The ARCA Menards Series East closed out the 2020 season Sunday afternoon at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL for the Pensacola 200 presented by Inspectra Thermal Solutions. NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver Grant Enfinger competed in this race. On the pole was Grant Enfinger with a lap time of 17.461 seconds at 103.087 mph. Taylor Gray qualified second with a lap time of 17.502 seconds at 102.845 mph. Sam Mayer started third, and Ty Gibbs was fourth. Nineteen cars were competing in this race.
Grant Enfinger leading the way with 35 of 200 laps complete this afternoon. Gray, Gibbs, Mayer and Heim the rest of the top five. #ARCAMenards | @5FlagsSpeedway pic.twitter.com/0dli8FaFXI — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
Enfinger led the first fifteen laps before debris brought out the first caution of the race. After a quick caution, the race resumed on lap 20. Sam Mayer restarted in fifth and quickly moved his way up two spots to third. Enfinger continued to dominate, having led all 58 laps when the caution came out for a spin at turn two by the No. 14 Chevrolet of Connor Okrzesik. During the caution, Ty Gibbs was on pit road, and his crew worked on the rear end of the car. The race got back underway on lap 63.
Some issues for @TyGibbs_ during the second caution of the race 👀 @_TrackPass #ARCAMenards | East pic.twitter.com/FRdgpoenVv — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
On the same lap, Sam Mayer made work of Taylor Gray to take the second spot. Upfront, Enfinger had led all 76 laps when the third caution came out for the first race break. During the break, teams have five minutes to change tires, add fuel, and work on their cars. Once the break was over, the race was back underway on lap 79.
It’s been all @GrantEnfinger so far! Leader at halfway of today’s #ARCAMenards East Series 200 at @5FlagsSpeedway pic.twitter.com/XzKOPuR7tk — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
Two laps into the restart, Derek Griffith and Taylor Gray were fighting for the fourth position when they made contact. Chase Cabre was not far behind them, and he took advantage of their battle by getting past the two drivers to secure the fourth position. Now Griffith and Gray were fighting for fifth. Griffith ended up settling for fifth, and Gray sixth. Griffith regained his composure and would eventually pass Cabre for the fourth position. Upfront, Sam Mayer caught Enfinger and passed him on the inside of turn four with 69 laps to go. Chase Cabre blew the left rear tire and hit the wall in between turns one and two to bring out the fourth caution. ARCA officials decided that this caution would also be the second race break. Once the break was over, the race got back underway on lap 147.
2020 ARCA Menards Series East champion @sam_mayer_ to the lead at @5FlagsSpeedway!#ARCAMenards | East pic.twitter.com/j6QStoyfiH — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
Sam Mayer lost the lead to Grant Enfinger and got hung out on the outside, losing several positions to seventh place. Enfinger, Griffith, and Cory Heim were all battling for the lead with 43 laps to go when Heim made contact with Griffith at turn two, sending him sideways and hitting Mason Diaz to bring out the fifth caution.
🟡 Caution with 42 to go 🟡@CoreyHeim3 gets into @DerekGriffith12, who collects @masondiazracing#ARCAMenards East | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/xiOw4k5dD7 — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
The race resumed on lap 165 with Enfinger still in the lead. Sam Mayer climbed his way back to the front and, with 26 laps to go, found himself in a battle for first with Enfinger, Heim, and Gibbs. Heim and Gibbs both made contact, allowing Mayer to take the second spot. With 13 laps to go, Mayer used the bumper at turn two to get by Enfinger for the lead. He moved Mason Diaz on the front stretch, causing him to get loose and hit the wall while bringing out the day’s sixth caution. The race resumed with four laps to go.
.@sam_mayer_ to the lead with 12 laps to go! 👀 @_TrackPass #ARCAMenards | East pic.twitter.com/roa3f5WByN — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
Mayer jumped out in front on the restart, while Enfinger and Heim were side-by-side for second. Heim and Gibbs got by Enfinger, dropping him to fourth. An accident by Chase Cabre brought the seventh caution of the day, sending the race to overtime.
Caution just before the white flag 😱 Might want to get to @_TrackPass for this finish!#ARCAMenards | East pic.twitter.com/FfTTyCePUn — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
In overtime, Mayer had to hold off both Ty Gibbs and Corey Heim to win the race by .499 seconds over Corey Heim. He also claimed the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East championship by 32-points over Ty Gibbs. This is Mayer’s second consecutive championship.
THIS is how you finish a championship season.@sam_mayer_ wins the season finale at @5FlagsSpeedway! #ARCAMenards | East pic.twitter.com/cBuweupim4 — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 11, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Ty Gibbs third, Taylor Gray fourth, Grant Enfinger fifth, Jesse Love sixth, Daniel Dye seventh, Justin S. Carroll eighth, Nick Sanchez ninth, and Parker Retzlaff tenth. There were seven cautions for 27 laps and five lead changes.
That concludes the 2020 season. Thank you for tuning in to BGMSportsTrax all season long, and will do it again next year. If you have any comments, please leave them below.
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