilisch earning his first ARCA Menards Series win.

Both Sawalich and Zilisch still trail Gio Ruggiero in the East Series point standings, and Ruggiero still has momentum following his season-opening win at Five Flags Speedway. Last year’s race at Nashville saw Ruggiero make his East Series debut for Venturini Motorsports; he obtained a solid, fourth-place finish.

Ruggiero was acting as an injury replacement that night for Isabella Robusto, who is now set for her debut East Series appearance with Venturini. Robusto made a strong impression in her first ARCA race at Phoenix Raceway in March, scoring a sixth-place finish after running inside the top five most of the night.

Other names on the preliminary entry list for Nashville include Tanner Reif, Hunter Wright, Andrew Patterson, Jayson Alexander and Presley Sorah.

The complete entry list for the Music City 150 is available here.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA Menards Series East races at Nashville
• ARCA Menards Series East drivers at Nashville

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: The starting field for the Music City 150 is limited to 22 starters plus provisionals. This event will run under the 2024 ARCA Menards Series East rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: The starting lineup is set by fastest of two laps in single car qualifying.

RACE PIT STOP: Break pitting procedure. Break at or near the conclusion of Lap 75. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA rulebook, the maximum tire usage for this event (purchased plus from-home tires) is 12. Maximum number of tires allowed in pit box for use in race is 4 (EIRI).