ARCA Menards Series 2024 Bounty Rookie Challenge winners: Lavar Scott, Connor Zilisch and Eric Johnson Jr.

Impressive debut seasons from three young drivers on the ARCA Menards Series platform in 2024 were enough for them to be recognized as Bounty Rookie Challenge winners.

The Bounty Rookie Challenge represents the rookie of the year award on the ARCA Menards platform. Unlike the championship, rookie points in the ARCA Menards Series are awarded strictly on a driver’s finishing position in each race.

Each ARCA Menards Series division — the national ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West — awards an overall Bounty Rookie Challenge award at the end of the year.

Below is each individual Bounty Rookie Challenge winner from the 2024 season.

ARCA Menards Series Bounty Rookie of the Year: Lavar Scott

After previously contesting the ARCA Menards Series East championship in 2023, Lavar Scott made the jump to full-time competition on the national platform.

The Carney’s Point, New Jersey native amassed a solid campaign piloting Rev Racing’s No. 6 Chevrolet. Scoring 11 top fives across 20 races were enough for Scott to earn the Bounty Rookie Challenge award and obtain a second-place points finish behind Rev Racing teammate Andres Perez.

A long-time NASCAR Drive for Diversity member, Scott began to find his stride during the summer following a streak of rough races to open the year. The final 12 races on the ARCA Menards Series schedule saw Scott tally nine top-five finishes, which included three straight performances of fifth or better to close out his stellar rookie year.

The closest Scott came to Victory Lane occurred at Elko Speedway in August. He led a career-high 100 laps at the quarter-mile bullring but had to play defense during the closing laps against ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich, who narrowly edged Scott in a photo finish by .011 seconds.

Scott was unable to mount a challenge against Perez for the ARCA Menards Series championship, but he does enter the offseason with momentum on his side as he looks to earn his first win on the platform.

ARCA Menards Series East Bounty Rookie of the Year: Connor Zilisch

No driver made a name for his or her self on the ARCA Menards Series platform this year quite like Connor Zilisch.

An accomplished, versatile road racer with class victories in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring on his resume, Zilisch burst onto the scene by winning four of the eight races on the 2024 ARCA Menards Series East schedule, which helped him easily secure the Bounty Rookie Challenge Award.

The accomplishments Zilisch accumulated in 2024 extended far beyond the East Series. He won a combined total of seven events across the three ARCA Menards Series divisions and often had to fend off another young prospect in William Sawalich to do so, which resulted in a fierce rivalry between the two.

Zilisch nearly got the upper hand on Sawalich in the East Series championship fight, as he entered the finale at Bristol Motor Speedway with a comfortable points lead. Zilisch got caught up in an accident with the lapped car of Logan Misuraca, which gave the title to Sawalich and put a damper on an otherwise incredible year.

The next chapter for Zilisch will see him move to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2025. He is set to drive the No. 88 for JR Motorsports, the same car he drove to victory in his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International earlier in 2024.

ARCA Menards Series West Bounty Rookie of the Year: Eric Johnson Jr.

A season of consistency across the 12-race ARCA Menards Series West schedule allowed Eric Johnson Jr. to claim the Bounty Rookie Challenge award.

The LaCenter, Washington native previously contested four races with Bill McAnally in 2023, earning top-10 finishes at Portland International Raceway and All American Speedway. Johnson managed to retain the seat for 2024 as he looked to build cohesion with McAnally and earn more solid results.

Johnson endured his fair share of challenges across his first full-time West Series season. Despite this, Johnson was able to finish all but one race and amassed six finishes inside the top 10, which enabled him to place sixth in the final West Series point standings.

The best race for Johnson on the 2024 season came at Madera Speedway. After starting last on the 17-car grid, Johnson methodically worked his way through the pack before bringing home a career-best finish of fourth behind race winner Trevor Huddleston.

No matter how his 2025 plans materialize, Johnson looks to put together more performances like his outing at Madera by building on what he learned from his maiden West Series campaign.