PIT BOX: West Series competitors converge in Portland for the season’s final set of right turns

Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series West race at Portland International Raceway not only serves as the second and final road-course venue on the 2026 calendar, but also the division’s lone venture to the Pacific Northwest this year.

Built in 1961, Portland International has long been a hub for sports-car and open-wheel racing, having hosted copious events for platforms like the IndyCar Series, the Trans Am Championship and the IMSA GT Championship. The facility’s relationship with the West Series began in 1986, when Hershel McGriff took the checkered flag that day.

The West Series did not return to Portland until 2009, with the facility ultimately becoming a yearly staple on the schedule beginning in 2021. Among the drivers who have won a West Series event at Portland include current NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competitors William Sawalich and Taylor Gray, along with 2022 champion Jake Drew.

Portland is unique in the fact that it features minimal elevation changes, meaning there is more emphasis on precision and an optimal setup when it comes to navigating the corners. Executing on those fronts and maintaining track position will be crucial if drivers wish to find Victory Lane in the last road-course event of the year.

Tickets to the Portland 112 at Portland International Raceway can be purchased here. Below is everything to know ahead of Saturday’s race.

Portland 112 at Portland International Raceway

The most recent ARCA Menards Series West road-course race — at Sonoma Raceway on June 26 — belonged to Nitro Motorsports with Sam Corry and Mia Lovell earning the program a one-two finish.

That triumph was not only Corry’s first across the ARCA Menards Series platform, but also Nitro’s maiden visit to Victory Lane in the West Series. With plenty of road-course experience to his name, Corry seeks to replicate his wire-to-wire performance from Sonoma with another win at Portland International Raceway, a track where he has six USF2000 Championship starts.

Lovell’s runner-up finish at Sonoma was a career-best West Series showing, which came just a few weeks after placing third at Washington’s Tri-City Raceway. Like Corry, Lovell comes from a road racing background, but she will look to usurp her Nitro teammate at Portland and become the first woman to win a West Series race since Gracie Trotter in 2020.

Rounding out Nitro Motorsports’ roster for Portland are Brad McAllister, Ethan Tovo and Graham Jacobson, the latter of whom is the only one with ARCA Menards Series experience. All three have made start on the Trans Am platform, with McAllister having visted Portland’s Victory Lane in 2023 with the Trans Am Western Championship.

West Series points leader Trevor Huddleston maintains a comfortable advantage in the standings despite a disappointing ninth at Sonoma, his worst finish thus far of 2026. While Huddleston is not known for being a road-course racer, he did secure his first top five at Portland last year, a mark he intends to improve upon Saturday.

Other drivers making the trip to Portland this weekend include Dale Quarterley, Kyle Steckly, Todd Souza, Jeff Anton, Ryan Vargas and Kyle Keller.

The complete entry list for the Portland 112 will be released later this week.

RACING REFERENCE:

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

RACE FACTS:

CREW CHIEF HANDOUT: Field limited to 26 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 Timed Session qualifying procedure. No unauthorized adjustments or repairs may be made on car after passing pre-qualifying inspection. All cars must make a qualifying attempt; all drivers must practice before they can qualify (EIRI).

RACE PIT STOP: Road Course Event Break Pit Stop Procedure. Break at or near Lap 29. No adding or moving tires to or from pit box once race has started. All teams must enter pit road at Break.

TIRE ALLOTMENT: Per ARCA Rulebook, maximum tire usage for this event (purchased plus from-home tires) is 8.