PIT BOX: ARCA Menards Series heads to Phoenix for annual combo event with West Series

As has become an annual tradition, the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series West will unite Thursday for the running of the General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway (4 p.m. MT / 6 p.m. ET on FS1).

Thursday’s event, which is the second race of the season for both divisions, marks the seventh time the ARCA Menards Series will compete a the one-mile oval located in Avondale, Arizona. The West Series, on the other hand, has competed at Phoenix more than 50 times dating back to 1977.

Those early West Series races at Phoenix often included several NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Among them were Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty, Neil Bonnett and Bobby Allison. The NASCAR Cup Series even ran combo events with the West Series at Phoenix, with drivers like Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt and Alan Kulwicki scoring wins in those events.

In more recent years, ARCA races at Phoenix have been won by a number of familiar faces, including Connor Zilisch, Brent Crews, Ty Gibbs, William Sawalich and Sammy Smith, among others.

Tickets to Thursday’s General Tire 150 can be purchased here. Below is everything you need to know about the ARCA/West Series combo event.

General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway

In racing, momentum is everything. If that’s true, then Mason Massey has all the momentum he could ever need.

The driver from Douglasville, Georgia made his ARCA Menards Series West debut Saturday night at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway and scored his first ARCA platform victory aboard Bill McAnally Racing’s No. 19 Chevrolet.

Massey will try to maintain that momentum Thursday night when the West Series unites with the national ARCA Menards Series for the General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway.

A number of competitors from both divisions will attempt to detail Massey’s momentum, including Joe Gibbs Racing’s Max Reaves, who will make his first appearance of the 2026 campaign as well as his first appearance at Phoenix Raceway. Brent Crews swept the ARCA platform races at Phoenix last season for JGR, so Reaves should be considered a serious contender Thursday night.

Hailie Deegan, who made her West Series return Saturday at Kern, will again race as a teammate to Massey on Thursday at Phoenix. The event will mark her first ARCA Menards Series national start since 2020.

After starting her campaign in the No. 77 for Pinnacle Racing Group at Daytona, Taylor Reimer will take the wheel of Central Coast Racing’s No. 13 Toyota this week at Phoenix. Speaking of Pinnacle Racing Group, the team will be fielding entries this week for Watkins Glen ARCA winner Tristian McKee and rising star Carson Brown.

Nitro Motorsports has six entries for Thursday’s event with drivers Isabella Robusto, Thomas Annunziata, Jade Avedisian, Mia Lovell, Julian DaCosta and Jake Bollman. Fresh off a third-place finish at Kern, Taylor Mayhew will again pilot the No. 17 for team owner Bruce Cook alongside teammate Jaiden Reyna in the No. 42.

Defending West Series champion Trevor Huddleston will chase his first Phoenix win alongside High Point Racing stablemate Andrew Chapman. Jan’s Racing Team will also have a pair of entries for their regular drivers Robbie Kennealy and Cole Denton.

Other notable entries for Thursday at Phoenix include Jason and Isaac Kitzmiller, Ryan Vargas, Eric Johnson Jr., Andy Jankowiak, Bobby Earnhardt, Brad Perez, Monty Tipton and Gavin Ray.

The complete entry list can be viewed here.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA Menards Series races at Phoenix
• ARCA Menards Series drivers at Phoenix

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: Field limited to 32 starters, plus provisionals. This event will be run under the 2026 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications. In signing an entry or taking part in any of the events described in this entry blank, all competitors agree to abide by all official ARCA decisions. ARCA has no obligation to accept this entry. Any member and/or vehicle may be restricted from pit area and competition for any outstanding obligations (fines, debts and/or suspensions).

QUALIFYING: Starting lineup set by speeds in Timed Session qualifying, plus provisionals. No adjustments or repairs may be made on car after entering pit road to qualify. All cars must make a qualifying attempt, and all drivers must practice before they can qualify.

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

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, the maximum tire use at track (total, “from home” plus purchased at track) for the event is 12.