Lavar Scott
(Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

Lavar Scott’s ARCA-Xfinity doubleheader at Dover arrives as a dream weekend at his home track

www.arcaracing.com July 16, 2025

Dover Motor Speedway has always been a special track for Lavar Scott.

With the one-mile complex only being an hour away from his hometown of Carney’s Point, New Jersey, Scott will have plenty of family and friends in attendance to witness a milestone in his career. After Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event, Scott on Saturday is set to debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Dover with Alpha Prime Racing.

After years of working to break into NASCAR’s top divisions, Scott considers it fitting that he is doing so at his home track. Two races in one weekend brings more intensity that normal for Scott, but he is cherishing the opportunity to carry over his consistency on the ARCA Menards Series platform into the Xfinity Series.

“I have a lot of mixed emotions, up and down feelings, but it’s all positive,” Scott said. “I’m really confident, but I’m really nervous. It’s a big weekend, so you’re going to have [those feelings], but we’re all athletes. We all go through high-pressure situations, but that’s how you perform, and I think we’re going to perform really well.”

The home-town feel of Dover provides Scott not only comfort ahead of his Xfinity Series debut, but also his familiarity with the track.

Scott’s first appearance at Dover in the ARCA Menards Series East saw him tally a lead-lap finish of fifth after he led four laps. When that race became a combination event with the national ARCA Menards Series last year, Scott once again put together a clean outing and settled for a fourth-place performance.

One reason behind Scott’s two top fives at Dover is his approach to the facility’s unique layout. The high-banked corners enable drivers to build momentum regardless of what groove they choose, a quality that suits Scott’s preference for finding a proper tempo in race conditions.

“[Dover] is definitely a rhythm track,” Scott said. “Those types of tracks are where I’ve been really strong at I would say. Look at Elko. It’s a short-rhythm track, and we have pace there. Last year’s Bristol race and last year’s Dover race, all these tracks where you need to get a rhythm and make laps, I’m really strong at.

“I hope and pray it all carries over to the Xfinity side of things.”

Lavar Scott
Dover Motor Speedway’s unique layout has catered to Lavar Scott’s driving style, as he has top fives in both of his starts there. (Photo: Zack Silver/ARCA Racing)

Scott also credits the positive environment fostered at Rev Racing for providing him all the essentials to enjoy success not only at Dover, but with the ARCA Menards Series in general. As a seasoned member of the team, Scott has been able to share ideas with a plethora of drivers like Nick Sanchez and Andres Perez, both of whom are ARCA Menards Series champions.

It was through another Rev Racing alum in Rajah Caruth that Scott ended up meeting Alpha Prime co-owner Tommy Joe Martins.

When Caruth was embarking on a part-time Xfinity Series schedule in 2022, Scott frequently accompanied him and would engage in conversations with Martins about racing. As Scott gained more experience and continued his search for more funding, he saw Martins’ team as a potential option for his own Xfinity Series debut one day if everything came together.

Scott secured backing from Mongoose Power Solutions and Foxxtecca in January. He then reached out to Martins and Caesar Bacarella about partnering up for an Xfinity Series start, which opened the door for Scott to compete in an Alpha Prime car at Dover this weekend.

Preparation ahead of the BetRivers 250 has been thorough for Scott. He intends to rely on his acquired knowledge from Dover as a baseline but is also leaning on the people around him to ascertain how to optimize the performance of his No. 45 Chevrolet prior to the green flag.

By studying modern-day Xfinity Series footage at Dover, Scott believes all the track’s unique characteristics are going to be amplified Saturday.

“From a driver’s standpoint, there’s a lot more off-throttle time in [the Xfinity Series],” Scott said. “The track is going to move around so much more. Last year in the ARCA car, we could maybe get half a car up to make some runs, but in Xfinity, they’re three-quarters up at the end of these stages.

“It’s a whole different animal, but nothing we shouldn’t be able to adapt to with practice time.”

Lavar Scott
With plenty of family and friends in attendance this weekend at Dover Motor Speedway, Lavar Scott looks to perform strong in the ARCA Menards Series and in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/ARCA Racing)

Scott understands he needs to keep his expectations in check with a car that is more versatile compared to anything he has driven in his career to date. Saturday will be a success from Scott’s perspective if he can stay composed on restarts, gain track position and put together a solid finish.

Among the drivers sharing the track with Scott in the Xfinity Series is Caruth, who has won two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events since first introducing Scott to Martins. Scott wants to embark on a similar career path, and he knows a strong first impression with Alpha Prime can be a key step.

The Xfinity Series is only part of Scott’s busy weekend. An ARCA Menards Series checkered flag is up for grabs Friday evening, something that Scott believes has been overdue on his part after 21 tops fives in three years, including two runner-up finishes.

Scott hopes to open his busy slate with a breakthrough ARCA Menards Series victory. Not only would it give him a jolt of momentum for Saturday and the rest of the year, but it would provide him some catharsis after several near misses.

“[A win] would be a huge weight off my shoulders,” Scott said. “It’s something I’ve been trying to do for the past two years in this ARCA car. We’ve been really close at certain times, but something’s always happened. I’m still working towards it and the ARCA championship. I’m trying to find a way to balance it all, and I think I’ve become really well at doing that.

“We definitely have a chance to win [the ARCA race], and I’m excited for that, as well.”

Having numerous loved ones in attendance for both Friday and Saturday is only fueling Scott’s motivation for a homecoming weekend that brings more weight than usual. No matter the results, Scott is appreciative he gets to enjoy such a memorable weekend at a track that has long been significant to him.