Taylor Gray Inherits ARCA West Victory at Portland, After Top-Two Drivers Penalized on Final Restart

Returning to Portland International Speedway for the first-time in nearly a decade, the ARCA Menards Series West put on a memorable show, one filled with full-course cautions, lots of on-track contact, and tempers flaring between every possible combination of competitors on the track.

However, the part of Saturday Night’s ARCA Portland 112 that will go down as the most memorable, is the driver who was decalred the winner of the event, after ARCA Menards Series officials decided to assess a 30-second time penalty to the first two drivers to cross the start-finish line, after cutting the course in turn two without coming to a stop.

The incident took place on the final restart of the event, which was determined to be a one-lap shootout, when a number of drivers within striking distance of the race lead, chose to make aggressive divebombs heading into turn one, causing Jake Drew, Eric Nascimento, and Rodd Kneeland to cut the course.

Even though Drew and Nascimento crossed the line first and second, ARCA officials deemed that they didn’t take the actions necessary following their cars cutting the course, resulting in a penalty, handing the victory to David Gilliland Racing’s Taylor Gray.

Um … WOW@TaylorGray17_ is credited with the win after ARCA officials rule both Jake Drew and Eric Nascimento missed a corner on the last-lap restart ?

@Portland_GP | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/wtLfpgm3Tj

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 12, 2021

While both drivers were looking forward to a great finish, the penalty is a bigger blow to Drew, who was easily the fastest car in the field throughout the course of the weekend, and was even able to reboound from obtaining significant damage on his No. 9 Ford Fusion from a lap 13 accident, which saw Takuma Koga’s No. 7 climb over the back of the Sunrise Ford Racing entry.

BIG trouble on the Lap 13 restart ?

@Portland_GP | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/AIi48POQaK

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 12, 2021

After penalties were determined and finishing order adjusted, Paul Pedroncelli Jr. was credited with a second-place finish, with Jesse Love, Joey Iest and Takuma Koga rounding out the top-five. Tim Spurgeon, Trevor Huddleston, Stafford Smith, Paul Pedroncelli and Jake Drew rounded out the top-10

2021 ARCA Portland 112 Race Results:

1. No. 17 – Taylor Gray
2. No. 33 – Paul Pedroncelli, Jr. (-2.865 seconds)
3. No. 16 – Jesse Love (-3.281 seconds)
4. No. 54 – Joey Iest (-6.716 seconds)
5. No. 7 – Takuma Koga (-7.451 seconds)
6. No. 86 – Tim Spurgeon (-8.406 seconds)
7. No. 6 – Trevor Huddleston (-10.689 seconds)
8. No. 08 – Stafford Smith (-11.797 seconds)
9. No. 31 – Paul Pedroncelli (-17.125 seconds)
10. No. 9 – Jake Drew (-26.738 seconds)
11. No. 4 – Eric Nascimento (-28.015 seconds)
12. No. 99 – Cole Moore (-42.278 seconds)
13. No. 68 – Rodd Kneeland (-55.983 seconds)
14. No. 38 – Dave Smith (-1 Lap)
15. No. 27 – Bobby Hillis Jr. (-1 Lap)
16. No. 88 – Bridget Burgess (-7 Laps)
17. No. 13 – Todd Souza (-55 Laps)

2021 ARCA Menards Series West Point Standings After 6 Races:

1. Jesse Love – 243 points
2. Cole Moore – 223 points (-20)
3. Jake Drew – 222 points (-21)
4. Paul Pedroncelli Jr. – 222 points (-21)
5. Joey Iest – 220 points (-23)
6. Todd Souza – 214 points (-29)
7. Trevor Huddleston – 211 points (-32)
8. Takuma Koga – 186 points (-57)
9. Bridget Burgess – 182 points (-61)
10. Bobby Hillis Jr – 176 points (-67)