The ARCA Menards Series stopped by Memphis International Speedway Saturday night for the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200. This was the final race of the season for the Sioux Chief Showdown event. Qualifying took place earlier in the day, and Ty Gibbs won the pole with a lap time of 23.219 seconds at 116.284 mph. Qualifying second was Brett Holmes with a lap time of 23.311 seconds at 115.825 mph. Eighteen cars competed in this race. Sam Mayer had to drop to the back after changing tires before the race. Under ARCA rules, you have to use the tires you qualified with at the start of the race.
200 laps to decide the Sioux Chief Showdown. And we're 🟢 … NOW 📺 @MAVTV 💻 @_TrackPass#ARCAMenards | @RaceMIR pic.twitter.com/ZzenJKaewR — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 26, 2020
Ty Gibbs led the first eleven laps of the race before Drew Dollar went inside to take the lead. Gibbs was hanging outside and lost seven positions to settle in at eighth place. Dollar would lead seven laps before Bret Holmes went inside off turn two to take the lead on lap 19. Once in the lead, Holmes drove away. He led 56 laps with a 4.008 second lead over Drew Dollar as the caution came out for the race break at lap 76. During the break, teams had five minutes to work on their cars, change tires, and add fuel.
Picking up valuable points: @bretholmes_2 takes the lead at Memphis#ARCAMenards | @SiouxChief Showdown pic.twitter.com/8P4CbBa7jg — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 26, 2020
The race would get back underway on lap 81. The restart did not go well for Drew Dollar as he fell back to sixth place. Gus Dean would hit Dollar three laps later, causing him to make contact with Hailie Deegan and spin out at turn three for the second caution. Holmes led the field to restart on lap 89. Holmes’s lead was over ten-seconds over Ty Gibbs, who made his way back after restarting fourth. Holmes led an additional 70 before the third caution came out for the second break.
.@drewdollar00 goes for a spin.#ARCAMenards | @siouxchief Showdown pic.twitter.com/2XuAnppqvi — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 26, 2020
Driving a 🚀@bretholmes_2 has opened a 10+ second lead at Memphis#ARCAMenards | @siouxchief Showdown pic.twitter.com/6jv21t7z0s — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 26, 2020
Once the second break was over, it was time to finish the race with 46 laps to go. Holmes and Gibbs were side-by-side for the lead before Gibbs took it from the outside, heading into turn one. Holmes stayed with Gibbs for a while before Gibbs pulled away with a .655 second lead. Gibbs’s lead was now 2.181 seconds when the fourth caution came out after Taylor Gray made contact with the outside wall of turn two.
.@TyGibbs_ setting the pace. Time running out for @bretholmes_2 at Memphis #ARCAMenards | @siouxchief Showdown pic.twitter.com/f6DAu2osPU — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 26, 2020
The race restarted with three laps to go. Gibbs was able to keep the lead from Holmes. Holmes lost second to Sam Mayer with two laps to go. Gibbs would go on to win his sixth race of the season by .662 seconds over Sam Mayer. With the second-place finish, Mayer wins the Sioux Chiefs Showdown championship.
Double 🏆s at Memphis‼@TyGibbs_ takes the 🏁@sam_Mayer_ wins the @siouxchief Showdown #ARCAMenards | @RaceMIR pic.twitter.com/VFAe7SrZm9 — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) September 26, 2020
Eight cars finished on the lead lap. The rest of the final standings were Bret Holmes third, Thad Moffitt fourth, Chandler Smith fifth, Michael Self sixth, Hailie Deegan seventh, and Drew Dollar eighth. There were four cautions for 17 laps and three lead changes.
With a third-place finish, Bret Holmes now has a two-point lead over Michael Self with two races left in the season. The ARCA Menards Series will now head to the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Illinois Truck & Equipment Allen Crowe 100 next Sunday at 3 pm on MAVTV and NBC Sports Gold Track Pass.
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