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Giovanni Scelzi led the way among Bill McAnally Racing’s four rookie drivers in ARCA Menards Series West competition at Evergreen Speedway on Friday, matching his career-best series finish in coming home third in the ENEOS / NAPA AUTO PARTS 100.
His three BMR teammates trailed Scelzi in the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS / Curb Records Toyota Camry – with Jesse Love fourth in the No. 19 NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota Camry, Gracie Trotter fifth in the No. 99 ENEOS Toyota Camry and Holley Hollan a career-best sixth in the No. 50 JBL/NAPA Filters/NAPA Belts & Hoses Toyota Camry.
“We might not have had the short-run speed that the Sunrise cars had,” Scelzi said of the two cars that finished first and second. “They were the class of the field early, but at the end I think we had one of the fastest cars – if not the fastest car on the race track.
“We’ve been working hard,” the 18-year-old Fresno, Calif., driver said, while thanking his crew chief John Camilleri and his team – along with Bill McAnally, NAPA, Toyota and Curb Records. “It’s been a struggle this year. I’ve been beating myself up a lot. It’s nice to have a good finish and a solid day all the way through.”
Not over driving the car was a key to doing well on the historic .646-mile oval, said Scelzi, who is making the transition this year from racing sprint cars on dirt tracks to stock cars on paved tracks.
“There’s no grip, especially on corner exit here,” he said. “Most of the time the harder you push, the slower you go. That’s kind of the pavement thing I’ve got to figure out.”
With his fourth-place finish, Love retained his lead in the championship standings by nine points. Trotter is tied in points for third, while Scelzi is tied in points for fifth. Hollan is seventh in the standings.
Friday’s race in Monroe, Wash., was the first of two nights of ARCA West racing in the Pacific Northwest, with the circuit heading about 375 miles south to Roseburg, Ore., to compete at Douglas County Speedway on Saturday night.
A group of special guests from NAPA’s Distribution Center in Seattle were treated by BMR to a VIP experience on Friday. An NGK VIP crew member was also honored at the race. In addition, ENEOS, BBB Industries, NAPA Filters and Gates Corp., – who were instrumental in their support of the races at Monroe and Roseburg – had guests in attendance.
ARCA Menards Series West Event:
Race: ENEOS / NAPA AUTO PARTS 100 (Race 5) Aug. 7, 2020
Location: Evergreen Speedway, Monroe, Wash. (.646-mile oval)
Television: NBCSN on Aug. 11at 2 p.m. PT
BMR Drivers:
Giovanni Scelzi
No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS / Curb Records Toyota Camry
Age: 18
Hometown: Fresno, Calif.
Qualified: 4th
Finished: 3rd (Running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Best career series finish: 3rd – twice (Monroe 8/7/20 & Utah 6/27/20)
2020 season series stats:
Races: 5 starts, 3 top fives, 4 top 10s
Series standings: 5th
Rookie standings: 3rd
Jesse Love
No. 19 NAPA Power Premium Plus Toyota Camry
Age: 15
Hometown: Menlo Park, Calif.
Qualified: 3rd
Finished: 4th (Running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Best career series finish: 1st – twice (Utah 6/27/20 & Irwindale 7/4/20)
2020 season series stats:
Races: 5 starts, 1 pole, 2 wins, 5 top fives, 5 top 10s
Series standings: 1st
Rookie standings: 1st
Gracie Trotter
No. 99 ENEOS Toyota Camry
Age: 18
Hometown: Denver, N.C.
Qualified: 8th
Finished: 5th (Running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Best career series finish: 3rd – Irwindale (7/4/20)
2020 season series stats:
Races: 5 starts, 3 top fives, 5 top 10s
Series standings: 3rd
Rookie standings: 2nd
Holley Hollan
No. 50 JBL / NAPA Filters / NAPA Belts & Hoses Toyota Camry
Age: 18
Hometown: Broken Arrow, Okla.
Qualified: 6th
Finished: 6th (Running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Best career series finish: 6th – Monroe (8/7/20)
2020 season series stats:
Races: 5 starts, 3 top 10s
Series standings: 7th
Rookie standings:4th
Race winner: Blaine Perkins
Next Race:
ARCA Menards Series West
ENEOS / NAPA AUTO PARTS 150, Aug. 8, 2020, Douglas County Speedway, Roseburg, Ore. (3/8-mile oval)
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
