Tyler Reif prevails at Tri-City for second consecutive West Series victory

www.arcaracing.com August 11, 2024

WEST RICHLAND, Wash. — Race fans who waited more than two decades to witness an ARCA Menards Series West event at Tri-City Raceway were provided a glimpse into NASCAR’s future during Saturday’s NAPA Auto Care 150.

Tyler Reif and Sean Hingorani, who entered the evening separated by five points in the West Series standings, were the two cars to beat through all 150 laps. Reif would be the one to prevail, besting Hingorani during a late-race restart to earn his second consecutive West Series victory.

RELATED: Complete race results from the NAPA Auto Care 150

Trailing Hingorani for most of the night, Reif was didn’t think he’d be able challenge him if the race had gone uninterrupted to the checkered flag. One last restart with 18 laps left gave Reif the opening he was looking for. A perfectly timed restart from the outside line allowed him to make the race-winning pass on Hingorani.

“The laps were counting down faster and faster,” Reif said. “Those cautions surprised me, but we did what we had to do during those last 75 laps. We practiced on the outside a little bit this weekend and it definitely paid off tonight.”

Consistency has been a theme for Reif during his sophomore West Series campaign.

Aside from an 11th-place showing during the season-opener at Phoenix Raceway, Reif has not recorded a finish outside the top five all year.

Reif finally earned his first victory of the 2024 campaign at Shasta Speedway after he led all 150 laps from the pole. Reif and his team needed patience to keep the momentum going from Shasta. After losing the lead to Hingorani early, Reif followed his championship rival around Tri-City’s unique, tri-oval layout before a caution for Jess Havens’ spin enabled Reif to take the lead back in the closing laps.

Hingorani knows every point matters if he wants to defend his West Series title from a season ago. He made some minor inroads on his deficit by earning the pole and leading the most laps at Tri-City, but Reif’s victory means more work for Hingorani over the remaining four races.

The journey to be in title contention has been arduous for Hingorani, who has competed for four different teams during the 2024 West Series season. A victory with Jerry Pitts Racing was within Hingorani’s grasp on Saturday, but he is now turning his attention towards the next event at Madera Speedway in September.

“I wanted more for sure,” Hingorani said. “I felt like we were really good all night. It was a great drive tonight, but I wish we had a little more at the end. I think something might have broke, but it was very odd [to get beat] on the top [during the last restart]. We’ll look over the car and build on it for next time.”

Jack Wood settled for third in the NAPA Auto Care 150 with Todd Souza and Kyle Keller completing the top five. NASCAR legend Greg Biffle, a previous Tri-City track champion, ran in the top five for most of the night, but finished ninth after a late spin.

The ARCA Menards Series West takes more than a month off before traveling to California’s Madera Speedway on September 28 for the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame 150. FloRacing will provide live coverage of the event.