The ARCA Menards Series West closed out the 2020 season Saturday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway in the Arizona Lottery 100. Jesse Love had a 14-point lead over Blaine Perkins heading into the final race. Love needed to finish eighth or higher to win the title. David Gilliland won the pole with a lap time of 27.452 seconds at 131.138 mph. Sam Mayer returned to the Series and qualified second with a lap time of 27.481 seconds at 131.000 mph.
We're 🟢 at @phoenixraceway! Catch the West season finale live on @_TrackPass #ARCAMenards | West pic.twitter.com/VXqJROWxjH — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) November 7, 2020
As the race got underway, cars were settling towards the bottom of the racetrack, with Ty Gibbs taking the lead on the first lap. Shortly after Gibbs got the lead, the first caution came out for a wreck at turn four involving four cars. Gio Scelzi and Keith Rocco suffered damage while Blaine Perkins and Todd Souza escaped with just scratches. Rocco was able to continue the race, but Scelzi’s day was done, and finished in 27th place.
🟡 Early caution 🟡 Championship contender @BlainePerkins21 goes around but avoids major damage. Big hit for @GioScelzi #ARCAMenards West | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/AJwW9o8QkQ — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) November 7, 2020
The race resumed on the eighth lap with Gibbs still in the lead. The restart only lasted a lap before Takuma Koga’s car suffered a flat right-front tire. This caused damage to the right front after contacting the outside wall off of turn one to bring out the second caution. The race resumed on lap 12, with cars scrambling to the bottom of the track. Gibbs held on to the lead with Mayer right behind him. Once again, the restart only went a lap before Bridget Burgess went around in turns one and two, which brought out the third caution. Her car suffered some damage, but not enough to put her out of the race.
The race got back underway on lap 16. Cars were once again diving to the bottom of the racetrack to gain positions. Gibbs maintained his lead, with Mayer sitting in second place. On lap 29, Gracie Trotter and Justin Lofton battled for the tenth position that ending up going to Trotter. Upfront, David Gilliland passed Mayer for second place. On lap 39, Gibbs applied the brakes causing Chris Hacker to nearly lose his car. This allowed Gilliland to take the lead from Gibbs. He remained in the lead when the fourth caution came out for a race break. During the break, teams had five minutes to change tires, add fuel, and make adjustments to their cars.
Once the race break was over, the race resumed with 46 laps to go. David Gilliland was penalized for changing lanes on the restart and served a drive-through while Gibbs was the new leader. Gilliland had led 17 laps before the penalty. With 31 laps to go, Blaine Perkins suffered mechanical issues, taking him out of the race and finishing in 25th place. Jesse Love was now in a position to win the championship.
Things championship contender @BlainePerkins21 did not want to see today: – His own hood@jesselovejr1 now in position to win the title#ARCAMenards West | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/fVzm25EvPA — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) November 7, 2020
Jack Wood got tagged from behind by Howie DiSavino III, sending him to the outside wall of turn three to bring out the fifth caution. Wood had significant damage to the rear, and his car left fluid on the track; he would finish in 24th place. The race resumed with 17 laps to go; Gibbs blocked Mayer to maintain the lead. Corey Heim hit the outside wall off of turn two, losing several positions. Chris Hacker spun at turn four to bring out the sixth caution with 13 laps to go.
The race resumed with nine laps to go with Gibbs still in the lead. Gibbs got into the outside wall off of turn two as Sam Mayer, Todd Gilliland, David Gilliland, and Taylor Gray went four-wide for the lead that went to David Gilliland. Gibbs rebounded after the incident to find himself in the second position. Sam Mayer cut a left rear tire and hit the outside wall off of turn two to bring out the seventh caution.
THINGS ARE HAPPENING@_TrackPass | @phoenixraceway pic.twitter.com/zFgEp8vonW — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) November 7, 2020
The race resumed with four laps to go with David Gilliland and Ty Gibbs fighting for the lead. Gibbs and Gilliland were side-by-side as they came to the white flag. Gilliland made contact with Gibbs heading into turn one to get the lead and win the race by .587 seconds, with Ty Gibbs finishing second. Jesse Love would finish in 14th place to officially clinch the championship. Bill McAnally Racing has now won five of the last six championships dating back to 2015 with Chris Eggleston, Todd Gilliland in 2016 and 2017, and Derek Kraus in 2019.
What. A. Finish. 🏁 ⇢ @DavidGilliland 🏆 ⇢ @jesselovejr1 Not a bad way to end the West season!#ARCAMenards | @phoenixraceway pic.twitter.com/NLrLNQWjlN — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) November 7, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Taylor Gray third, Todd Gilliland fourth, Drew Dollar fifth, Justin Lofton sixth, Trevor Huddleston seventh, Corey Heim eighth, Gracie Trotter ninth, and Keith Rocco tenth. There were seven cautions for 29 laps and six lead changes.
Retweet to congratulate @jesselovejr1 on his 2020 ARCA Menards Series West championship! pic.twitter.com/7HTUWVrWVe — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) November 7, 2020
That concludes the 2020 ARCA Menards Series West season. Thank you for tuning in all season long, and will do it again next year.
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