After a two-lap, side-by-side battle to the checkered flag, it was Jake Finch and the No. 20 Venturini Motorsports team who took home the checkered flag in the ARCA Menards Series East General Tire 125 at Dover Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon.
The Lynn Haven, FL native led 89 of the 127 laps en route to his first career win in ARCA competition. Finch’s win came from the ninth starting position, which is the lowest starting winner in an ARCA East race since 2019.
While Finch put out a dominating effort, the win wasn’t easy as a late race caution for VMS teammate Conner Jones cutting a tire and slamming the Turn 3 wall sat up a green-white-checkered finish.
Here is a video of the accident that set up the green-white-checkered finish:
A big hit for @connerjones88 brings out the caution flag late in the General Tire 125 at @MonsterMile!
Jones walked away from the incident. pic.twitter.com/APkKWtqh3m
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) April 29, 2023
What's left of the 25 of Jones.#ARCAEast #TeamToby pic.twitter.com/YnXoTSvdYR
— Ben Branscum (@BrBranscum43) April 29, 2023
On the final two laps of the race, Finch and second-place finisher Landen Lewis drove side-by-side to the exit of Turn 4 coming to the checkered flag. Finch was able to pull ahead to take the win.
Here is how the thrilling final restart played out on the race broadcast:
This was a banger of a finish.pic.twitter.com/kZ0hZJ5i6A
— Ben Branscum (@BrBranscum43) April 29, 2023
It was a big day for several drivers, overall.
This marked Landen Lewis’ first career ARCA East Series start. In a total of four ARCA races ran in 2023 (three in ARCA West, and ARCA East at Dover) he has finished second in every single race. The Ocean Isle Beach, NC leads the West points by five.
Luke Fenhaus and Pinnacle Racing Group came home third. Five Flags winner William Sawalich finished fourth, and Rev Racing rookie Lavar Scott finished fifth.
After coming home in, at the time, a career-best seventh-place finish in the East series opener, Zachary Tinkle was able to best that with a sixth-place finish on Saturday.
The rest of the top 10 included Toni Breidinger, Ed Pompa, Conner Jones, and Sean Hingorani.
Hingorani overcame an array of issues even before the race started to be able to finish in 10th. The Newport Beach, CA finished the race 41 laps down.
Looking at the ARCA Menards Series East point standings after two races, rookie William Sawalich, and the No. 18 team lead the points, with Dover winner Jake Finch just one point back. Luke Fenhaus Lavar Scott, and Zachary Tinkle round out the top five.
STANDINGS – ARCA East (After 2/8 Races):
1. William Sawalich 90pts
2. Jake Finch (-1)
3. Luke Fenhaus (-7)
4. Lavar Scott (-11)
5. Zachary Tinkle (-15)
6. Sean Hingorani (-16)
7. Ed Pompa (-20)
8. Tim Monroe (-28)
9. Rita Goulet (-29)
10. Dale Shearer (-30)— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) April 29, 2023
ARCA Menards Series East General Tire 125 at Dover Race Results
| Fin | St | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Diff | Status | Laps Led | Fastest Lap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 20 | Jake Finch | Venturini Motorsports Toyota | 127 | --- | Running | 89 | 23.640 |
| 2 | 12 | 17 | Landen Lewis | McGowan-Cook Racing MMI Chevrolet | 127 | 0.164 | Running | 2 | 23.666 |
| 3 | 14 | 28 | Luke Fenhaus | Pinnacle Motorsports Chevrolet | 127 | 0.300 | Running | 0 | 23.818 |
| 4 | 1 | 18 | William Sawalich | Joe Gibbs Racing Starkey / SoundGear Toyota | 127 | 0.557 | Running | 2 | 23.709 |
| 5 | 8 | 6 | Lavar Scott | Rev Racing Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet | 127 | 1.164 | Running | 4 | 23.678 |
| 6 | 2 | 11 | Zachary Tinkle | Fast Track Racing Racing for Rescues Toyota | 127 | 6.892 | Running | 0 | 24.467 |
| 7 | 11 | 55 | Toni Breidinger | Venturini Motorsports Toyota | 125 | 2 laps | Running | 0 | 24.006 |
| 8 | 6 | 10 | Ed Pompa | Fast Track Racing HYTORC of New York Ford | 119 | 8 laps | Running | 0 | 25.547 |
| 9 | 10 | 25 | Conner Jones | Venturini Motorsports Toyota | 113 | 14 laps | Out | 30 | 23.632 |
| 10 | 7 | 15 | Sean Hingorani | Venturini Motorsports Toyota | 85 | 42 laps | Running | 0 | 23.900 |
| 11 | 5 | 48 | Brad Smith | Brad Smith Motorsports Copraya Ford | 70 | 57 laps | Out | 0 | 28.777 |
| 12 | 13 | 31 | Rita Goulet | Rise Motorsports MeccaBytesLLC Chevrolet | 29 | 98 laps | Out | 0 | 27.869 |
| 13 | 4 | 12 | CJ McLaughlin | Fast Track Racing SciAps Toyota | 5 | 122 laps | Out | 0 | 26.987 |
| 14 | 15 | 98 | Dale Shearer | Shearer Speed Toyota | 4 | 123 laps | Out | 0 | 35.231 |
| 15 | 3 | 01 | Tim Monroe | Fast Track Racing Ford | 2 | 125 laps | Out | 0 | 36.127 |
[…] Finch will look to continue his momentum after the first win of his career.. Last year’s polesitter will once again be behind the wheel of his family-owned Phoenix Racing team’s No. 1 Toyota. The Lynn Haven, Florida native drove for Venturini Motorsports in the first two races of the season. He will be looking to improve on his second-place finish last season this weekend. […]