Ryan Vargas
(Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)

NOTEBOOK: Ryan Vargas heads to Watkins Glen within striking distance of championship lead

www.arcaracing.com May 7, 2026

After four ARCA Menards Series events, Rvan Vargas is only eight points behind current championship points leader Jake Bollman.

With a 50-point bonus being awarded to full-time competitors prior to Friday’s General Tire 100 at the Glen (1:30 p.m. ET on FS2), Vargas is set to move ahead of Gio Ruggiero, who has run three races, and take over second in the point standings.

Vargas has put together a solid start to 2026 with Maples Motorsports by staying consistent and keeping himself out of trouble. Following a career-best eighth at Daytona International Speedway to open the year, Vargas placed inside the top 20 in the following three events, which included another eighth at Talladega Superspeedway last month.

Despite being just 25, Vargas brings a plethora of experience not only to Michael Maples’ operation, but also to the ARCA Menards Series platform in general. Vargas has competed in 71 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events during his career, scoring top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway and Daytona with JD Motorsports.

While he was busy competing in the NASCAR Canada Series last year, Vargas made four starts with Maples, finishing inside the top 10 at Kansas Speedway and Salem Speedway. The success the two found together played a role in Vargas returning to Maples this year as the anchor driver of the program’s No. 91.

For Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event at Watkins Glen International, Vargas finds himself with a slight change of scenery. The No. 34 that is normally operated by WAV Racing will be piloted by Ryan Vargas in a collaborative effort with Alpha Prime Racing to keep his championship hopes alive.

The No. 91 Vargas normally drives will be used by Trans Am TA2 Series competitor Tyler Kicera in his ARCA Menards Series debut.

Although Vargas has plenty of laps at road courses stemming from nearly a decade in NASCAR, he has only competed at Watkins Glen once, which was an ARCA Menards Series East event back in 2018. Vargas finished 18th that afternoon, a mark he seeks to improve upon ahead of his first national ARCA Menards Series start at the historic facility.

With an influx of road-course ringers and NASCAR stars in the General Tire 100 at the Glen, Vargas faces a significant challenge in his pursuit to take over the ARCA Menards Series points lead. Everything has gone according to plan for Vargas so far, and another solid outing at Watkins Glen would further bolster the momentum he has already built.

Andy Jankowiak
In his 48th career ARCA Menards Series start, Andy Jankowiak earned his maiden victory at Talladega Superspeedway last month. (Photo: David Jensen/Getty Images)

Fresh off Talladega win, Andy Jankowiak seeks another checkered flag

For the first time in his ARCA Menards Series career, Andy Jankowiak heads into a race weekend as the most recent winner.

Jankowiak pulled off the accomplishment with a daring, last-lap pass at Talladega Superspeedway. After drafting with Cleetus McFarland during a one-lap shootout to the finish, Jankowiak watched as McFarland attempted to block Gus Dean on the frontstretch, allowing him to pass both on the outside lane.

The son of Modified legend Tony Jankowiak, Andy Jankowiak moved into the ARCA Menards Series in 2021 with his own operation. In 2023, Andy Seuss and Kevin Lapierre purchased Jankowiak’s program; Jankowiak stayed on as the team’s primary driver and helped build what is now KLAS Motorsports into a race-winning team.

Watkins Glen International is next for Jankowiak and KLAS Motorsports following their Talladega triumph. Jankowiak has been to Watkins Glen every year since the historic complex returned to the ARCA Menards Series schedule, with his best finish being a seventh twice in 2023 and 2025.

Although Jankowiak has not committed to a full schedule, he does sit 11 points back from Jake Bollman in the ARCA Menards Series standings. With momentum on his side from Talladega, Jankowiak heads to Watkins Glen ready to continue what is shaping up to be his best season to date.

Dystany Spurlock
Across three ARCA Menards Series platform starts, Dystany Spurlock has two top-10 finishes. (Photo: Ed Zurga/ARCA Racing)

Dystany Spurlock all set for Watkins Glen doubleheader

The next step of Dystany Spurlock’s journey into NASCAR will see her pull double duty for the first time at Watkins Glen International this weekend.

