Taylor Gray Goes Back-to-Back in ARCA Menards Series West, Crosses Finish Line First at Las Vegas’ Bullring

On a weekend where team owner David Gilliland was barred from being at the race track, after a post-race altercation with Drew Dollar at Bristol, his driver Taylor Gray has earned sweet victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring, the team’s second consecutive victory in the ARCA Menards Series West.

Burn. It. Down.@TaylorGray17_ pic.twitter.com/BqA2DMZzVg

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 24, 2021

At least this time he was actually the first driver across the start-finish line, holding off a pair of Sunrise Ford Racing teammates to capture his third career victory in the ARCA West Series, and his first in Sin City.

The 16-year-old initially took the lead from Jake Drew on Lap 24, leading throughout the remainder of the event, with the exception of four laps where championship leader Jesse Love was able to narrowly steal the top spot. Love would later have mechanical issues, forcing him to pit road and a 13th-place finish.

Jake Drew and Trevor Huddleston rounded out the top-three, with Joey Iest and Kyle Keller inside the top-five. Cole Moore, Paul Pedroncelli Jr, Takuma Koga, Josh Fanopoulos, and Christian Rose – on debut — rounded out the top-10.

In Thursday Night’s Star Nursery 150, Jolynn Wilkinson, Mariah Boudrieau, Bridget Burgess, Amber Slagle, and Amber Balcaen all took the green flag, the most women to start an ARCA-sanctioned event since at least 2010. Unfortunately, all five were caught up in accidents, resulting in 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd-place finishes.

With only two races left in the ARCA West season, Jesse Love leaves Las Vegas with an eight-point advantage over Jake Drew, with Cole Moore, Paul Pedroncelli Jr, and Joey Iest all still in the picture for the series’ championship.

2021 Star Nursery 150 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring Results:

1. No. 17 – Taylor Gray
2. No. 9 – Jake Drew (-2.262 seconds)
3. No. 6 – Trevor Huddleston (-2.681 seconds)
4. No. 54 – Joey Iest (-5.497 seconds)
5. No. 5 – Kyle Keller (-6.548 seconds)
6. No. 99 – Cole More (-9.805 seconds)
7. No. 33 – Paul Pedroncelli Jr (-1 Lap)
8. No. 7 – Takuma Koga (-1 Lap)
9. No. 21 – Josh Fanopoulos (-1 Lap)
10. No. 42 – Christian Rose (-2 Laps)
11. No. 4 – Eric Nascimento (-3 Laps)
12. No. 38 – Stafford Smith (-4 Laps)
13. No. 16 – Jesse Love (-4 Laps)
14. No. 51 – Dean Thompson (-5 Laps)
15. No. 27 – Bobby Hillis Jr (-6 Laps)
16. No. 13 – Todd Souza (-12 Laps)
17. No. 1 – Jolynn Wilkinson (-23 Laps)
18. No. 77 – Mariah Boudrieau (-38 Laps)
19. No. 08 – John Wood (-81 Laps)
20. No. 88 – Bridget Burgess (-95 Laps)
21. No. 17 – Amber Slagle (-97 Laps)
22. No. 19 – Amber Balcaen (-130 Laps)
23. No. 31 – Paul Pedroncelli (-147 Laps)

2021 ARCA Menards Series West Point Standings After 7 of 9 Races:

1. Jesse Love – 325pts
2. Jake Drew (-8pts)
3. Cole Moore (-14pts)
4. Paul Pedroncelli Jr. (-15pts)
5. Joey Iest (-15pts)
6. Trevor Huddleston (-23pts)
7. Todd Souza (-33pts)
8. Takuma Koga (-53pts)
9. Burdget Burgess (-69pts)
10. Bobby Hillis Jr. (-70pts)
11. Dean Thompson (-150pts)
12. Paul Pedroncelli (-154pts)
13. Eric Nascimento (-155pts)
14. Taylor Gray (-194pts)
15. Josh Fanopoulos (-234pts)
16. Hiroyuki Uno (-237pts)
17. Mariah Boudrieau (-237pts)
18. John Wood (-239pts)
19. Amber Balcaen (-241pts)
20. Stafford Smith (-257pts)