PIT BOX: Saturday’s ‘ARCA Night in America’ concludes with West Series race at Shasta

The second half of this week’s “ARCA Night in America” doubleheader takes place at Shasta Speedway on Saturday evening for the ARCA Menards Series West.

Opened in the late 1940s as a dirt track, Shasta was converted to an asphalt oval for 1972, boosting its status as a cornerstone of the West Coast’s stock-car culture. Several NASCAR-sanctioned tours have visited Shasta during the facility’s lifespan, with the West Series making regular visits there during the 1970s and 1980s.

Saturday’s race at Shasta is only the fourth time the West Series has visited the facility during the 21^st century and the third race under the ARCA Menards Series banner. The most recent West Series visit to Shasta in 2024 saw current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor Tyler Reif lead all 150 laps from the pole.

As a 0.375-mile complex, Shasta is one of the smallest tracks on the West Series calendar. With only limited space to utilize, the West Series competitors will need to balance out both patience and aggression if they want to join a notable list of Shasta winners that includes four-time champion Bill Schmitt, who is being honored for Saturday’s event.

Below is everything to know ahead of the Bill Schmitt Memorial 173 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame at Shasta Speedway on Saturday night.

Bill Schmitt Memorial 173 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame at Shasta Speedway

Three races into the 2026 ARCA Menards Series West campaign, the championship picture is already starting to take form.

Leading the point standings is reigning West Series champion Trevor Huddleston, who is still searching for his first checkered flag of the year. Huddleston has no finishes outside the top five so far in 2026, a trend he has a solid chance of maintaining at Shasta this weekend since he has placed top five in both of his starts there.

Trailing Huddleston by five points is Mason Massey, winner of the season-opening West Series event at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in February. A disappointing 12^th at Tucson Speedway stymied Massey’s early-season momentum, but he is determined to deliver Bill McAnally Racing its second Shasta victory Saturday evening.

The most recent West Series winner is 15-year-old Cole Denton, who perfectly executed the tire conservation strategy at Tucson to secure a pivotal career milestone. Currently fifth in the West Series standings, Denton looks to build off his Tucson victory at Shasta this weekend and cement his status as a potential title contender.

Denton’s teammate at Jan’s Racing, Robbie Kennealy, has contested every event in the West Series and the national ARCA Menards Series so far in 2026. The hectic schedule for Kennealy continues at Shasta, where he seeks to improve upon his last-place showing from 2024 after a mechanical failure sidelined him on lap five.

Other names set to battle it out for a victory at Shasta on Saturday include Hailie Deegan, Kenna Mitchell, Eric Johnson Jr., Mia Lovell and Julian DaCosta.

The complete entry list for the Bill Schmitt Memorial 173 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame will be released later this week.

RACING REFERENCE:

• Previous ARCA Menards Series West races at Shasta
• ARCA Menards Series West drivers at Shasta

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: Field limited to 22 starters, plus provisionals (EIRI). 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 73. 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 8. Any tire change during the race, including the break, for emergency use only, must be approved by ARCA.