Joe Gibbs Racing and Sammy Smith have now claimed back-to-back victories in the ARCA Menards Series East, expanding upon an eight-point lead over Taylor Gray – not entered in the event — with a masterful run through the field after a lap-one restart violation.
Penalty on Lap 1.
Checkers on Lap 200.What a drive by @sammysmithSS at @RaceFairgrounds ? pic.twitter.com/DhJYPWk86j
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) May 9, 2021
The 17-year-old had to rebound from a lap one restart violation, after he beat polesitter Mason Mingus – yes, that Mason Mingus — to the start-finish line on the initial start of the race, falling a lap down after serivng a pass-through penalty. Smith then clawed his way back onto the lead lap and made quick work of the field after the race’s first scheduled break.
Mason Diaz finished in the runner-up position for the second consecutive race, already earning more top-five finishes with Visconti Motorsports through three races than he did driving full-time for Venturini Motorsports in 2020.
? Lead change ?@masondiazracing to P1 ?@_TrackPass | @RaceFairgrounds pic.twitter.com/zrO7kyjIBM
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) May 9, 2021
In an incredible run for Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track Racing, Mason Mingus marks his return to an ARCA Menards Series sanctioned event with a third-place finish, after winning the pole and leading the first portion of the 200-lap event.
Mason Mingus Driving for Fast Track Racing at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
Connor Jones – making his ARCA Menards Series East debut for GMS Racing — and David Gilliland Racing’s Joey Iest rounded out the top-five finishers, with Rajah Caruth, Parker Retzlaff, Daniel Dye, Max Gutierrez and Stephanie Moyer rounding out the top-10.
Carson Kvapil, Dick Doheny and Wayne Peterson all retired from the race within the first 25 laps, bringing their cars home 11th through 13th.
The ARCA Menards Series East is back at it again on Friday, May 14 at Dover International Speedway in the series’ companion weekend with the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series. Drew Dollar, Kyle Sieg and Connor Mosack have already confirmed their intentions to compete in the event alongside the series regulars, while ARCA Menards Series regular Kyle Sieg will also dip his toes into the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday.