Along with her ARCA Menards Series commitments, Spurlock will attempt to qualify for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event that takes place after the conclusion of Friday’s General Tire 100 at the Glen. For both races, Spurlock will drive for MBM Motorsports, operated by long-time NASCAR owner Carl Long.

Known for her experience drag racing motorcycles, Spurlock’s transition to full-bodied stock cars has been solid. She scored a lead-lap finish of seventh in her ARCA Menards Series East debut at Hickory Motor Speedway in March, which she later backed up with a top 10 at Kansas Speedway in her first national ARCA Menards Series start.

Spurlock is not entering Watkins Glen weekend without knowledge of road-course racing, as she contested 12 races in the Skip Barber Racing School Formula Race Series in 2023. The best finish Spurlock recorded in the series was a sixth at Virginia International Raceway.

Running two races in one day with two different chassis will test the road-course experience Spurlock does possess. Despite this, Spurlock is determined to maintain her strong start in stock cars with two solid performances at Watkins Glen.

Kaden Honeycutt
Although Kaden Honeycutt has limited starts on the ARCA Menards Series platform, he helped lead MMI Racing to a West Series owner’s title in 2023. (Photo: Zac BonDurant/ARCA Racing)

Kaden Honeycutt returns to the ARCA Menards Series platform

For his first ARCA Menards Series platform start since 2024, current NASCAR Truck Series points leader Kaden Honeycutt is teaming up with a familiar face: Bruce Cook.

During the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West season, Cook won a share of the owner’s title alongside Steve and Brenn McGowan with Honeycutt driving MMI Racing’s No. 17 Chevrolet. Honeycutt joined the operation with four races remaining in the year, never finishing outside the top 10 while tallying two victories.

That efficiency helped propel Honeycutt to the Truck Series, where he finished third in the championship standings last year despite splitting his schedule between three different teams. Now Honeycutt is full-time in the No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage, seeking to deliver the team another title after Corey Heim’s historic 2025 campaign.

Known for his versatility across oval tracks and dirt tracks, road courses are an area where Honeycutt is not quite as well-versed. Last year’s Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International saw Honeycutt finish in 28th after suffering a drivetrain failure, so he intends to use Friday’s General Tire 100 at the Glen to acquire more knowledge about the facility.

A victory is also on the line for Honeycutt, something he is very familiar with accomplishing while driving a Cook-owned No. 17. Earning an ARCA Menards Series win would be an ideal start to a busy weekend for Honeycutt as he looks to stay atop the Truck Series standings.

Patrick Staropoli
Patrick Staropoli returned to the ARCA Menards Series platform for the first time in a decade last year, earning four top 10s in seven races. (Photo: Ed Zurga/ARCA Racing)

Patrick Staropoli teams with Rick Ware Racing for Watkins Glen

To prepare for Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at Watkins Glen International, Patrick Staropoli will step back into the ARCA Menards Series platform after running seven races there last year.

Staropoli will drive the No. 51 Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing with sponsorship from Foundation Fighting Blindness. Ware’s operation has made intermittent appearance on the ARCA Menards Series platform since the 1990s, which included a 15th place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2025 with Carson Ware behind the wheel.

A retina surgeon, Staropoli attempted a handful of events on the ARCA Menards Series platform during the 2010s before taking a sabbatical from motorsports. During that period, he claimed a West Series win at the now-defunct Irwindale Speedway in 2014.

After re-acclimating himself to stock cars across the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR last year, Staropoli joined Big Machine Racing for the full O’Reilly Series season. Staropoli sits 22nd in points after 12 events, so he intends to use Friday’s ARCA Menards Series event to build some momentum and find comfort around Watkins Glen.

Staropoli only made his first road-course start of any kind at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year with the O’Reilly Series. There will be emphasis on gaining crucial road-course experience for Staropoli this weekend as he looks to get his O’Reilly Series season back on track.