The ARCA Menards Series visited Michigan International Speedway Sunday afternoon for the VizCom 200. Toyota had four cars starting in the top five with Riley Herbst on the pole along with Ryan Repko in the front row. Behind them were Michael Self and the lone Chevrolet of Bret Holmes. There were a total of seventeen cars competing in this race.
Let's go! We're 🟢 in the 'Irish Hills'#ARCAMenards | @MAVTV pic.twitter.com/WXIs7ezoWd — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 9, 2020
At the start of the race, Riley Herbst got a great jump thanks to a push by Bret Holmes to get by both Ryan Repko and Michael Self for the lead. On the second lap, Bret Holmes was able to get a strong run on Ryan Repko to take the second position. On the same lap, Drew Dollar used the inside lane at turn three to take the fourth position away from Michael Self. A lap later, Drew Dollar would pass his teammate Ryan Repko for third place. Herbst led the first three laps before Bret Holmes charged down the backstretch heading into turn three to take the lead away.
Just like that: @bretholmes_2 to the lead at Michigan.#ARCAMenards | @MAVTV pic.twitter.com/QXVc2bqhNj — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 9, 2020
Once Holmes got the lead, he started to pull away from Herbst. Drew Dollar would then challenge Herbst for the second spot; however, Herbst was able to hold off Dollar for second. By lap 19, Holmes had a commanding 2.702 second lead on Riley Herbst. Meanwhile, Anthony Alfredo and Kris Wright were clashing for the seventh position. Alfredo would get the better of Wright and keep the seventh spot. The first caution came out on lap 32 for the first break. During the break, teams were allowed to change tires, add fuel, and make adjustments to their cars.
Time for changes. First break at Michigan: 1⃣ @bretholmes_2 2⃣ @rileyherbst 3⃣ @DrewDollar00 4⃣ @ryanRepko 5⃣ @michaelself@MAVTV | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/hL87Au5kMM — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 9, 2020
The race got back underway on lap 35 with Bret Holmes and Riley Herbst side-by-side for the lead. Herbst would barely edge Holmes to lead lap 35 before Holmes got a strong run on the outside lane off of turn two to retake the lead. Within three laps, all of the cars were now in a single file. On lap 40, Anthony Alfredo used the inside lane off of turn four to get by Ryan Repko for fifth place. As the race reached the halfway point, Bret Holmes lead was now 2.766 seconds over Riley Herbst. The second caution of the day would come out on lap 53 for Kris Wright. Wright had just lost the sixth spot to Hailie Deegan before he got loose and hit the outside wall at turn one.
🚨 Kris Wright gets loose & goes around 🚨#ARCAMenards | @MAVTV pic.twitter.com/fiFZ1WewxZ — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 9, 2020
Bret Holmes would lead the field back to green on lap 58 with two laps to go until the second break. Holmes and Herbst would make contact as they headed into turn one. Herbst tried to side-draft Holmes on the backstretch; however, Holmes would get the better of Herbst a lap later at turn one. Meanwhile, Drew Dollar was sitting in third, Anthony Alfredo fourth, and Michael Self fifth. Michael Self would take the fourth position away from Alfredo on lap 60 just as the third caution would come out for the second race break.
Last chance to make a change. Second break at Michigan: 1⃣ @bretholmes_2 2⃣ @rileyherbst 3⃣ @DrewDollar00 4⃣ @michaelself 5⃣ @anthonyalfredo Catch the finish on @MAVTV & @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/AukD2Q6Unu — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 9, 2020
Once the last break was over, it was time to get back to racing on lap 65. On the restart, Herbst was aggressive, trying to get ahead of Holmes. Herbst changed his strategy by breaking the draft from Holmes, not allowing him to get close. Holmes would get close to Herbst a couple of times from strong runs off the straightaways while Herbst would have the edge on the corners. While those two were going at it for the lead, a couple of position changes occurred with Michael Self taking third place away from Drew Dollar, and Jason Kitzmiller moving up a couple of spots to seventh place.
Side by side for the lead.@rileyherbst has it. @bretholmes_2 wants it back.#ARCAMenards | @MAVTV pic.twitter.com/BwjrHSOmOC — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 9, 2020
Late in the race, Herbst’s lead was now .811 seconds with 16 laps to go. With 15 laps to go, Ryan Repko was able to get the seventh spot back from Jason Kitzmiller. From there, the field would remain unchanged as Riley Herbst would win the VizCom 200 by 1.456 seconds over Bret Holmes. This is Herbst first win the ARCA Menards Series in three-years.
M O N S T E R 🏁@rileyherbst rolls in Michigan pic.twitter.com/J1lnu57XwW — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 9, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Michael Self third, Drew Dollar fourth, Anthony Alfredo fifth, Hailie Deegan sixth, Ryan Repko seventh one lap down, Jason Kitzmiller eighth one lap down, Thad Moffitt ninth one lap down, and Armani Williams tenth three laps down. There were six lead changes from two drivers and three cautions for thirteen laps.
Points standing right now are Michael Self first, Bret Holmes second (-4), Drew Dollar third (-41), Hailie Deegan fourth (-47), Thad Moffitt fifth (-78), Brad Smith sixth (-221), Ty Gibbs seventh (-247), Sam Mayer eighth (-259), Chandler Smith ninth (-284), and Ryan Huff tenth (-289). The ARCA Menards Series will race the Daytona road course next Friday at 5 pm on MAVTV or the NBC Sports Gold Track Pass.
Comments