In a chaotic turn of events, it was Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez who grabbed another Kansas victory over his teammate Rajah Caruth after the two battled on the final restart of Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series Dutchboy 150.
“We were just trying to maintain and not burn ourselves up if there was a caution,” Sanchez told FS1’s Kate Osborne post-race. “We lucked out there with what happened between [Drew Dollar] and [Corey Heim], I feel like we possibly could have gotten them at the end on speed, but we won, so I’m happy.”
This victory marks two races in a row that the 21-year-old has won in wild fashion, with his last victory coming in a television-window shortened crash-ending race at Talladega.
Saturday’s entire race changed when Drew Dollar collided with Corey Heim, with 43 laps left, sending both drivers out of the race.
Trouble for Corey Heim and Drew Dollar as they battle for the ARCA lead at Kansas! pic.twitter.com/NbrSeI6wvO
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 14, 2022
Heim, who had led every lap of the race before the incident, took the crash in stride, noting in his interview to FS1 that he and Dollar are close friends and knows Dollar wasn’t wrecking him on purpose.
However, Billy Venturini — Heim’s car owner and crew chief — did not take it that way, stating in his interview that he is a “Great kid, does not need to be a racecar driver.”
With the two front-running Toyota drivers wiping each other out with under 50 laps to go, that left the two Rev Racing cars to battle for the win, with Sanchez getting the best of teammate Caruth.
Caruth came close once again to scoring his first-career ARCA Menards Series win as he recorded a runner-up finish. While Caruth was still disappointed he did not get the win, it does mark his best finish of the 2022 ARCA Menards Series season.
Daniel Dye, who saw his indefinite suspension ended this week after his battery charges were reduced following an incident at his High School, rallied to a third-place finish after some issues early in the race, with Gus Dean and Connor Mosack rounding out the top-five.
Will Kimmel, Greg Van Alst, Ron Vandermeir Jr, Amber Balcean, and Toni Breidinger capped off the top-ten finishers in the race.
After all the adversity the team had fought through this week, Zachary Tinkle and Wayne Peterson Racing were able to score an 11th place finish.
The point standings continue to be tight as we still remain at the beginning point of the season, with a TIE for first place between Rev Racing teammates and the recently reinstated Daniel Dye just three points behind.
Leaving @kansasspeedway, @RevRacin teammates @Nicksanchez080 and @rajahcaruth_ are tied for the #ARCA Points Lead.
3. @danieldye43 -3
4. @CoreyHeim_ -33
5. @ToniBreidinger -37
6. @gusdean -37
7. @amberbalcaen10 -46
8. @parker_chase19 -54
9. DL Wilson -54
10. @driverRyanHuff -55 pic.twitter.com/c0ezdeWpiW— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) May 14, 2022
The ARCA Menards Series takes to Charlotte Motor Speedway next for the General Tire 150 on May 27th.
