Chandler Smith scores second win of the season at Lucas Oil Raceway

The ARCA Menards Series kicked off a busy racing weekend in Indianapolis at the Lucas Oil Raceway, formerly known as Indianapolis Raceway Park for the Calypso Lemonade 200 Friday night with a limited amount of fans in attendance. Chandler Smith won the General Tire pole, and alongside him was Ty Gibbs. Michael Self was starting in the third position, Hailie Deegan was starting fourth, and Derek Griffith was starting fifth. ARCA implemented two competition caution flags for laps 70 and 140.

We are 🟢 at Lucas Oil Watch the short-track action: 📺 @MAVTV 💻 @_TrackPass ⏱ Race Center: https://t.co/iqeEBBBgaJ#Calypso200 | @LucasOilRaceway pic.twitter.com/uxzzHuUxv9 — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

Chandler Smith and Ty Gibbs made contact on the first lap fighting for the lead before Gibbs took sole possession. Once in the lead, Gibbs pulled away from Smith and had a 0.806-second lead twenty laps into the race. While the top four positions did not change, the battle for the fifth position was heating up between Taylor Gray and Sam Mayer. Mayer challenged him for the position, but Gray battled hard before Mayer took over the fifth position. The top seven positions remained unchanged; however, there was a battle for the eighth position between Drew Dollar, Thad Moffitt, and Derek Griffith.

On lap 40, Chandler Smith caught up to Ty Gibbs and tried to pass him at turn four for the lead. They made contact in their battle before Smith overpowered Gibbs and took the lead.

Excuse me. Coming through.@CSmithDrive to p1⃣#Calypso200 | @LucasOilRaceway pic.twitter.com/hL2fWf1xii — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

Battles were taking place for several positions as Taylor Gray got away from Sam Mayer and challenged Hailie Deegan for the fourth position. Gray was right on the bumper of Deegan, then went side-by-side with her to get the fourth position on lap 61. Gray then set his sights on Michael Self and took the third position on the straightaway entering turn one. Gray caught up to Ty Gibbs and took the second position just when the first competition caution came out at lap 70. Crews were allowed five minutes to work on the cars, change tires or add fuel in the break. After the break, the cars were back out on the track, and the race resumed on lap 75.

Chandler Smith quickly pulled away from the field, leaving Michael Self, Ty Gibbs, and Taylor Gray to fight for the second position. Taylor Gray and Sam Mayer ended up making contact exiting turn four. Both drivers were fighting for the fourth position side-by-side. The two drivers continued to make contact, which allowed Hallie Deegan and Drew Dollar to get into the mix. The field would settle down once Gray got away with the fourth position.

Ty Gibbs had electrical issues, and his car slowed down on the track. He was able to get his car down pit road. Gibbs’s crew began searching for the problem. It was later determined to be a broken alternator belt. Meanwhile, Mayer and Gray resumed their fight for the third position.

Taylor Gray goes 😱#Calypso200 | @LucasOilRaceway pic.twitter.com/CxolAmd7Ym — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

Trouble for @TyGibbs_ pic.twitter.com/6DmFUDTPJX — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

At the halfway point of the race, Chandler Smith continued to lead and had built up a 1.424 second lead on Michael Self. The top positions remained unchanged Drew Dollar was now fighting with Thad Moffitt for the sixth position. Moffitt and Dollar were side-by-side before Moffitt made the pass on the outside of turn one to take the sixth position. Upfront, Michael Self was now challenged by both Taylor Gray and Sam Mayer for the second position. While those three were fighting for the second position, Smith extended his lead by 2.211 seconds.

Gray and Mayer continued to battle for the second position. Michael Self made contact with Taylor Gray coming down the racetrack entering turn one, causing Taylor Gray to go sideways, bringing out the second caution of the race on lap 129. Michael Self would also lose the second position to Sam Mayer.

🚨 @TaylorGray17_ goes around battling @michaelself for p2⃣#Calypso200 | @LucasOilRaceway pic.twitter.com/C3rtLTGk2w — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

The race resumed with four laps to go before the second competition caution. Smith pulled away from Mayer. Hailie Deegan challenged Michael Self for the third position and succeeded. Sam Mayer challenged Chandler Smith for the lead; however, the second competition caution came out at lap 142. After the break, the race resumed with 56 laps to go. Once again, Chandler Smith pulled away from the field with Michael Self second, and Hailie Deegan third. Brett Holmes and Taylor Gray were battling for the fifth position with 52 laps to go.

Last break is over. It's going to be a sprint to the finish. Can anyone catch @CSmithDrive ? 📺 @MAVTV 💻 @_TrackPass ⏱ Race Center: https://t.co/iqeEBBBgaJ#Calypso200 | @LucasOilRaceway pic.twitter.com/7uvbr6VoLJ — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

The field would settle down with 48 laps to go with Chandler Smith having a 1.206 second lead on the second-place car Michael Self, Sam Mayer was third, Hailie Deegan was fourth, and Brett Holmes was fifth. Smith was increasing his lead as Sam Mayer and Michael Self were battling for the second position. Both cars were side-by-side, and this helped Smith, who now had a 1.911 second lead with 41 laps to go.

Mayer and Self continued to battle for the second position while Deegan was creeping in on them. Mayer did get the second position exiting off of turn two from Self and was now chasing Smith, who was up by 3.092 seconds on Mayer with 34 laps to go.

Sam Mayer goes to second. 🎯on Chandler Smith now?#Calypso200 | @LucasOilRaceway pic.twitter.com/SJFzzrpRWl — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

Sam Mayer began to cut Chandler Smith’s lead each lap. He was now trailing Smith by just 1.617 seconds with 26 laps to go. Hailie Deegan challenged Michael Self for the third position. She did make contact with his left rear before taking over the third position with 22 laps to go. Shortly after the contact, Michael Self would pull down the track with a flat left rear tire with 20 laps to go.

"There she goes."@HailieDeegan to p3⃣#Calypso200 | @LucasOilRaceway pic.twitter.com/cEBYptaP0w — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

            The battle for the lead was just down to Sam Mayer and Chandler Smith. Mayer cut Smith’s lead to 0.285 seconds with 12 laps to go. He continued to look for ways to edge closer, but Smith extended his lead in the final laps. Smith would go on to win the Calypso Lemonade 200 by 0.899 seconds over the second-place finisher Sam Mayer.

"Chandler Smith dominates in the shadows of Indianapolis." ✌ in a row at @LucasOilRaceway#Calypso200 | @CSmithDrive pic.twitter.com/fjOsDZspzS — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) July 4, 2020

Hailie Deegan scored her best finish in third place while Taylor Gray finished in fourth. Thad Moffitt finished in fifth; Max McLaughlin finished in sixth place. Bret Holmes finishes in seventh place one lap down, Michael Self finishes in eighth place two laps down, Howie Disavino III finishes in ninth place three laps down, and Kyle Sieg finishes in tenth place four laps down.

There were six cars out of the race; the 06 car of Tim Richmond did not start. Ty Gibbs led the first 38 laps, and Chandler Smith led the rest of the way leading 162 laps. There were three cautions for 15 laps and two lead changes. Next up for the ARCA Menards Series is a trip to the Kentucky Speedway for the General Tire 150 next Saturday at 2:30 pm on FS1.

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