PIT BOX: East Series begins ‘ARCA Night in America’ at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

A busy doubleheader for the ARCA Menards Series platform Saturday begins with the ARCA Menards Series East visiting the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

One of the oldest operating motorsports facilities in the United States, Nashville Fairgrounds opened to the public in 1904 as a dirt oval before it was reconfigured to an asphalt track in the 1950s. Nashville Fairgrounds has hosted races for all three of NASCAR’s top divisions during its existence, all while continuing to boast a vibrant local racing scene.

The ARCA Menards Series made its inaugural visit to Nashville Fairgrounds in 1992, a race that saw David Green take his lone checkered flag in his lone series start. It would not be until the mid-2010s when the ARCA Menards Series platform returned to Nashville Fairgrounds, initially hosting national races before becoming a staple on the East Series calendar in 2021.

Nashville Fairgrounds’ abrasive-but-fast layout has challenged plenty of drivers throughout the facility’s long, proud history. For an East Series competitor to join the prestigious list of drivers who have won at Nashville Fairgrounds, he or she will need to exercise patience and find a comfortable rhythm through all 150 laps.

Tickets to the Cook Out Music City 150 can be purchased here. Below is everything to know ahead of the third race on the 2026 ARCA Menards Series East schedule.

Cook Out Music City 150 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

In the five ARCA Menards Series East events that have been held at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway during the 2020s, four of them were won by the No. 18 Toyota currently owned by Joe Gibbs Racing.

Max Reaves continued that streak last year by leading 147 of 150 laps from the pole to secure what was then his second career East Series victory. Currently facing a 15-point deficit in the East Series point standings, Reaves looks to enjoy another dominant run at Nashville Fairgrounds on Saturday and continue the No. 18 Toyota’s efficient streak at the track.

Pinnacle Racing Group is the reason the No. 18 does not have a perfect East Series record at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway during the 2020s, as the team found Victory Lane in 2023 with Luke Fenhaus. Current East Series points leader Tristan McKee and Carson Brown are entered in PRG cars this weekend, both seeking to disrupt the No. 18’s dominance.

Leading a small contingent of Tennessee drivers in the Cook Out Music City 150 is Hunter Wright, the reigning Nashville Fairgrounds Pro Late Model champion. Wright earned a strong third-place finish in last year’s East Series race at Nashville Fairgrounds and will attempt to improve on that showing with the same organization, MAN Motorsports.

Other drivers set to compete at Nashville Fairgrounds this weekend include Isaac Kitzmiller, Landon S. Huffman, Quinn Davis, Austin Vaughn, Jackson McLerran and Michael Maples, among others.

The complete entry list for the Cook Out Music City 150 will be released later this week.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA Menards Series East races at Nashville Fairgrounds
• ARCA Menards Series East driver at Nashville Fairgrounds

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: Field limited to 22 starters, plus provisionals (EIR). This event will be run under the 2026 ARCA Menards Series rules, procedures, regulations and specifications.

QUALIFYING: Starting position will be set by each car’s fastest recorded lap per the Single Car Qualifying procedure. No adjustments will be allowed after the car takes the green flag. All cars must make a qualifying attempt; all drivers must practice before they can qualify (EIRI).

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, maximum tire usage for this event (purchased plus from-home tires) is 12.